SENIOR EXHIBITION DESIGNER

• Lead the design vision for major temporary exhibitions, permanent collection rotations, and site-specific installations, closely collaborating with the AMFA’s curators to ensure that each exhibition experience is intuitive, holistic, visually and emotionally impactful, and clearly represents curatorial intent and AMFA’s mission.
• Transform curatorial ideas into compelling spatial experiences by thoughtfully integrating architecture, lighting, media, materials, and visitor flow.
• Collaborate with curators and registrars to develop design solutions that meet the highest standards of collection care, object safety, and conservation protocols, ensuring the integrity of the artworks throughout the exhibition process.
• Work in partnership with curatorial, marketing, and community engagement departments to align design with both internal strategies and public-facing objectives, ensuring exhibitions resonate with diverse audiences.
• Demonstrate exceptional attention to detail when reviewing exhibition text panels and labels, ensuring all content is grammatically accurate and correctly formatted before going to print.
• Create detailed digital renderings, 3D visualizations, and schematic plans of each display, including artwork and fabrications, using industry-standard software and emerging technologies, presenting these to curators and the executive director to guide decision-making.
• Working directly with contractors, vendors, and the collections team, place and track orders for design elements and restocking supplies, including processing invoices and tracking expenses.
• Manage production deadlines and budgets. Coordinate with vendors to schedule, fabricate, deliver, and install design and display elements, including text panels and large vinyl graphics.
• Stay informed on trends in exhibition design, immersive media, and visitor experience, bringing fresh, boundary-pushing ideas that align with AMFA’s innovative vision.
• Research prices and quality of products, materials, and vendors, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
• Mentor and lead junior designer, fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and collaboration to maintain a high standard of design.
• Ensure accessibility and safety in design by working with the collections department to guarantee that objects are presented in a way that is both secure and accessible to all visitors, including those with ADA limitations.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Exhibition Design, Architecture, Interior Design, Art, Art History, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in exhibition design, preferably within an art museum or cultural institution.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale projects from concept through completion, balancing visionary design with logistical rigor. Must have a design portfolio, demonstrating creative range and skills.
• Mastery of digital design tools: strong proficiency in CAD/Vectorworks/AutoCAD, 3D modelling and rendering software (Rhino, SketchUp, 3ds Max or equivalent), Adobe Creative Suite, and ability to produce photorealistic visualizations.
• Deep understanding of museum-display standards, art handling, conservation considerations, fabrication, lighting design, and visitor circulation.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills: ability to articulate design vision to curators, arts handlers, and external contractors.
• Strong organizational and time management skills for meeting tight deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience leading interdisciplinary teams and collaborating across departments (e.g., collections, curatorial, marketing, education, development), including openness to feedback, to achieve a good design solution.
• Have basic familiarity with a collection management system, such as TMS Collections or similar.
• Attention to detail to ensure accuracy and consistency across design and production.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Physical demands:
  • Regularly sit for prolonged periods of time (up to 5 hours at a time)
  • Regularly use hands and fingers for typing, handling documents, and operating office equipment.
  • Occasionally stand for prolonged periods of time (up to 3 hours at a time)
  • Occasionally bend, lean, push, pull, stoop, and crawl.
  • Occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
• Communication demands:
  • Regularly required to use speech to interact with team and contractors/vendors.
  • Ability to speak clearly and hear well enough to communicate effectively in person, over the phone, and via video conferencing platforms.
• Vision demands:
  • Must be able to see all spectrum of color, with or without corrective lenses
  • Regular use of visual acuity to review written materials.
  • Regular use of visual acuity to view computer monitor(s).
• Work environment/exposure:
  • Work is performed in a professional office setting with moderate noise levels typical of an open office (e.g., conversations, printers, phones).
  • The environment is climate-controlled with standard lighting and ventilation.
  • May involve occasional interruptions and interactions with team members and visitors.

Note: This job description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and qualifications of the Senior Exhibition Designer. It may be subject to change based on the Museum’s specific needs and policies.