Indigenous Curatorial Assistant â Guelph Museums
Indigenous Curatorial Assistant â Guelph Museums
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Job Description
Why Guelph
When you join the City of Guelph you join a team of over 2000 employees who deliver services the community relies on every day. Together we are bringing to life Guelphs vision of an inclusive connected and prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment. As a single tier municipality we offer a variety of occupations and career specialities within our organization. Guided by the goals and objectives of the Future Guelph: Strategic Plan and committed to the Corporate Values of integrity service inclusion wellness and learning the candidate will aid in the achievement of the Community Vision for an inclusive connected prosperous city.
About Guelph Museums
Guelph Museums (Guelph Ontario) consists of three heritage sites Guelph Civic Museum McCrae House and Locomotive 6167 through which we explore our local histories in the form of exhibitions online access educational programming and community events.
The place we call Guelph has served as traditional lands and a place of refuge for many peoples over time including the Attiwonderonk and the Haudenosaunee. This land is held as the treaty lands and territory with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Guelph lies directly adjacent to the Haldimand Tract and is part of a long-established traditional hunting ground for the Six Nations of the Grand River. Many First Nations Inuit and Mtis peoples from across Turtle Island call Guelph home today.
As a centre of learning Guelph Museums is a trusted source for understanding our cultural past; however as a colonial institution we have contributed to the marginalization of Black Indigenous and People of Colour and their communities. Now and forward Guelph Museums is centering the voices of peoples historically silenced in colonial spaces.
In 2025 we are committed to projects that strengthen and build relationships and are embedded in rigorous research consultation and collaboration. We aim to create safer and braver spaces for truth telling attract and connect with diverse audiences deepen visitor engagement and embrace innovative leading-edge museum practices and technologies. These guiding principles inform all that we do at Guelph Museums and as such extend to the incumbent in the Indigenous Curatorial Assistant position described below.
Position Overview
Resumes are being accepted for the position of Indigenous Curatorial Assistant at Guelph Museums within the Culture and Recreation Department of Public Services. Reporting to the Curator the Indigenous Curatorial Assistant will contribute to the development installation and engagement program for a temporary exhibition which will be on public view at the Guelph Civic Museum from March 14 2026 to February 28 2027. The exhibition called Thatinatn:ni Where the Rivers Meet is a collaboration between Guelph Museums and the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective.
The Indigenous Curatorial Assistant position is a paid internship opportunity partially funded through Canadian Heritage: Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage program.
Key duties and responsibilities
In collaboration with Guelph Museums and the Decolonizing Place Narratives Research Collective the Indigenous Curatorial Assistant will contribute to an exhibition that aims is to foster greater public awareness of our collective responsibility and relationships with the people land and water in Thatinatn:ni / Guelph. Project goals include:
- Featuring diverse forms of media including material heritage images artworks performances videos texs and interactive digital media.
- Creating self-guided walking tours between the hilltop garden at the museum to the natural trail that runs along the rivers edge.
- Engaging a planting program to centre exhibition scholarship in plant relations.
- Supporting the development of events online content guided tours for the general public and educational programs for students (grades K-12).
- Organizing engagement activities including alternative mapping performance art digital storytelling and a community feast.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and requirements
- Completion of one of the following post-secondary programs of study: Applied Museum Studies Indigenous Studies History Art History Studio Art or a related field.
- Past experience (work or volunteer) working with community-based knowledge holders and/or in a gallery library archives or museum setting (considered an asset).
- Strong organizational skills good computer skills digital programming skills and some experience in artifact handling and data management.
- Experience with PastPerfect (or other collections management system) is considered an asset.
- Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills.
- Understanding of and commitment to the principles of truth and reconciliation and equity diversity and inclusion.
- Must be registered with Young Canada Works:
- Must meet eligibility requirements as determined by Young Canada Works:
- are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident or have refugee status in Canada (non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status are not eligible);
- are legally entitled to work in Canada (have a valid social insurance number);
- are between 16 and 30 years of age inclusively at the start of employment; and
- are a college or university graduate (certificate bachelors masters or doctorate).
- Note: Priority will be given to graduates that have not previously participated in YCW internship programs and that are unemployed or underemployed.
Hours of work
35 hours per week Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. with flexibility to work some evenings and weekends. This is a fixed term contract from September 2 2025 until March 27 2026
Pay/Salary
$22.23 - $24.45 per hour
How to apply
Interested candidates can submit their application by June 8 2025 to more information please contact:
(subject line: Indigenous Curatorial Assistant YCW-BCH)
The City of Guelph is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees feel welcome valued and engaged. Our employment policies strictly prohibit all forms of discrimination on any of the grounds in relevant laws. All employment practices are solely based on individual merit qualifications and organizations needs at the time. In keeping with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act we are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals in our job application procedures. If you need an accommodation in order to participate in the hiring process you may contact us to make your needs known in advance.
Personal information collected through the recruitment process will be used solely to determine eligibility for employment. We thank all candidates in advance; however only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.
Employment Type
Unclear
