How to hire an assistant curator

How to hire an assistant curator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant curator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant curator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant curator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an assistant curator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The assistant curator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an assistant curator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an assistant curator that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of assistant curators and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Assistant Curator	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Curator	Archivists appraise, process, catalog, and preserve permanent records and historically valuable documents. Curators oversee collections of artwork and historic items, and may conduct public service activities for an institution... Show more	$12-41
   Museum Curator	A museum curator looks after and manages exhibitions within a museum. Responsibilities of this position include building collections, developing interpretations for the museum contents, organizing events and exhibitions, designing and arranging installations, and carrying out administrative tasks in the museum... Show more	$12-37
   Curator	A curator is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing exhibits and collections in art museums and similar establishments. Their responsibilities include handling acquisition procedures, conceptualizing plans, designing exhibits and presentations, liaising with internal and external parties, setting goals and timelines, managing the budgets and fundraisers, and developing strategies to market the museum's events... Show more	$12-40

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Art History
   • Museum Exhibits
   • Collections Management
   • Educational Programs
   • Photography
   • Curate
   • Artifact
   • Press Releases
   • Permanent Collection
   • Museum Collection
   • Aquarium
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • AZA
   • Art Exhibitions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Review and edit listing photography and source photographers in various markets to capture unique accommodations and cover special assignments worldwide.
   • Fashion and coordinate historical costumes for first person interpretation

   More assistant curator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the assistant curator job description is a good way to get more applicants. An assistant curator salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an assistant curator in Louisiana may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level assistant curator. Additionally, an assistant curator with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average assistant curator salary

   $47,498yearly

   $22.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level assistant curator salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average assistant curator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$61,782	$30
   2	District of Columbia	$60,105	$29
   3	California	$58,735	$28
   4	New York	$54,643	$26
   5	Ohio	$54,326	$26
   6	Nevada	$54,057	$26
   7	Texas	$51,649	$25
   8	Wisconsin	$50,560	$24
   9	Pennsylvania	$50,161	$24
   10	Maryland	$49,060	$24
   11	Minnesota	$47,879	$23
   12	Massachusetts	$47,829	$23
   13	Illinois	$43,151	$21
   14	Mississippi	$43,111	$21
   15	New Mexico	$42,786	$21
   16	Florida	$41,645	$20
   17	Colorado	$41,629	$20
   18	Michigan	$41,550	$20
   19	Missouri	$39,004	$19
   20	Louisiana	$37,542	$18

   Average assistant curator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Art Institute of Chicago	$103,585	$49.80
   2	The Metropolitan Museum of Art	$88,044	$42.33	2
   3	Smithsonian Institution	$82,202	$39.52
   4	Yale University	$78,525	$37.75
   5	American Numismatic Association	$77,051	$37.04
   6	Princeton University	$73,688	$35.43	1
   7	The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston	$70,653	$33.97
   8	Walker Art Center	$69,768	$33.54
   9	Florida State University	$67,288	$32.35
   10	California Academy of Sciences	$65,412	$31.45	2
   11	The Morgan Library & Museum	$62,313	$29.96
   12	The San Diego Museum of Art	$61,257	$29.45
   13	University of Houston	$55,912	$26.88
   14	Guggenheim Museum	$53,067	$25.51
   15	University of Georgia Small Business Development Center	$52,685	$25.33
   16	University of North Carolina	$52,182	$25.09
   17	Carnegie Museum of Art	$50,261	$24.16
   18	Louis Dreyfus Company	$49,943	$24.01
   19	Colorado State Express	$49,943	$24.01
   20	Cleveland Museum Of Art	$49,611	$23.85

4. Writing an assistant curator job description

   A job description for an assistant curator role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an assistant curator job description:

   Assistant curator job description example

   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
   
   Performs curatorial work in general operational areas
   
   Exercises supervision over subordinate personnel
   
   Examples of Duties
   
   UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISION
   
   GENERAL
   
   Observes the general health and behavior of the animals
   
   Assists in the acquisition, disposition and exhibition of animals
   
   Assists in budget preparation and monitors expenditures
   
   Participates in renovation planning and the design of new exhibits as directed
   
   Assists in the interviewing and hiring of new personnel, develops work schedules and evaluates the work performance of subordinates
   
   Assists in the safety and security operations of the zoo
   
   Maintains applicable records on the animals and directly facilitates zoo participation in the International Species Inventory System
   
   Participates in scientific research as available or necessary
   
   Participates in daily work routines of the animal area
   
   Monitors and edits employees Time and Attendance records through PeopleSoft
   
   ANIMAL COMMISSARY
   
   Prepares diets for different types of animals, as prescribed by the Veterinarian and Curatorial staff and maintains electronic inventory of animal diets
   
   Establishes and maintains standards of food production and service
   
   Orders vitamins, hay, grains, produce, other food stock, supplies and equipment and maintains inventory of food and kitchen stock
   
   Ensures commissary and hay barn is kept clean and safe for food preparation and to meet USDA standards and regulations
   
   Researches and develops ways to improve diets and diet components
   
   Supervises and participates in animal waste collection and removal and makes deliveries to landfill
   
   ANIMAL TRAINING AND GLACIER RUN
   
   Develops behavioral enrichment programs for animals zoo wide
   
   Instructs and trains animal department staff on the use of behavioral training
   
   Researches, recommends and implements new training methodologies, techniques and programs and transfers that information and knowledge through meetings and keeper training programs
   
   Establishes, initiates and participates in public programs related to training activities
   
   Performs related work
   
   GLACIER RUN
   
   Oversees the dive safety program
   
   Minimum Requirements
   
   Bachelor's degree
   
   Biology
   
   Zoology
   
   Related field
   
   WORK EXPERIENCE
   
   Two years of managerial experience in a Zoo
   
   EQUIVALENCY
   
   An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted
   
   OTHER MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
   
   GENERAL
   
   Must be on 24-hour call
   
   Must participate in an employee preventive health care program
   
   Must participate in an operative conditioning program
   
   Must work a varied schedule
   
   Must participate in public education demonstrations and educational programs
   
   Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license
   
   SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
   
   Must possess a valid Firearms certification or obtain within three months of employment
   
   GLACIER RUN
   
   Must be certified in Scuba Open Water, regulated by the National Association Underwater Instructions, or obtain within six months of employment
   
   Must be certified as a Lifeguard, First Aid, and Adult, Child and Infant CPR by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or YMCA or obtain within six months of employment
   
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS
   
   Meets regular and punctual attendance standards and any special needs of the position as determined by management, including mandatory overtime and performing related work
   
   Lifts and carries items weighing up to 50 pounds
   
   Lifts and carries items weighing over 50 pounds in a team setting
   
   Sufficient mobility, vision and hearing are needed to ensure a safe work environment
   
   Climbs, carries objects, participates in capture and restraint procedures, trains various animal species, and operates shift doors and gates

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right assistant curator for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant curator job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant curator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with assistant curator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant curator

   Once you've decided on a perfect assistant curator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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