Weir Farm Museum Assistant / Curatorial Intern
Weir Farm National Historical Park, Curatorial Intern, Summer 2023.
Environmental Stewards, in partnership with the National Park Service, Weir Farm National Historical Park is seeking a summer Curatorial Intern, starting in May and continuing through August 2023 (exact start date based on candidate’s availability). This position is a 12 to 16-week paid internship with a weekly stipend of $630 and the opportunity to earn an AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of the internship. Intern will work with Museum Services/Curatorial Department for 35 – 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday. This youth internship is available to youth 30 years and under, or US Veterans 35 and under. The intern is responsible for housing and transportation. Please note a background check is required for this internship.
This opportunity is ideal for an enthusiastic young professional who is a recent graduate of, or currently enrolled in a program for museum studies, public history, art history, anthropology, archeology, or similar fields. This internship will provide a variety of experiences in museum collections management, cultural resource management, and National Park Service careers.
The intern will assist the park with completing the groundwork for an upcoming region-wide storage initiative. The planned projects at Weir Farm NHP this summer include completing a 100% site inventory, accessing objects for inclusion in the collections, cataloging backlog, rehousing objects, and assisting with evaluating objects for deaccessioning. The intern will work closely with the Museum Technician and Cultural Resource Program Manager.
In addition, the intern will assist with the management of the park’s museum collections on exhibit in the historically furnished Weir House, Weir Studio, Young Studio and in storage facilities. Applicants must demonstrate strong communication, interpersonal, computer, research, writing, and organizational skills and have a working knowledge of current museum practices.
Curatorial Duties:
· Performing routine museum preservation and historic housekeeping on collections objects and historic structures where museum objects are exhibited or stored
- Museum documentation cataloging using DOI Museum Collections Software (ICMS)
- Museum object photography
- Scanning of archival materials
- Assist with special projects
- Assist with researcher requests
Intern should have:
· excellent interpersonal, communication and writing skills
· the ability to lift artifact boxes, furniture, and equipment
· ability to bend, stoop, crawl, lift, and carry
· willingness to work in variable temperatures (hot, cool, and humid)
- willingness to get hands dirty with routine light cleaning in historic structures
· basic computer skills, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., collections databases
· ability to work with park staff, independently or in a group
· the following qualities: positive attitude, ethical, honest, reliable, punctual, and professional
Here at Weir Farm NHP, we pride ourselves on our professionalism, working hard, protecting resources, and providing the best experiences possible for our visitors. We value a diverse and inclusive working environment that includes mutual respect, empathy, trust, and a sense of community. Weir Farm is a fun and rewarding place to work and, as we are what some would consider a small park, we are a close-knit team. Interns will work with National Park Service employees, volunteers, and partners and be held to the highest standards of visitor service, interpretive and curatorial practices, ethics, teamwork, and safety. For more information on Weir Farm National Historical Park visit our website at www.nps.gov/wefa.
IMPORTANT INFO!
+ NO park housing available - you must provide your own local housing and there is no public transportation to the park
+ You must have a valid state driver’s license and be able to drive a range of government vehicles.
+ You will be required to complete a background investigation with favorable adjudication prior to entry on duty.
+ You will work in both indoor and outdoor settings. You will be exposed to hot, humid weather in the summer and cooler temperatures in the spring and fall. You will be required to stand or walk for long periods of time. You will also perform work that is sedentary in nature at a desk working on a computer.
+ Interns are expected to have a positive attitude, be highly motivated, and have the ability to work independently as a self starter, taking initiative to complete a variety of tasks and manage their time wisely.
To apply for this internship, please send an email of interest and your resume to Jessica Kuhnen at jessica_kuhnen@nps.gov.