Job Details

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.

Employment Type: Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt
Temporary/Permanent: Temporary, 1-year appointment with the possibility of annual renewal
Deadline to Apply: This application will remain open for 5 days, ending on June 30, 2025
Rate of Pay: $60,000.00 - $76,000.00 annually, commensurate with education, qualifications, and experience

Job Purpose

The Bishop Museum seeks to hire a Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) coordinator who will represent Bishop Museum as the primary point of contact for NAGPRA implementation. The successful applicant will work collaboratively with staff (as articulated below) to continue concerted repatriation efforts. Bishop Museum requires a cohesive effort to develop summaries and inventories, engage in consultation with relevant stakeholders, pursue duty of care agreements, and conduct any necessary repatriations. The NAGPRA coordinator will provide leadership on implementing NAGPRA and related repatriation activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Director of Collections, work in close collaboration with registrars, collections managers, digital specialists, and curators to review NAGPRA related records and materials to:

Coordinate NAGPRA processes internally, with external stakeholders, and with state and federal agencies to facilitate compliance with NAGPRA regulations

Conduct research on land ownership at time of collection of NAGPRA eligible items to ascertain responsible party

Initiate and conduct consultation with appropriate lineal descendants, Native Hawaiian Organizations, subject matter experts, and other consulting parties, to ensure continued compliance with duty of care and/or repatriation

Oversee/manage logistics and facilitation of repatriations

Track and communicate NAGPRA deadlines and timelines with pertinent museum staff to facilitate continued compliance with NAGPRA

Review and compile cultural and/or geographic affiliation documents and prepare Federal notices and communications

Manage claims involving repatriation and other appropriate disposition

Engage, as necessary, the assistance of appropriate subject matter experts, identified in consultation with potentially affiliated organizations

Collaborate to convene partners to regularly inform, provide updates, and provide a direct line of communication for NAGPRA-related items

Write summaries and cultural and/or geographic affiliation reports "Notices of Inventory Completion," and "Notices of Intent to Repatriate" for compliance with NAGPRA.

Serve as the primary point of contact for NAGPRA inquiries seeking information about collections.

Collaborate with collections managers on management of NAGPRA-eligible remaining collections under museum stewardship and work with descent communities to ensure access and inclusion.

Advise museum personnel about repatriation best practices or coordinate with appropriate agencies to do so.

Address repatriation requests made to the Museum, and communicate with stakeholders according to the NAGPRA process

Identify and assist with preparing applications for grants to support campus and tribal NAGPRA efforts.

Quickly and appropriately identify, address/escalate, and mitigate unforeseen and/or rapidly unfolding events that may negatively impact relationships between the museum and constituencies, keeping senior management appropriately advised and notified.

Track and respond to NAGPRA related inquiries

Preparing and delivering presentations to staff, executive leadership, and the board

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's and/or advanced degree in Anthropology, Archeology, Hawaiian Studies, Native American Studies, Law, Museum Studies, or related field, or in lieu of degree, 2-4 years of comparable related experience.

Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, especially regarding sensitive cultural issues.

Demonstrated experience in writing, editing, and proofreading documents to accurately compose and produce correct collections documentation, accession documents, and research reports.

Demonstrated working knowledge of the fields of Anthropology, Archeology, Museum Studies, Native American Studies, Hawaiian Studies, Indigenous Studies, or a related field.

Experience working with NAGPRA regulations, which may include a) familiarity with the requirements of compliance and procedures for completing NAGPRA inventories and summaries b) submitting notices to Ka Wai Ola and the Federal Register c) consultation, collaboration, and the repatriation process.

Willingness to learn about museum processes such as inventory, accessioning, cataloging, and processing loans.

Demonstrated ability to work with sensitive, confidential material. Discretion is required.

Demonstrated ability to create and upkeep organized records properly documenting individual projects.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience managing numerous projects at once, including the ability to create and implement both short- and long-term plans and budgets.

Experience working with Native communities and/or prior cultural sensitivity training.

Experience working with and applying NAGPRA regulations, which may include: a) familiarity with the requirements of compliance and procedures for completing NAGPRA inventories and summaries b) submitting notices to Ka Wai Ola and the Federal Register c) consultation, collaboration, and the repatriation process.

Other Requirements

Must reside on the island of O'ahu and be available to work on-site at Bishop Museum's campus.

Direct Reports

None

Working Conditions

This position is based in a typical office environment on the Bishop Museum campus in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The role requires on-site presence, and candidates must reside on the island of O'ahu or be willing to relocate prior to the start of employment. Remote or hybrid work arrangements are not available due to the responsibilities of the position, which include access to collections and in-person consultations.

Occasional travel may be required, depending on operational needs and the consultation and repatriation schedule. Work outside of standard business hours may occasionally be necessary to support programmatic or community engagement activities.

Physical Requirements

Work is primarily office-based with occasional movement across museum grounds, including uneven surfaces. Light lifting (up to 20 lbs) and standard computer use are required. Exposure to dust and moderate noise may occur in collections areas.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by incumbents assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the responsibilities, duties and skills required. The incumbent may be expected to perform other duties as assigned.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at ...@bishopmuseum.org or 808-###-#### if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.