ROM Assistant Curator- Dawn of Life Gallery

The ROM is pleased to invite applications for the position of Contract Assistant Curator – Content Coordinator, to assist with the development of the new Willner Madge Dawn of Life Gallery. The successful applicant will join the Invertebrate Palaeontology section of the ROM’s Department of Natural History.  You will assist the ROM’s curatorial team of invertebrate and vertebrate palaeontologists in the development and coordination of content for the new gallery.

The ROM is currently developing a new permanent palaeontology gallery to open in 2021.  Highlighting the ROM’s superb fossil collections, along with new and profound ground-breaking research, the landmark exhibits of the Willner Madge Dawn of Life Gallery will convey the rich, complex and immensely long story of evolving life on our dynamic planet.  Covering more than 3.5 billion years of evolution (origin of life to end of the Triassic period), this new gallery will complete the temporal and conceptual integration of all Level 2 Natural History exhibits, leading from the Teck Suite of Galleries:  Earth’s Treasures, and connect directly to the James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs, the Reed Gallery of the Age of Mammals, and ultimately to the Schad Gallery of Biodiversity:  Life in Crisis. 

The Willner Madge Dawn of Life Gallery will be based on the rich ROM fossil collections to invertebrates, plants, microbes and vertebrates and will include many fossils from Canada including from four Canadian UNESCO sites.  This gallery will also introduce key earth and life processes, evolutionary concepts and major evolutionary innovations as well as extinction events. 

Qualifications

• Applicants must hold a minimum of a Master’s degree in Biology, Geology or Philosophy of Sciences related to the history of life or evolutionary theories at the time of appointment
• Strong knowledge in paleontological principles is a prerequisite
• A history of research and peer-reviewed publication focusing on palaeozoic invertebrate fossils is preferred
• Excellent writing skills and proficiency in sourcing, reading and summarizing technical sources. The ability to summarize key concepts and write narratives or scripts in a language accessible to the general public is a prerequisite. 
• Candidates with prior experience in gallery development will be given priority.
• Proficiency in spoken and written French is desirable. 
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and the ability to work under tight deadlines in a stressful environment is required. 

How to Apply

Applications for the position will be accepted until February 13, 2019. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Applicants should provide a letter of interest detailing their research interests and projects, a curriculum vitae, two published/scholarly writing samples, and should arrange to have up to three confidential letters of recommendation sent on their behalf. Forward all to:

• Royal Ontario Museum, Human Resources Department, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2C6

E-mail: careers@rom.on.ca Please quote Competition #2019 – 003 Contract Assistant Curator – Dawn of Life Gallery on the subject line.

The ROM is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. Upon request, suitable accommodations are available under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) to applicants invited to an interview.