​Jim Schneck received a B.A. from Purdue University in 1974 with a major in Fine Arts, focusing on Painting and Lithography. He received a M.A. from Purdue University in 1976. In 1977, Schneck moved to Delaware and was accepted in the first M.F.A. class at the University of Delaware. He graduated in 1979 with an M.F.A. majoring in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking. From 1979 to 1981, he taught full time as an instructor at the University of Delaware, teaching sections of beginning, intermediate, and advanced drawing, figure drawing, design, and painting. While working as a freelance artist and trying to get gallery representation in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, he worked at a variety of jobs such as starting his own woodworking and furniture restoration business in Landenberg, PA in 1982, and later working as a silkscreen printer. In 1992, Schneck joined Winterthur Museum and soon became the Senior Art Handler. He was in charge of a staff of art handlers and oversaw the day-to-day movement of objects, set up exhibitions, and supervised the transport of objects and traveling shows. He joined the Photo Services staff at Winterthur in 2002.