Scientific Specialist Expertise & Research 100%

About the job

KORNFELD

Scientific Specialist Expertise & Research 100%

Unlocking works. Researching history. Conveying knowledge.

Kornfeld is the leading owner-managed auction house for fine art in Switzerland. Since 1864, we have accompanied our clients personally and across generations, mediating the entrusted works with the utmost reliability, expertise, care and appreciation.

We create the place where art connects people.

Behind every work lies a story: its creation, its provenance, its art historical classification and its condition. Carefully researching these contexts and conveying them precisely is the foundation of our catalogues and the trust our clients place in us. For our Expertise & Research department, we are looking for an art historically trained individual who will carry out this work with curiosity, care and personal responsibility.

Your task

As a Scientific Specialist, you will contribute to the scholarly documentation of the works entrusted to us for our auctions. You will work directly with the originals and help ensure that our cataloguing is well-founded, precise and reliable.

In close exchange with our team, you will actively contribute your expert knowledge and experience and take responsibility for the quality of your research and texts.

You

• catalogue the works of our auctions and record details on technique, dimensions, signatures, exhibitions and literature carefully and completely.
• write catalogue texts, classify works with sound art historical knowledge and convey the relevant findings clearly and precisely.
• participate in the proofreading of our catalogues and ensure linguistic and content accuracy.
• translate catalogue texts between German, English and French.
• examine works in the original, document their condition carefully and prepare precise condition reports.
• research the provenance of the entrusted works and document your findings comprehensibly.
• use our gallery archive, which has grown over generations, purposefully for cataloguing, art historical research and provenance research.
• assist with client events, exhibitions, auction preparations, auctions and post-auction follow-ups.

What you bring

We are looking for a person who enjoys precise work on the work and the text, pursues questions consistently and approaches new topics with curiosity. Care, independence and reliability characterise them as much as the conviction that professional exchange within the team is a prerequisite for good results.

You have a completed degree in art history; knowledge of art from the 19th to 21st centuries is a great advantage. You have native-level German, very good knowledge of English and French and possess excellent written and oral communication skills; additional languages are a plus.

You enjoy working scientifically, research thoroughly and formulate precisely. A careful, structured and independent working style, a keen eye for detail and a considerate approach to artworks characterise you as much as discretion, reliability and a high standard of quality. You are confident in using MS Office; experience with databases and scientific research tools is an advantage. Curiosity, initiative and the willingness to engage with new topics and take responsibility are also part of your profile, as is the flexibility to maintain overview, precision and care even during intense auction phases. Experience in the art trade, especially in an auction house or gallery, is desirable.

How we work at Kornfeld

Personal responsibility, trust, attentiveness and appreciation shape our actions. Commitment, collaboration, service orientation and fascination with art determine how we live this attitude in everyday life.

For your role, this means concretely: You take responsibility for the quality of your research and texts, check details conscientiously and meet deadlines in the catalogue process. You share your knowledge openly within the team, work reliably with our experts and are always aware that our clients rely on the quality and precision of our information.

You can expect a varied and responsible role with direct access to significant original works and our gallery archive, which has grown over generations. Your art historical knowledge and scientific work contribute directly to the quality of our auctions.

Where art writes history.

Contact & Application

We look forward to receiving your application documents by e-mail.

Jan Scharf, Head of Expertise & Research, is available for questions at 031 552 55 64 or by e-mail.