Office for Public Art is Hiring

Hours: 15 hrs per week

Compensation: $25/hr – part time employee, temporary; does not include benefits

About the Position

Office for Public Art (OPA) seeks a part time temporary Research and Events Associate for Environment, Health, and Public Art to help support the research and planning phase of the Environment, Health, and Public Art Initiative. The duration of the position is from January to June 2023, with the possibility of an extension through the summer of 2023.

The primary objective of the Research and Events Associate is to provide research support and event coordination during an exploratory research and planning process, which will determine whether OPA launches a second round of our Environment, Health, and Public Art Initiative. The candidate will report directly to the Associate Director. The primary responsibilities of this position are in Research and Benchmarking and Events Coordination, with a secondary area of responsibility in Analysis of Research and Key Learnings. The list of responsibilities is not comprehensive and additional tasks may be assigned as needed.

Responsibilities

Research and Benchmarking in the field of environment, health, and public art:

• Gather information about other organizations, initiatives, artists, and experts working at the intersection of environment, health, and public art;
• Delineate the geographies for this work by clarifying who is doing this work locally, regionally, and nationally;
• Identify organizations and individuals that OPA can learn from;
• Identify potential partners and collaborators for OPA in the field of environment, health, and public art; and
• Gather and analyze different approaches to engaging in work at the intersection of environment, health, and public art.

Coordinate Events that offer opportunities for shared learning in the field of environment, health, and public art:

• With OPA staff, identify and invite organizations and individuals to present their work to OPA staff and stakeholders; and
• Assist in running virtual and in-person events, including communication with speakers and invited organizations, organization and coordination of event details, and implementation support for running events.

Assist in Analysis of Research and Gather Key Learnings from events:

• With OPA leadership, and based on results of prior phases, participate in development of recommendations for next steps.

Core Competencies

The ideal candidate will possess skills in research, coordination, collaboration, and the ability to think strategically and analytically and will have the following core competencies:

• Exploratory research, including citation of sources and documentation of processes;
• Demonstrated interest in collaborative research and idea generation;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and in-person;
• Ability to work independently with both in-person and remote supervision;
• Well-organized and attentive to detail;
• Experience with event support and/or coordination; and
• Interest in gaining experience working in the field of public art.

Work Environment

This position is a part time temporary position that pays $25 per hour, up to 15 hours per week.

This position supports hybrid work with some portion of work occurring onsite at OPA’s offices located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and the ability to work remote. Employee will be provided with an OPA-issued laptop for the duration of employment. If working remote, employee is expected to maintain a high-speed internet connection that will support collaborative work, including Zoom meetings and online seminars.

OPA offices in East Liberty have an open floor plan and candidates must be able to multitask and work in an environment with background noise, variable temperatures, and frequent interruptions. The office is located within ¼ mile of the East Busway and on multiple Pittsburgh Regional Transit lines. On-site bike storage, changing rooms, and showers are also available. Free on-site and nearby parking is available.

How to Apply

Interested individuals should send a cover letter (no more than 2 pages), résumé, and contact information for three references via email to:

Divya Rao Heffley, Associate Director
Office for Public Art
divya@opapgh.org

Deadline for submission is Monday, November 28, 2022.

About the Office for Public Art and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

The Office for Public Art is fiscally sponsored by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This position will be hired as an employee of the Arts Council with direct reporting and supervision to the Office for Public Art’s Associate Director. OPA staff are expected to follow the employee policies of the Arts Council.

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s Commitment to Equity

The Arts Council values equity as essential to its mission to expand the reach, influence, and effectiveness of the region’s diverse and vibrant arts and culture community by providing leadership, advocacy, capacity building, and connections. We are committed to diversity and equity in terms of gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, ability, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other characteristics. Differences provide varied viewpoints, ideas, and connections that strengthen and enrich the Arts Council’s work with the communities in our region. It is the Arts Council’s goal to create and maintain an inclusive, respectful, and equitable environment and to engage the talents of people with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to accomplish our mission.