I'm posting on behalf of a colleague. The position will remain open until filled, but work must begin by October 5, 2026. For any questions, please email Lisa Haney at haneyl@carnegiemnh.org.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Pittsburgh, PA) seeks a full-time, temporary MBI specialist to support activities related to a National Endowment for the Humanities funded project focused on the Dahshur boats of the Egyptian king Senwosret III. This is a contract position that begins October 5th 2026 and lasts four weeks. Compensation, $100/hr. for a total of 150 hours. The contractor will participate in a workshop hosted by collaborators from the Field Museum that will establish the project's MBI protocol. They will ensure the CMNH project team understands and can execute that protocol for each of the 90 planks in the museum's care. Work will take place at CMNH; necessary equipment will be provided.
Qualifications
•Demonstrable experience completing large-scale MBI project, including interpreting and documenting findings
•Demonstrable experience with complex photography workflows
•Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to follow procedures
•Experience writing protocols or guides
•Experience with Agisoft Metashape and Adobe photography products, or similar
•Experience with DSLR photography, using a wireless remote for photography, photographing objects in museum setting
•Ability to lift 50 lbs.
•Ability to stand for long periods
Scope of Work
Part of small team working to fully document all surfaces of some 90 cedar planks used to construct an ancient Egyptian funerary vessel using multiband imaging. The protocol and deliverables for this project will mirror those established by the Field Museum of Natural History who have already undertaken such work on a similar boat in their care. This work is part of a larger Manuscript Preparation Collaborative Research grant funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to prepare an edited volume focused on the Dahshur boats of the Egyptian king Senwosret III. This goal of this research and the resulting publication is to fully document and study two roughly 4,000-year-old Egyptian boats that are currently disassembled for treatment and remounting. These boats are two of only a handful of preserved, life-sized ancient Egyptian boats in museum care-none of which have been studied in such an in-depth manner.
The contract period will begin in early October and cover 150 hours, or roughly 4 weeks of full-time work. During that time the contractor will participate in a three-day workshop at CMNH during which the team from the Field Museum will detail and demonstrate their MBI protocol. The contractor will work with a small team including a project technician and object handler to get the project underway and ensure that all project staff understand and are able to correctly execute the photography protocols and workflow. Resulting data will enable project researchers to identify key areas for additional sampling and testing and will be a part of the final publication.
Project Schedule and Deliverables
-The contractor's term will begin October 5th 2026 with an introduction to the project, project planning, and a three-day workshop hosted by the Field Museum's conservation team.
-During the four weeks of their contract they will work with the CMNH team to ensure all team members understand the workflow and are able to complete all remaining photography and processing after the contractor's four-week term has ended.
-Documentation provided by the Field Museum suggests a workflow of either three large planks or five small planks per day, with time for processing images in the afternoon. Based on the range of sizes, shapes, and other variables we are hoping to complete this project in 5-8 weeks.
-The contractor will be responsible for adapting the existing protocol from the Field Museum into an imaging workflow for staff at CMNH, creating a clear workflow document specific to CMNH's set up, equipment, software, etc. This document will be a key reference for the remaining team members who will complete the project.
To apply, please reach out to Lisa (haneyl@carnegiemnh.org) with a short cover letter, resume, and a portfolio that illustrates at least one MBI project you have completed.
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Alexis North
Museum Conservator
Penn Museum
Philadelphia PA
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