Job Description

Working/Functional Title

Sculpture Technologist

Position Summary

The Department of Art, Art History & Design (AAHD) at Michigan State University invites applications for a Sculpture Technologist who will be an essential facilitator and collaborator in the day-to-day operations of the Sculpture area. This role is integral to supporting the department’s educational mission by fostering a safe, dynamic, and innovative learning environment for students.

The Sculpture Technologist is responsible for the stewardship, maintenance, and enhancement of facilities and equipment within Sculpture, working closely with faculty and students to provide technical support in implementing curriculum and assisting students in realizing creative projects. The successful candidate will provide training in the safe and effective use of tools and facilities, ensure compliance with safety regulations, and maintain organization and record-keeping.

Ideal applicants will demonstrate knowledge and experience in both contemporary sculpture practices and traditional equipment and processes while showing enthusiasm for learning new techniques and supporting interdisciplinary projects. They will collaborate closely with the Department Chair, Sculpture Area Head, and other supervisors to consolidate and execute a growing vision for the Sculpture area. This includes contributing to strategic planning for facility improvements, supporting innovative practices, and fostering an environment aligned with the program’s evolving goals.

The Department of Art, Art History & Design’s Sculpture Annex, where Sculpture is primarily located, includes a critique and installation gallery; digital/new media equipment; metal shop; aluminum/ bronze casting facilities; walk-in plastics, spray booth, wax room, and a modeling and plaster room enabling students to explore a wide range of processes. A full woodshop in the adjacent Kresge Art Center is under the supervision of another department echnologist. The AAHD Sculpture area is a hub of diverse activities and requires a Sculpture Technologist whose skillful organization and supervision will support a healthy, productive community. 

The successful candidate will also be a coordinator of operations, including cooperative work with MSU Infrastructural, Planning, Facilities (IPF), MSU Environmental Health Services (EHS), and other university units and personnel toward compliance with MIOSHA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety standards and waste collection/ disposal. Coordinated duties also include preventive maintenance, quality control, inventory, and purchasing of materials and equipment.The Sculpture Technologist hires, supervises, and schedules student workers and directs area workflow. Periodic participation in general building or wider department maintenance is also included in the job, with up to a few hours per week and summer restoration/ repair dedicated to those needs. Other duties as assigned. 

The university provides opportunities for professional growth through technical and professional training programs. Additionally, the department fosters a dynamic and collaborative environment, offering chances to engage with visiting artists and contribute to a vibrant and inspiring creative community.

Typical Regular Duties

• Inspecting and maintaining equipment and facilities to ensure safety and functionality.
• Ordering materials and supplies needed for classes and projects, ensuring timely availability for students and faculty.
• Assisting faculty with class preparations and providing technical support for demonstrations and student projects.
• Training students on the safe and effective use of tools and machinery, as well as specialized techniques like welding or casting.
• Offering one-on-one guidance to students troubleshooting their creative projects.
• Collaborating with the Department Chair, Sculpture Area Head, and other supervisors to plan facility improvements and support interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Participating in weekly meetings with the Sculpture Area Head to discuss area needs, strategic planning, and ongoing projects.
• Performing administrative tasks, such as maintaining safety compliance records, managing tool checkouts, and tracking inventory.
• Engaging in long-term planning for facility upgrades, innovative practices, and the evolving needs of the Sculpture area.
• Sharing maintenance responsibilities and other tasks related to the Kresge Art Center with other Department Technicians, ensuring smooth operation across shared facilities.

Assisting Faculty and Students

• Assisting with Creative Projects. Provide technical support to students during all stages of their creative work, ensuring safe and effective use of equipment and materials.  Assist students to translate their creative concepts into feasible projects, offering guidance on techniques, materials, and tool usage.
• Hands-on Support & Trouble-Shooting. Offer hands-on assistance in using studio equipment and machinery, helping students overcome technical challenges as they work on their projects. 
• Project Facilitation .  Facilitate smooth project workflow by ensuring students have the necessary tools, materials, and workspace and by managing studio operations efficiently. 
• Safety Oversight. Monitor students’ safe use of tools and equipment, ensuring they follow proper safety procedures and provide guidance when needed.  Enforce safety protocols while students are working, ensuring compliance with studio safety guidelines.
• Resource Management .  Assist students in selection and preparation of materials and tools for projects, ensuring they have everything needed to complete their work.  Ensure students have access to the correct materials and tools for projects and provide guidance on usage.
• Supportive Environment. Create a supportive studio environment where students can ask questions and seek help with projects, while maintaining a focus on individual creative goals.
• Communication and Collaboration. Collaborate with faculty to ensure student projects align with course objectives, offering logistical and technical support as needed.  Communicate with students to assess their project needs and ensure they are following studio guidelines.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired by completing a four-year college program, technical or vocational school in the Sculpture discipline of Visual Arts or an area closely related, plus at least two years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in fabrication techniques, the use of hand and power tools in a metal shop environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• • Valid vehicle operator's license required at time of hire.

Desired Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills to foster a collaborative and supportive learning environment.
• Familiarity with or interest in exploring fabrication technologies, such as 3D printing, AR/VR integration in sculpture, or laser-cutting tools, is a plus.
• Previous experience in providing instruction or technical guidance to students in a sculpture or related environment and/ or experience mentoring or leading a team, especially in a studio or shop setting.
• Experience in managing a studio or workspace, including inventory, budgeting, and coordinating resources for multiple projects simultaneously.
• OSHA certification in workplace safety and handling hazardous materials.
• Familiarity with design software such as Adobe CC, AutoCAD, Rhino, Blender or other 3D modeling software used in sculpture design and planning.
• Ability to operate a forklift.

Safety and Area Stewardship

• Knowledge of and experience with maintaining safety protocols in a studio environment, particularly regarding power tools, welding, and metalworking.
• Strong organizing skills.  Ability and knowledge to maintain and manage tools, machines, supplies and materials inventory for the sculpture studio, including checkout of tools to students and faculty and research and recommendation of equipment purchases or requests.
• Experience designing and maintaining sculpture studio facility layout with a focus on operational efficiency and safety compliance.  Ability to prepare and set up studios according to the needs of courses utilizing the space.
• Strong communication skills for interacting with students, faculty, and staff.  Professional, collegial attitude. 

Physical and Technical Skills

• Ability to lift and carry materials weighing up to 100 pounds and to stand for 75% or more of the time.
• Manual dexterity for setup, demonstrations, and repairs.
• Ability to work in a noisy and dusty environment for extended periods, with experience in managing environmental conditions in a studio.  At times requires the use of a respirator.
• Proficiency with common hand and power tools and machinery for sculpture, including common hand and stationary sheet metal tools, drill press, grinders, sanders, sandblaster. 
• Experience working with advanced sculpture tools, including welding and metal fabrication processes; casting and advanced mold-making techniques; bronze and aluminum foundry pours; troubleshooting casting defects; patination chemistry; lost wax and ceramic shell casting; alloying, fluxes and degassers; and 3-axis CNC router.
• Certification in welding techniques such as MIG, TIG, Plasma and oxy-acetylene welding
• Ability and interest in attaining further skills with the growth of the area and field.

Flexibility and willingness to assist in other administrative or interdisciplinary needs of the department.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Resume

Cover Letter

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Summary of Health Risks

Mildly disagreeable working conditions including working with electricity and potential chemical and/or biological hazards. The job requires a respirator and significant physical effort and involves lifting and carrying materials and equipment and using manual dexterity in repairing electronic components 26-75% of the time.

Bidding eligibility ends February 18, 2025, 11:55 PM

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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