Job Opportunities

Current Job Openings at Columbus Museum of Art

Thank you for your interest in employment at Columbus Museum of Art. See below for current job position openings at Columbus Museum of Art. Please check back frequently for jobs at Columbus Museum of Art, an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs

Position Summary:
The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Columbus Museum of Art is responsible for leading the Curatorial Department in the development and implementation of the Museum’s artistic program, including its collections, exhibitions, publications, and related efforts. As a member of the Museum’s senior leadership team, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs must work collaboratively with other departments and stakeholders to advance the Museum’s mission, foster community engagement, and build support for the institution’s activities.

The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs is an integral part of shaping the artistic vision, strategic priorities, and mission of the organization. Through leadership and collaboration, the Deputy Director supports acquisitions and develops an exhibition program that centers artists’ voices, elevates marginalized histories, and explores new narratives. The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs leads CMA’s exhibition development plan with a focus on the visitor experience. They support CMA’s continued efforts to foster meaningful relationships and open dialogue with our diverse community, bringing relevant exhibitions to Columbus that further the Museum’s mission to create connection and inspire wonder. The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs works with the Executive Director and CEO, their colleagues, and other external partners to develop high quality exhibitions that travel from Columbus and across the nation.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership and Management Acumen
The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be skilled at building and leading high-performing, diverse teams with the highest degree of professionalism and an eye toward guiding team members’ growth and development. They must have the ability to set clear priorities, delegate, and guide investment in people and systems. The ideal candidate will cultivate a productive work environment that matches the skill set and abilities of staff members and provides professional growth opportunities that result in team cohesion and camaraderie. The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will foster a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, and teamwork within the department and across other departments. Further, they will manage the department’s operations and finances with focus and balance and will make decisions based on a clear understanding of the strategic objectives of the museum.

Curatorial Affairs Leadership
The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will have a sophisticated understanding of and passion for art and art history, as well as the materials, techniques, and condition of art objects; they will bring a robust record of exhibitions, digital innovation, and scholarly publications. This individual will bring demonstrated experience with project management related to the care, conservation, display, and interpretation of objects in a museum setting. The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will have demonstrable success conceptualizing, designing, and implementing compelling and visitor-centered curatorial and collection strategies and will be adept at working with the staff to bring them to life.

Successful candidates will be comfortable in the broader arts and cultural community to advance the mission of the Columbus Museum of Art locally, nationally, and internationally. They will have a familiarity with or working knowledge of best practices in collections management and a commitment to legal, professional, and ethical considerations about all acquisitions. They will possess a high level of cross-cultural competency and embrace the value found in our differences in all forms. This leader will have excellent presentation, verbal, and written communication skills.

Relationship Building and Ambassadorship
The Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be a gifted leader who will serve as an ambassador for the museum, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. A charismatic spokesperson, the Deputy Director should be able to originate and inspire enthusiastic relationships with fellow curators, artists, scholars, art historians, civic and community members, and others, to broaden and deepen interest in and support for the museum’s collections and exhibitions.

Passion for the Mission
Fully embracing the mission of the Columbus Museum of Art, its relationship to the communities of the city and region, and its commitment to its various constituents, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will be someone who understands how historic collections intersect with our contemporary world, and who will be passionate about working in partnership with staff, donors, and other partners to advance the mission of the museum. The ideal candidate will possess and promote a deep appreciation for the museum’s collections, history, research, and scholarship and will demonstrate a commitment to public engagement and the visitor experience. Working alongside the senior leadership team, trustees, staff, and volunteers, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs will help expand the museum’s brand and reach globally. This individual will have a strong work ethic, emotional intelligence, a sense of humor, and evidence of a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth. Additionally, this leader will be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics and values: someone who can be trusted without reservation.

Interested candidates may apply here

Individual Giving Manager

Position Summary:
The Individual Giving Manager (IGM) reports to the Senior Director of Individual Giving and works closely with the Advancement Team to support the implementation of a comprehensive, integrated fundraising program for individual contributed income sources for the museum’s annual giving program. The IGM is responsible for identifying and managing an active middle gifts portfolio ($1,000 to $9,999) of donors and prospective donors that will result in new and retained support for the organization in accordance with annual goals. The IGM oversees affiliate groups, including supporting the domestic travel program.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Individual Giving: The Individual Giving Manager will be responsible for maintaining and expanding a pipeline of donors with the capacity to make gifts of $1,000 – $9,999, implementing a mix of personal, small-group, and event-based engagement tactics. These responsibilities include:

• Cultivating new and current individual and family prospects through personal contact, including face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and written correspondence.
• Using a strong understanding of museum priorities and giving vehicles to create proposals that balance donor and museum goals, ensuring proposals are vetted with leadership, appropriately scoped, and well-crafted.
• Successfully securing gifts, negotiating gift terms, and ensuring the creation and adherence to gift agreements when appropriate.
• Ensuring accurate and complete record keeping.
• Stewarding donors and stakeholders by providing timely, compelling, and consistent engagement and recognition.

Affiliate Groups: The Individual Giving Manager will lead aspects of CMA’s affiliate groups and programs, including Art Escapes, Loud & Proud, Friends of Jewish Art, and the Contemporaries. These responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with Advancement and Curatorial teams to ensure affiliate groups are strategically aligned with museum goals and cultivated and stewarded appropriately.
• Creating and managing each group’s annual plan and revenue/expense budget.
• Managing group memberships, including renewals and membership development.
• Supporting the planning and implementation of content and events that are part of each group’s program, including two Art Escapes Day trips annually.
• Acting as the liaison between members and the museum staff.
• Additional duties as assigned, including evening and weekend hours as necessary.

Interested candidates may apply here

Learning & Engagement Contingent

Position Summary:
The Learning & Engagement Contingent will aid in a variety of Learning and Engagement roles at the Columbus Museum of Art. This is a contingent position and will be asked to work on “as needed” basis or at the convenience of an individual’s personal schedule.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• • Assist Learning and Engagement with program preparation, execution, and reflection. Programs include but are not limited to:
  • Open Studio: A family friendly drop-in program with a new art project each month.
  • Studio Thinking Workshops: Workshops designed to encourage studio habits of the mind.
  • Summer, Winter, and Spring Art Workshops: day camps for PreK – 8th grade.
  • Other public programming in the museum and around the city, such as tabling at festivals.
  • Organize, maintain, reset the Studio space, coordinating with L&E management for maintenance and facility needs.
  • Organize, maintain, and prep hands-on activities in the galleries.
  • Interact with visitors to create a welcoming and creative environment.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Roles and responsibilities will vary depending on the type of shift you are assigned.

Interested candidates may apply here

Safety and Security Supervisor 3rd Shift

Position Summary:
The Safety and Security Supervisor provides leadership in supporting CMA policies and procedures to ensure the safety of people and security of museum property. This position monitors safety and security through computer-based programs, on foot patrols of the property, and radio and phone communications. This role works primarily with the Safety and Security team, but also will work with the Visitor Experience Team and other departments in the Museum. This position is expected to adhere to team policies and expected to collaborate with other supervisors at certain times. The Safety and Security Supervisor ensures the highest level of safety, security, and confidentiality for CMA.

Duties and Responsibilities:
This position will be instrumental in the staff experience with day-to-day operations, coordinating activities and supporting the onboarding of new hires. In addition, this role supports the HR office with recruiting, benefits, filing, training, HR compliance, special projects and varies initiatives.

• Directly responsible for the physical safety and security of museum property and the people in it.
• Complete daily logs with correct and detailed information. Relays information to 1st shift at the end of each shift.
• Communicating necessary information to the correct department from an incident that happened during their shift, some information will need to be communicated to the right staff immediately, while other information can be communicated to 1st shift to contact the right department.
• Complete thorough rounds every 2 hours (4 total) during each shift. These rounds involve checking doors, readers, temperatures, mechanical rooms and I.T. equipment, artwork, lights, etc. Document any irregular findings with time stamps included.
• Monitoring all interior and exterior cameras in and around the Museum, Pizzuti Collections, and our 611 building.
• If there is an event ending at the start of the shift, the 3rd shift supervisor will be stationed at the dock office until the event and staff are gone for the night, needs to make certain that all staff badges are accounted for and deactivated. If there is no event double check these same badges to make sure all of them have been deactivated.
• Taking an inventory of the keys and making sure all keys in our lockbox have been accounted for.
• Must be able to handle stress in an emergency or unknown situations and react calmly and appropriately according to museum policies and procedures, with the ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities.
• Maintain security of the artwork and communicate with Collections and Exhibitions Department when there is any damaged, altered, or differences with artwork in the building.
• Maintain situational awareness of facility and those present, ability to respond accordingly while maintaining security protocols.
• Serve as the first responder for incidents including injuries, all emergency situations including evacuations, harbor in place, and de-escalation, and more.
• Filling out accurate and timely incident reports and communicating with the right staff and department for each of these reports.
• Monitor fire panel and responding to alarms, following CMA emergency procedures, while communicating this information to our facilities department.
• Check for appropriate temperature and humidity levels as indicated by facilities and curatorial to ensure the safety of the art.
• Manage and monitor building access points including monitoring all security computer-based access control systems, CCTV systems, alarms, doors, keys, badges and receiving and inspecting of deliveries.
• Ensure all staff, visitors, and vendors are registered properly before entering secure areas of the property.
• Ensure that visitors/contractors, vendors comply with museum policies by proactively communicating those policies in a direct, friendly, and respectful manner.
• Respect boundaries and personal space, thoughtfully monitor body language and facial expression, and always communicate in a respectful and professional manner.
• Participate in and lead regular professional development workshops about museum security procedures, CMA philosophies, learning, visitor engagement and conversational strategies, professional behavior, customer service, and art and exhibition content.
• Communicate and collaborate regularly with colleagues to improve team effectiveness.
• Maintain standards in matters of appearance, attitude, and performance.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned according to museum needs, individual skill, and interest.
• Ensure AMAG system alarms, doors, and badges are correctly secured in the system.
• Make certain all cameras are functioning properly each shift and if need be, contacting IT for assistance.

Interested candidates may apply here

Junior Sous Chef

Position Summary:
As the third in command, the Junior Sous Chef supports the Executive Chef and Sous Chef in overseeing daily Kitchen & Café operations. They step in to lead the team during their absence, ensuring consistent food quality, safety, and service standards.

This role assists with prep coordination, inventory, and menu execution, while also mentoring junior kitchen staff. The Junior Sous Chef works closely with the Schokko Art Café and CMA Special Events Catering teams to ensure smooth, creative, and well-coordinated food service across all events and outlets.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the Executive Chef and both Sous Chefs in maintaining a smooth, organized, and efficient kitchen operation during service and prep times.
• Assist in food preparation and execution to ensure quality, freshness, presentation, and consistency across all menu items.
• Help execute catered events and special functions as directed by the Executive Chef or Sous Chefs.
• Participate in the daily planning and costing of menus, contributing ideas for menu improvements and seasonal offerings.
• Uphold hygiene and sanitation standards in all food prep, storage, and dining areas. Ensure compliance with all food safety regulations.
• Supervise kitchen staff, including temporary or event-specific personnel, under the guidance of the Executive Chef or Sous Chefs.
• Work closely with front-of-house staff to ensure clear communication and excellent customer service.
• Monitor and maintain kitchen inventory, including receiving and proper storage of deliveries.
• Help maintain employee scheduling, payroll tracking, and labor coding to ensure accurate reporting.
• Identify and report any issues with kitchen equipment to the Executive Chef, Sous Chefs or Deputy Director of Operations to prevent disruption of service.
• Detail-oriented with strong time management, communication, and guest service skills.
• Must be flexible, adaptable, and able to work evenings, late nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a tight-knit team in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.
• Serve as a role model for kitchen staff in professionalism, punctuality, teamwork, and kitchen etiquette.

Interested candidates may apply here

Safety and Security Supervisor 1st & 2nd Shift

Position Summary:
The Safety and Security Supervisor provides leadership in supporting CMA policies and procedures to ensure the safety of people and security of museum property. This position monitors safety and security through computer-based programs, on foot patrols of the property, and radio and phone communications. This role works primarily with the Safety and Security team, but also will work with the Visitor Experience Team and other departments in the Museum. This position is expected to adhere to team policies and expected to collaborate with other supervisors at certain times. The Safety and Security Supervisor ensures the highest level of safety, security, and confidentiality for CMA.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Directly responsible for the physical safety and security of museum property and the people on it.
• Must be able to manage stress in emergency or unknown situations and react calmly, professionally, and appropriately according to museum policies and procedures, with the ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities.
• Perform regularly scheduled inspections of CMA properties including the galleries, exterior and interior doors, locks, lights, maintenance and IT equipment, public and private spaces. Promptly report and document any safety hazards, suspicious activity, concerns, or damage in accordance with the museum’s safety polices and protocols.
• Maintain security of the artwork and communicate with Collections and Exhibitions Department when there is any damaged or altered artwork in the building.
• Fill out a detailed incident report as well.
• Maintain situational awareness of facility and those present, ability to respond accordingly while maintaining security protocols.
• Serve as the first responder for incidents including injuries, all emergency situations including evacuations, harbor in place, and de-escalation, and more.
• Filling out accurate and timely incident reports and communicate with the right staff/ department for each of these reports.
• Monitor fire panel and responding to alarms, following CMA emergency procedures, while communicating this information to our facilities department.
• Check for appropriate temperature and humidity levels as indicated by facilities and curatorial to ensure the safety of the art.
• Manage and monitor building access points including monitoring all security computer-based access control systems, CCTV systems, alarms, doors, keys, badges and receiving and inspecting of deliveries.
• Maintain an up-to-date and accurate log of activities; report activity that requires immediate attention in accordance with CMA policies, communicate logs prior to shift change with other supervisors.
• Ensure all staff, visitors, and vendors are registered properly before entering secure areas of the property.
• Ensure that visitors/contractors, vendors comply with museum policies by proactively communicating those policies in a direct, friendly, and respectful manner.
• Respect boundaries and personal space, thoughtfully monitor body language and facial expression, and always communicate in a respectful and professional manner.
• Participate in and lead regular professional development workshops about museum security procedures, CMA philosophies, learning, visitor engagement and conversational strategies, professional behavior, customer service, and art and exhibition content.
• Communicate and collaborate regularly with colleagues to improve team effectiveness.
• Maintain standards in matters of appearance, attitude, and performance.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned according to museum needs, individual skill, and interest.
• Ensure AMAG system alarms, doors, and badges are correctly secured in the system.
• Make certain all cameras are functioning properly each shift and contacting IT for assistance.

Interested candidates may apply here

Line Cook

Position Summary:
The Line Cook will possess excellent customer service skills and be eager to acquire proficiency in the skills associated with the role of a Line Cook. The Columbus Museum of Art takes pride in the food we serve to our museum visitors and in how we serve it to them. We’re looking for candidates to join our Café Team!

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Experience cooking commercially.
• Prepare foods based on recipes, including cleaning and cutting the ingredients and cooking main dishes, desserts, appetizers and snacks.
• Report food, beverage, and supply needs to the Chef for ordering on a timely basis, daily, if needed.
• Responsible for the orderliness, cleanliness, and sanitation of Café food prep work areas.
• Assisting with stocking and setting up the kitchen stations.
• Plating prepared foods based on the chef’s specs.
• Working with servers to ensure that orders are completed according to request and with ticket times averaging under 12 minutes.
• Washing and cleaning the kitchen and cooking utensils and storing the equipment at the end of shifts.
• Ensuring that the kitchen operation procedures and hygiene meet food safety standards and regulations.
• Follows the posted daily cook cleaning duties.
• Accomplishes all job duties while adhering to all safety guidelines and practices throughout the shift.
• Reports any unsafe condition, unsafe act, accidents and/or injuries to the manager on duty.
• Sweeps, mops, and takes out trash at the end of the evening.

Interested candidates may apply here

Part-Time Facilities Support Staff

Position Summary:
Under the direction of the Facilities Support Supervisor, the Facilities Support Staff is responsible for keeping all museum facilities in clean, safe, and orderly condition. Performs cleaning duties, such as cleaning floors, rugs, washing walls and glass, and removing rubbish. Duties include notifying management of need for repairs and cleaning snow or debris from sidewalks and parking surfaces. Please note: This is a bargaining unit position.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Cleans floors in both public and non-public areas by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming them.
• Removes wastepaper baskets and containers and empties same into trash containers and cleans area after trash has been picked up.
• Services, cleans, sanitizes, and supplies restrooms (refill toilet paper, paper towel, and soap dispensers).
• Cleans and polishes furniture and fixtures.
• Cleans windows, glass partitions, mirrors and blinds using approved cleaners and tools.
• Dusts furniture, walls, machines, and equipment.
• Cleans and polishes hardware such as doors, woodwork, door handles, push plates, kick plates, metal handrails and drinking fountains.
• Removes and cleans floor mats and entrance rug runners.
• Reports burned out light bulbs to Maintenance Operations Manager.
• Report the need for repairs to the Maintenance Operations Manager or Facilities Director.
• Follow procedures for the use of chemical cleaners and power equipment in order to prevent damage to floors and fixtures.
• Turns in found articles to dock security.
• Handles emergency mop-ups and spills, utilizing appropriate wet floor signage.
• Assist with the removal of snow from sidewalks, steps, driveways, and parking areas and spread snow melting chemicals as directed.
• Requisitions supplies and equipment needed for cleaning and maintains storage areas in a safe and orderly manner.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.

Interested candidates may apply here

Internship Opportunities

Please check back for future opportunities.