Principal Curator, Indigenous Cultures – QM

We seek to appoint a highly motivated, productive museum professional to play a leadership role in enabling a culture of innovation and excellence that contributes to the important cultural role the Queensland Museum Network plays in advancing First Nations Peoples’ cultures and histories. Applicants must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.

The ideal candidate will possess a demonstrated track record of research outputs, international collaborations, grant funding, collections-based research and exhibitions related to aspects of the Cultural collections. You will manage the Indigenous Cultures unit within the Cultures and Histories Program, providing strategic and operational advice and support to the Head of Program. This role involves leading the care and curation of the Queensland Museum’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections, Pacific collections and First Nations collections from other areas of the world as well as Archaeology. Collections’ strengths include cultural material from Queensland and Northern Territory Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Australian South Sea Islander and Pacific Collections (particularly Western Pacific); and Archaeology collections which are mainly from maritime and terrestrial sites in Queensland with comparative material from across the world.

A key leadership role within the Collections & Research Directorate, the role manages a team of curators and collection managers that undertake a broad remit of work encompassed by Indigenous Cultures. While the ideal candidate will possess a credible research record in one of the areas covered by the Indigenous Cultures Collections, the ability to provide strategic direction and support to research, exhibition and projects to team members will be fundamental to success within the role. Personal qualities of integrity, empathy and a commitment to excellence are also important. The position plays an important role in developing the Museum’s potential for community relevance.
In this regard, the role will include ongoing community engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community stakeholders and includes working with Queensland Museum Repatriation staff and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement programs defined under the Museum’s Reconciliation Action Plan. It is essential for this position to have experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia. In this regard, applicants will need to nominate an Aboriginal person or Torres Strait Islander who are recognised and accepted within their respective community as a referee.

This position will be based at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane, and will have line management and collections’ responsibilities across all campuses that form the Queensland Museum Network including the Museum of Tropical Queensland; The Workshops Rail Museum, and Cobb + Co Museum.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• In conjunction with Head of Program, lead the development, delivery and evaluation of Indigenous Cultures research, collection acquisition, outreach and communication to meet brand, vision and strategic and operational plan objectives.
• Manage, mentor, and coach staff and maintain diverse reports within the Indigenous Cultures work unit.
• Establish national and international networks to promote the use of Queensland’s Cultural and Historical collections.
• Conduct research in a specialist subject area within

MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS 

Postgraduate qualification/s in a field relevant to the position or equivalent is required.