Collections Volunteer
Department: Museum of Geology
Reports to: Collections Manager
Description
The Museum of Geology (MoG) is a designated federal and state repository, and center for paleontological research. It is responsible for the long-term care, storage, and utilization of paleontological collections according to the terms and agreements
set by the agencies for whom it acts as a repository. The MoG emphasizes items of significance for research, exhibition, and natural history heritage of the Black Hills and surrounding regions. Collections are organized by the following broad
divisions: Paleontology, Mineralogy, Recent Vertebrates, Archives, and the Library. Paleontology represents the largest of these divisions, with an estimated 500,000 specimens, and is further split into three subdivisions: Paleobotany, Vertebrate
Paleontology, and Invertebrate Paleontology.
The MoG collections are held to professional standards by their stakeholders which must be maintained through best practices. Volunteers are an essential part of the MoG workforce, assisting the Collections Manager and curatorial staff in cataloging,
curating, organizing, and digitizing the collections according to those standards.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Duties will include, but are not limited to:
• Specimen numbering and labeling
• Scanning labels and other physical data
• Rehousing and organizing specimens
• Entering data in Specify, our digital collections database
• Assisting the Collections Manager with specimen inventories
• Tracking personal volunteer hours
• Other duties as assigned
Volunteer Requirements
• Commit to a regular schedule during regular business hours (M-F 8:00-5:00)
• Minimum 3-month commitment and x hours per week (or scheduled day?)
• Interview with staff contact
• Attend orientation and training
• Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs
• Attention to detail
• Good organizational skills
• Critical thinking
Accommodations
While performing duties as a volunteer, some activities will require an individual to lift material up to 50 lbs, climb up and down stairs and ladders, bend or stoop over specimens, push/pull, lift/carry large items, and to reach above shoulder
height. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Staff Contact
Please contact Nathaniel Fox at nathaniel.fox@sdsmt.edu for this position or any questions you may have.