Editor

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.

Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.

Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.

Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure.

Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.

SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.

Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week

The Editor, Publications, is responsible for the editing and project management of in-gallery interpretive texts and object labels, as well as digital content on the museum’s collection. The Editor also works on select publications projects, assisting in the production of large-scale books under the direction of department managers, and overseeing publications in consultation with department staff, as assigned.

In this role, the Editor:

Reports to the Director of Publications
Plays a crucial role in shaping/enhancing visitor experience by supporting the production of compelling, accurate, and engaging in-gallery texts. Bolsters the publications team's efforts to document and provide context for exhibitions and the museum’s collection, showcase the scholarship of our curators, and aim to reach a wide range of readers
Represents Publications at interdepartmental project meetings and works closely with other Publications editors as well as curators, graphic designers, and colleagues in Exhibitions and Program Management to ensure that institutional standards for content, editing, and design are maintained within in-gallery materials. Develops and circulates schedules and ensures that the signage process, from editing through production, stays on track. Troubleshoots and implements solutions in consultation with other Publications editors and colleagues in the Design Studio and Exhibitions and Program Management as needed

In the first year of work in this position, key milestones will be:

By 30 days: establish understanding of key Publications projects, roles, and procedures and contribute to projects as assigned; begin developing departmental, cross-departmental, and cross-divisional relationships necessary for collaborative work
By the first quarter: contribute to an increased number, scale, and variety of projects while continuing to develop collaborative working approach
By one year: demonstrate increased ability to work independently and problem-solve proactively on multiple simultaneous projects; contribute to refining departmental and cross-departmental workflows; and deepen key professional collaborations

Responsibilities & Duties

Undertake the editing of in-gallery exhibition materials as assigned, primarily serving as lead editor for major projects
Schedule, copyedit, and proofread manuscripts and galleys in collaboration with other Publications staff.
Represent Publications at interdepartmental project meetings and work closely with the museum’s publications team, curators, and graphic designers to ensure institutional standards for content, editing, and design are maintained within these materials.
Support the implementation and refinement of cross-departmental workflows for exhibition materials.
Undertake the development, editing, and proofreading of text content to be published via digital signage, mobile platforms, or sfmoma.org.
Undertake and/or coordinate the editing and production of publications as assigned, In consultation with department managers.
Work proactively to ensure assigned projects meet schedule, budget, quality, and content requirements. Take the lead in developing schedules for these projects and coordinate the work of any freelancers hired to work on them, including graphic designers, editors, translators, and photographers.
Assist with or coordinate the checking of page proofs, bluelines (or digital equivalent), and jacket proofs for correctness and compliance with design, printing, and binding specifications, as assigned. Organize the routing of these materials for approval as necessary, alerting appropriate staff members and obtaining approvals in a timely fashion.
Undertake image acquisitions and licensing and/or supervise the work of Publications staff to obtain reproductions and permissions for inclusion in museum publications, arranging photo shoots both on- and off-site, trafficking digital scans and transparencies, compiling related paperwork, and processing invoices.
Edit for readability and style, write and rewrite as necessary on all of the above and a variety of other EdCE projects, and help maintain the museum’s standards of editorial excellence in all editing endeavors.
Supervise the work of other publications staff assigned to the Editor’s projects.

Qualifications & Skills

Possession of a bachelor's degree in art history, English, journalism, or related subject, with specific coursework in modern and contemporary art desirable.
A minimum of six (6) years of related professional experience, including editing and proofreading interpretive texts for a general audience, and at least four years of publication management experience required. Demonstrated history of bringing complex editorial projects to successful completion.
Desired skills and abilities:
Strong organizational, communication, writing, editorial, and project management skills.
Familiarity with modern and contemporary art history and art terminology.
Working knowledge of Chicago Manual of Style.
Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (especially Photoshop and InDesign) and HTML a plus.
Ability to set priorities, deal effectively and tactfully with artists and museum staff, maintain accuracy while meeting deadlines, and juggle a variety of projects simultaneously.
Proven competence as an editorial project manager with ability to set priorities, maintain budgets, and meet stringent deadlines.
Competence in at least one foreign language desirable.