- Employment
- Temporary
- Seniority
- Entry-Level
- Compensation
- $22–24/hour
- Department
- Research, Innovation & Product Development
- Industry
- Media, Art & Cultural Institutions
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
About Christie's
Founded in London in 1766 by James Christie, Christie’s is a leading international auction house whose heritage spans fine art, decorative arts, jewellery and exceptional collectibles. Through auctions, private sales and digital platforms, it connects collectors with remarkable objects and the expertise that brings their histories to life. As an employer, Christie’s offers career paths across specialist departments, client services, marketing, technology and operations within a global, culturally rich environment. Its work calls for intellectual curiosity, discretion and meticulous attention to detail, appealing to professionals who value scholarship, commercial acumen and the exacting standards of the international art and luxury markets.
Christie's is hiring a temporary, full-time Research Assistant in Private Sales for its Post-War & Contemporary Art department in New York. The role supports research and sale preparation, including provenance checks, fact sheets, artwork essays, photography coordination, proposals, and gallery installations.
Role & Responsibilities
- Research works for upcoming sales, including provenance and exhibition history, and conduct literature checks in support of Specialists.
- Produce fact sheets for floating and consigned works.
- Respond to internal inquiries about fact sheets and prices.
- Coordinate image editing and photography.
- Write artwork essays.
- Support proposal preparation.
- Assist with creating gallery guides and price lists.
- Assist with installing galleries for private sale viewings, including compiling and mounting lot cards and taking installation images of each work.
- Complete general department tasks assigned by the line manager.
Qualifications
- Demonstrable passion for Post-War and Contemporary Art in particular, and the wider arts in general.
- Well organized, with a proven ability to work calmly under pressure in a professional environment.
- Strong follow-up and attention to detail.
- Ability to converse with staff and clients confidently and articulately.
- Additional language skills are desirable but not mandatory.
- Must have completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree and be able to work full time.
Skills
Education
Completed undergraduate or postgraduate degree.
Workplace
This position is based in New York, New York, USA.
Explore jobs in New York or in the USA.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 22 to USD 24 per hour.
Culture
Christie’s workplace culture centres on specialist expertise, intellectual curiosity and a shared appreciation for art and exceptional objects, with discretion and attentive client service shaping its professional environment. Its international auction business brings together specialists and colleagues across disciplines, combining a distinguished heritage with an evolving approach to digital engagement and the global art market.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Christie's, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Art Research Assistant», «Contemporary Art Research Assistant», «Private Sales Research Associate», «Art Department Research Assistant», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.