Description
Couse-Sharp Historic Site seeks an experienced, creative, forward-thinking, collegial museum professional to work collaboratively with museum staff and guest curators and to execute and coordinate Couse-Sharp’s exhibition and collections programs. The successful candidate will be a full-time, core member of the museum’s interpretation staff and will join a dedicated team of museum professionals committed to serving and expanding our diverse audiences. Through research, exhibitions, programs, and publications, our museum strives to bring a more nuanced story of multicultural history that speaks to our shared American identity. The position, which reports to the executive director, will work closely with our museum and community partners, most importantly the Indigenous and Hispano communities of New Mexico and the American West.
To apply, please send curriculum vitae, cover letter, and contact information for at least three professional references to info@couse-sharp.org.
This is a rare opportunity for a full-time museum career in Taos working with a dynamic team that is passionate about our mission and thoroughly enjoys eating pie!
Responsibilities
1. Exhibition Curation: Actively manage and participate in the research, design, organization, and evaluation of exhibitions that expand our understanding of New Mexico’s complex art, history and culture.
2. Research and Interpretation: conduct scholarly research resulting in publications, exhibitions, and create educational content for diverse audiences (labels, catalogs, publications, and tours).
3. Collections Management: Oversee the acquisition, documentation, storage, and preservation of objects, including paintings, Native art, Spanish colonial furniture, and devotional art, ephemera and scientific instruments and tools.
4. Administrative Duties: Manage budgets, production schedules, long-term exhibition calendars, and loans with other institutions.
5. Fundraising: Support efforts for exhibitions, publications, and programs, including grant writing, sponsor and donor relationships.
6. Public Outreach: Engage with the public, promoting the museum through speaking engagements and conferences, and networking with colleagues.
7. Education: Participate in a collaborative team with museum staff in the development of cohesive educational content and programing for the museum’s diverse audiences.
8. Strategic Planning: Participate in strategic planning and contribute to the museum’s ongoing commitment to achieve, evaluate, and improve its success in advancing its mission and vision.
Upcoming Project
One of the most important projects of 2026 for the museum is a partnership with Taos Pueblo to seek significant multiyear grant funding and museum partnerships for a traveling exhibition to tell the compelling story of Ben “Couse” Lujan, E. I. Couse’s favorite model and “surrogate father” to the painter’s granddaughter, CSHS founder Virginia Couse Leavitt. Due to his appearance in dozens of paintings and popular illustrations, Ben was perhaps the most recognizable Indigenous figure from early twentieth century America, but his name was never known to most who saw his image.
We aim to change that through archives, photos, letters, video, oral history, and artwork that together document a story of resilience and self-determination of an Indigenous man and his family who successfully navigated a troubling time of shifting identities and economics. Throughout it all, Ben was in control of the narrative and his personal story.
CSHS Benefits Package 2026
10 paid holidays per year
80 hours of vacation per year
64 hours of sick leave per year
Schedule flexibility
The Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement program provides reimbursement of health insurance premiums and qualifying costs (such as copays, prescriptions, OTC medications) up to $537/month for an individual and $1,091/month for a spouse and/or family
403(b) retirement plan, the nonprofit equivalent of a 401(k): After a 90-day exclusionary period upon hire, the organization matches elective retirement deferrals up to 3% of salary
Short-term disability insurance coverage at no cost to employees
Starting salary $70,000 Depending on Qualifications
To view a PDF of the job posting, visit: https://couse-sharp.org/news
Requirements
Qualifications:
Experience in museum curation and administration.
Strong research and writing skills.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Project management skills, including managing budgets.
Strong experience working with tribal communities.
Lived cultural experience with tribal communities, preferably in the American Southwest or West
Thorough understanding of NAGPRA and federal law re: tribal communities.
Proven grant writing and development success.
PhD in museum studies, history, art history, or a related field.
Skills
Collaboration & Communication: Collaborating with colleagues and communicating complex ideas to diverse audiences. Interdisciplinary knowledge and the ability to make connections across different fields of study.
Interpersonal Skills: Building rapport with diverse stakeholders, asking thoughtful questions, and being open to feedback.
Critical Thinking: Critically evaluating physical objects, sources, and research findings, making informed decisions about those items, and assessing potential cultural and ethical implications.
Problem-Solving: Navigating complex ethical and social considerations, identifying issues, and finding solutions with sensitivity and awareness.
Time Management: Employing strong project management skills to coordinate timelines, budgets, and resources.
Adaptability & Innovation: Conceptualizing, creating interpretive content, and developing engaging and informative contexts.
Technical Proficiency: Using digital tools and technologies for research, project management, and digital storytelling.
Attention to Detail: Having a deep understanding of a particular subject, be it art history, history, natural history, or material culture.
Practical Application: Proficiency in research and writing.
