“Field Museum Seeks Assistant Curator of Fossil Reptiles,” by S.M. O’Connor

The Field Museum of Natural History is seeking an Assistant Curator of Fossil Reptiles.  They are inviting applications from paleontologists, preferably a dinosaur specialist, for a position in fossils reptiles, at the rank of assistant curator.  In addition, The Field Museum is also seeking an Assistant Curator of African Anthropology & Archeology, including Egypt.

The Field Museum stated, “The Field Museum’s Geology Section has a record of scientific excellence in collections-based research.  Our fossil reptile collection is world-class, with exceptional strength in North America.  We are seeking a collegial individual with strong communication skills to develop an outstanding research program in dinosaur evolution, systematics, paleocology, or paleobiology in a comparative context.”

The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an extremely funded field and/or laboratory research program, to contribute to building and using the dinosaur collections, and to participate in Field Museum exhibits, public research and education, and programming efforts.  Close relationships with local universities provide opportunities for participation in both graduate and undergraduate training.

The applicant must hold a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline by the start of employment.  Applications should include (1) a Curriculum Vitae; (2) a statement of research interests and career objectives; (3) names of, and contact information for, three people from whom letters of recommendation may be sought; and (4) copies of up to five relevant publications in PDF format.

The review of applications will begin on September 2, 2019.  To apply and to make inquiries, e-mail fossilreptilessearch@fieldmuseum.org.

Figure 1 Credit: ©Thomas Barrat Caption: This is the south façade of The Field Museum of Natural History on the Museum Campus in the Chicago Park District’s Burnham Park.

The Field Museum turned 125 years old in December.  Originally, it was called the Field Columbian Museum and it had a wide variety of exhibits as a repository of artifacts and specimens from Chicago’s first World’s Fair, the World’s Columbian Exposition (1893).  It was also housed, until 1920, in the Palace of Fine Arts (which now houses the Museum of Science and Industry).  Marshall Field I (1834-1906) donated the first $1,000,000 to endow the institution and left a bequest of $8,000,000 to increase the endowment and build a new museum.  His nephew, Stanley Field, was the third President of The Field Museum (1908-1964) and oversaw the construction of the new building.  He also donated an additional $2,000,000.  In 1900, The Field Museum narrowed its focus and became the organization we know today.  The South Park Commission, which later merged in 1934 with Chicago’s twenty-one other park districts to form the Chicago Park District, created Burnham Park with lakefill in part to provide a site for the construction of the new Field Museum as it was illegal to build in Grant Park.  The Field Museum is a research institution as well as a museum and employs scientists as well as curators, preparators, a librarian, an archivist, etc.

The Field Museum is part of the Museum Campus with the John G. Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium at the northern end of Burnham Park.  The Field Museum is open every day of the year, save one (Christmas Day).  It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the last admission at 4:00 p.m.  The street address of The Field Museum is 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605-2496.  The phone number is (312) 922-9410.  The Website is https://www.fieldmuseum.org/.