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Curatorial Assistant
Buffalo Nations Museum
Job Posting Information
- Job Term: 2025 - 2026
- Position Type: Full Time
- Position Term: Summer
- Number of Vacancies: 1
- Salary: $19/Hour
- Location: Banff, AB
- Position Start Date: May 17, 2026
- Position End Date: August 28, 2026
- Minimum Education Required: Some Post-Secondary
- All Areas of Study: No
Job Description:
Project and Job Objectives
- To bring the Museum to life with cultural conversation
- To provide an historic resource to enhance museum visitor experience
- To add creativity/value to the signage/walking guide brochures about the historical landmark
- To encourage student to design new interactive experiences, will be given the resources to implement their personal legacy project in the museum
- To enable the development of the students professional, social, and employable skills
- To assist management with grant writing skills and historical research
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
- Management will propose detailed work schedule in advance and review progress and work submitted with student weekly
- Management looking for timeliness and approving deliverables: purposeful elegant writing, creative ideas for upgrading traditional as well as contemporary exhibits, new accurate and inspiring signage in stylish presentation, effective participation in museum events and programming with critical eye to the messages the museum delivers
- Student will be asked weekly, face-to-face open discussion with Management about their thoughts, their path, progress made and desired
- Student's work will be reviewed by university professor and management for authentication
- Feedback from Management and team will be timely and thoughtful
DESCRIPTION OF TASKS
Tasks and Responsibilities
- Review existing database of artifacts to find and solve gaps in provenance, if any
- Learn to run database reports with pictures
- Communicate with lenders re history of artifacts on loan
- Enter donated artifacts into database
- Handle and clean specific exhibits
- Draft storyboards/signage ideas for existing exhibits
- Research a timeline for stories and related artifacts on exhibit
- Update Question & Answer iPad for visitors
- Assist front desk staff with graphic design for paper bags for gift shop
- Work with ED to design new exhibits (Spirit of White Buffalo, Cree Medicine Wheel, Water is Life, Arctic in Colour, outdoor art signage)
- Work with ED and team to plan upcoming events (Buffalo Nations Day - We Are Family (September outdoor Indigenous parade, feast, market on museum grounds), Buffalo skulls ceremonial exchange, Spirit Bear Speaker event, National Canadian Film Day, Salmon Festival, Rethinking Photographic Histories and Indigenous Representation, opening parties for exhibits)
- Assist ED to draft grant applications for major building and programming funding
- Assist ED to design Museum Walking Guide brochure for visitors
- Assist technology director to draft technology plan for unique interactive donor board
- Create candidate's legacy project, a unique display, physical or digital, for Museum supporters to experience, for example the effects of the creation of Banff National Park on Indigenous Peoples, why history matters.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Adaptability: Learn to update visitor experience within museum's physical and resource constraints
- Collaboration Student's curatorial work will be primarily with management, with required respectful daily interactions with the admissions team
- Communication: Social skills to conduct interviews - listening and translating knowledge learned into teachable writing; Knowledge to access research resources
- Creativity and Innovation: High level of analytical skills to identify how museum is presenting itself and provide solutions and innovative ways to add value
- Digital Skills: Communicate with above average competence via computer, web, social media (preferred skill but not required, as job will provide learning opportunities)
- Problem Solving: Exhibits leadership skills in areas of communication and relationship building
- Technical skills: Detective skills to search for information using technology
- Reading and/or Writing: Share verbal and written information observing Indigenous protocol (what language not to use will be taught); Concise and inspiring writer, timely, goal-oriented work plan; Writing is used to fill out forms and applications and write emails, reports and social media posts.
Candidate Profile
- 3rd or 4th year university, preference of museum-related or communication field of study, heritage architecture and conservation, Indigenous studies, history
- Must work well with other staff, team is responsible for well-being of each other at work, visitors, and the building;
- Exhibits an appetite for intellectual growth
- Writing purposefully comes easily, words evoke emotion
- Advanced competence using computers, social media, museum technology.
ARE YOU CURIOUS? CALLING FOR MUSEUM CURATORIAL ASSISTANT
Buffalo Nations Museum in Banff Alberta is inviting applicants who love to have conversations with people of all ages and culture about history and current affairs to join the museum's heritage team in a unique log fort. We value a mature, social young person who plans to develop skills practicing reconciliation in their future career.
Project and Job Objectives
- To bring the Museum to life with cultural conversation
- To provide an historic resource to enhance museum visitor experience
- To add creativity/value to the signage/walking guide brochures about the historical landmark
- To encourage student to design new interactive experiences, will be given the resources to implement their personal legacy project in the museum
- To enable the development of the students professional, social, and employable skills
- To assist management with grant writing skills and historical research
- Please email a brief cover letter describing why you want to work at the museum, and a resume with detailed education, work, and/or volunteer experience to employer on or before May 3, 2026.
- Please indicate in the subject line: YCW 2026 Summer Application.
- Candidates will be contacted if invited for subsequent phone interview.
Application Information
- Application Deadline: May 3, 2026 05:00 PM
- Application Requirements: Cover Letter, Resume
Application Method:
- Apply through campusBRIDGE
- Additional Email Options: Applications will be emailed as they are received to the address provided by the employer