February 2012
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Internship Opportunities
Interns

Currently accepting Summer 2012 internship applications. Due date: March 15, 2012.

Collections

Research and assist with cataloging holdings in the Museum's archives. The current collection contains approximately 40,000 photographic images, 68,000 architectural prints and drawings, 100 linear feet of documents, and 2,100 objects documenting America's built environment. Assist with the organization and documentation of the Museum's staff library.

Description

The National Building Museum is currently seeking two graduate-level interns to assist with two large cataloging, and rehousing projects involving historic photography collections. Each intern will be in charge of one project, but they will assist each other and also help the collections staff with other projects including installation and deinstallation of exhibitions. Interns must be currently enrolled in a graduate program. Hours of position are flexible but must be within Monday – Friday; between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm.  

Responsibilities:

  • Spearhead a project to organize, catalogue, scan and rehouse a collection of negatives, slides, prints and ephemera related to a prominent photographer or studio
  • Create an organizational system for the collection and implement that system
  • Generate lists of supplies needed for rehousing, order supplies and rehouse the collection
  • Conduct research on buildings, locations and people in/associated with the photographs
  • Enter all data in to the Museum’s collections management database
  • Assist with the exhibit installation, deinstallation and packing
  • Other duties as assigned.

Commitment:

  • 15-20 hours/per week
  • Monday – Friday

Qualification: 

  • Previous experience with photography collections preferred
  • Knowledge of collections management databases, preferably PastPerfect
  • Knowledge of proper archival and collections management techniques
  • Self-starter that can work independently
  • Be creative and a problem solver
  • Ability to work well in a team environment

Education

Assist with the development of and participate in youth and family programs, developing interactive, outreach programs, and adult programs.

Investigating Where We Live Internship

 Investigating Where We Live (IWWL) interns support the Museum’s award-winning youth program, which offers 12-16 year old youth hands-on opportunities to learn about the design process. Interns will work directly with students as they develop skills in digital photography, creative writing, and exhibition design. In addition to their classroom responsibilities, which include project management and lesson facilitation, interns will have the opportunity to participate in program planning and evaluation.

Responsibilities:

  • Provide students with guidance in photography, creative writing, exhibition design, critical thinking, and teamwork concepts
  • Assist an IWWL Team Leader with a group of 8-10 teenagers. Develop weekly plans, neighborhood visits, and group discussion topics
  • Work cooperatively with IWWL project team to coordinate, develop, and teach curriculum
  • Research project-related neighborhoods and set up site explorations
  • Learn IWWL curriculum and assist with final exhibition design and installation
  • Prepare, organize, and maintain classroom, including set-up, clean-up, and replenishing supplies
  • Assist with program logistics, including taking attendance, transportation, food, and ordering supplies
  • Attend weekly project team meetings, mandatory planning sessions, training, and evaluation sessions

Qualifications:

  • Available June 04 – August 3, 2012; Mondays – Thursdays.  This includes all training, the IWWL program, and evaluation
  • Direct experience working with teen audience
  • Experience with project management
  • Knowledge of digital photography, creative writing, exhibition design, the design process, the built environment and/or museum education
  • Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills
  • Experience with MS Office applications (Word and Excel), knowledge of databases and office equipment. Experience with software such as Photoshop, InDesign, and Final Cut Pro preferred but not required
  • Criminal background checks and TB testing are required

 

Family Programs Internship

The Family Programs Intern supports the growing family engagement initiative at the National Building Museum.  The Building Museum offers families a hands-on experience through its exhibition, The Building Zone for young visitors ages two to six and their caregivers.  This summer, the intern will help in continuing to develop that space and its programming by creating new programs and learning toys that connect with the Museum’s new exhibition House and Home. In addition, the Museum is offering a summer camp for elementary school aged children.  The Family Programs Intern will provide support to this program by providing coordination for our final presentations of each session, teaching special lessons in extended care, as well as acting as a chaperone on special field trips. 

Responsibilities:

  • Event Management: Assist in planning and implementation in the Museums June Family Workshop and Members Pajama Party (for ages 2-6)
  • Exhibition and Program Design: Create activities and research learning toys for the Building Zone that could compliment the Museum’s exhibition House and Home
  • Mentorship: Assist summer camp staff with field trip supervision, supervise lunch/recess time for the campers, and help coordinate final presentations
  • Organize and maintain supplies for the Building Zone and Family Tool Kits
  • Assist with camp logistics, including transportation, food, and ordering supplies

Qualifications:

  • Enthusiasm for working with a diverse group of families and visitors
  • Pursuing a degree in early childhood education, museum education, or the arts is helpful
  • Exceptional organizational skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills
  • Ability to work well in a team environment
  • Experience with MS Office applications (Word and Excel), knowledge of databases and office equipment. Experience with design software such as Photoshop and InDesign a plus

Development

Assist with the Museum's fund-raising efforts through research and network development. The intern will support the Museum’s Association and Government Relations staff in advocating on a broad range of issues relevant to built environment, including coalition building, education and advocacy for sustainability, research in federal funding, analysis of legislation and policy, and performance of administrative tasks as necessary.

Assist with the Museum's fundraising efforts through database support, research, and network development. The intern will support the Museum’s Development Department staff in a wide range of analytical and administrative tasks.

The Museum is seeking an intern with interest in learning about development issues, including database management, donor research, membership, donor solicitation and stewardship, online giving, and government affairs in a museum environment. The intern will work closely with the Development staff to maintain and identify support for museum programs and operations.

Responsibilities:

  • Working with affiliated organizations on issues in connection with the built environment, such as architecture, engineering, planning, construction, and landscape architecture
  • Drafting letters and invitations
  • Supporting content development for seminars and events
  • Logistical support for events
  • Attending and reporting on meetings and hearings
  • Supporting communication efforts with Congress, federal agencies, and local elected officials Researching a variety of legislative issues, including federal funding, education, nonprofit oversight, historic preservation, charitable giving, among others
  • Data entry and basic administrative tasks will be required throughout

 Qualifications:

  • Experience with Microsoft Office is expected. Proficiency using Word, Excel, and Outlook is required
  • Must have ability to work independently and take directions
  • Creative problem solvers preferred
  • Enrollment in graduate or undergraduate degree program with an interest in museum studies and/or development preferred
  • Understanding of museum and/or built environment issues preferred

 

Exhibitions

Assist Museum curators with exhibition research and development. Responsibilities include database and spreadsheet management; independent research at the Library of Congress, local libraries, and museums and archives; inquiries to museums and historical societies regarding collections; image scanning; and administrative assistance with loan requests, reproductions and permissions, and correspondence. 

The Museum is seeking an intern with an interest in curatorial research and writing to assist in the development of projects entitled Designing for Disaster and Shaping the City.

Responsibilities:

  • Work with curator to locate and review background research materials
  • Conduct image research
  • Travel to off-site locations, such as the Library of Congress and other D.C.-area institutions for content and image research

Qualifications:

  • BA required. Pursuing an advanced degree in architecture, engineering, museum studies, or related subjects, preferred, but not required.
  • Experience conducting independent research

Commitment: 20 Hours per week preferred, minimum two days per week.

 

Marketing & Communications

The Marketing and Communications department at the National Building Museum is responsible for promoting the Museum's mission to the general public. Some of the department main responsibilities are management of all printed materials, oversight of the Museum's web site and on line strategy, press outreach, and brand management. The internship provides the opportunity for hands-on work in a busy marketing department and the chance to manage your own projects, from start to finish. 

The Marketing and Communications department at the National Building Museum is responsible for promoting the Museum's mission to the general public. The department manages all printed materials and oversees the Museum's web site and online strategy, press outreach, and brand management. The internship provides the opportunity for hands-on work in a busy marketing department and the chance to manage your own projects, from start to finish. 

Marketing and Communications: Video Production Internship

A main component of this internship will be working with Final Cut Pro video editing software..

Responsibilities:

  • Plan and shoot videos of behind-the-scenes of exhibitions, public programs, interviews with speakers and Museum staff, and other content that captures and promotes the Museum
  • Edit video for web and social media
  • Upload video to the Museum’s YouTube channel and other platforms

Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of Final Cut Pro video editing software
  • Able to frame and tell a story using video
  • Available to shoot video on some weeknights and Saturdays
  • Knowledge of web and social media

 Commitment:

  • 10-40 hours/per week

 

Marketing and Communications: Public Relations, Marketing, and Social Media Internship

The Museum is seeking an intern with interest in learning more about public relations, marketing, and social media in a Museum environment. This internship focuses on press outreach and marketing for the Museum’s exhibitions, public programming, and Museum shop. A large component of the internship is dedicated to working with Cision to create targeted and effective press lists and following and potentially interacting with reporters on social media. The Marketing and Communications department wants it interns to have an experience that is both rewarding and substantive and works to find projects that its interns can manage on their own.


Responsibilities:

  • Conduct press research though Cision to develop press lists and keep all existing press lists up-to-date
  • Work with staff on writing press releases and web content
  • Research advertising opportunities
  • Assist with press clip management
  • Assist with social media projects
  • Assist with tracking and maintaining statistics for Museum social media interactions and other website analytics

Qualifications:

  • Pursuing a degree in marketing, communications, museum studies, or related subjects 
  • Writing skills, including a non-academic writing sample
  • Experience in marketing or promotion
  • Strong knowledge of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Foursquare
  • Familiarity with Google Analytics preferred

Commitment:

  • The minimum time commitment is two eight hour days (or four half-days) per week

 

Marketing and Communications: Graphic Design Internship

The designers in the National Building Museum’s Marketing and Communications Department create brochures, postcards, posters, exhibition graphics, web graphics, advertisements, and publications for the various departments within the Museum. The designers works closely with internal clients to create high quality creative design solutions that fit within the Museum’s established brand and style guidelines and meet project needs.

The National Building Museum seeks an intern to work with the Museum’s designers to create designs for various print and web materials. The intern will work closely with the full-time design staff on production techniques, specifications, and coordination as well as design archiving. The internship provides the opportunity for hands-on design work across a variety of media in addition to mentoring in the museum field.

Responsibilities:

  • Design web graphics within the National Building Museum brand guidelines.
  • Design print pieces such as postcards, flyers, and posters as well as web graphics within the National Building Museum brand.
  • Update electronic and physical file archive of design projects.
  • Assist with production coordination.

Qualifications:

  • Sample portfolio of design work. Please provide a sample portfolio of work with the Internship application.
  • At least two years of progress on a degree in graphic design.
  • Experience using Adobe Creative Suite (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator).
  • Knowledge of print design and web design.
  • Available during the week
  • Strong communication skills.
  • Ability to work well in a team environment.
  • Knowledge of architecture, construction, design, engineering, or the built environment a plus.

Preferred Characteristics of a Graphic Design Intern:

  • Creativity.
  • Problem Solving.
  • Open mindedness.

Commitment: the minimum time commitment is two eight hour days (or four half-days) per week


Museum Shop

Assist management and operation staff to conduct analytical review of the Museum Shop's performance.

Responsibilities:

  • Design financial analytical report.
  • Assist with the development for merchandising strategies and sales analysis;
  • Update electronic database.
  • Analysis financial data, marketing programs and sales strategies.

Qualifications:

  • At least two years of progress on a degree in business or museum management with prior experience in retail a plus
  • Experience using Excel worksheet and/or access data software programs
  • Knowledge of print design and web design
  • Available Monday-Friday during museum operation hours
  • Strong communications skills
  • Ability to work well in a team environment
  • Knowledge of architecture, constructions, design, engineering or the built environment a plus

 

Visitor Services

Assist with development and implementation of Museum tours.  Research and assist writing tour scripts for the museum's docent program.  You can also explore a different side of museums by assisting our museum operations department during events, programs, and festivals. 

There are no Visitor Services internships available at this time.


How to Apply

Internships are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants should have a strong interest in the subject areas covered by the National Building Museum's mission and in museum work in general.

Internship application deadlines are as follows:
Summer internships (June through August): March 15
Fall Internships (September-December): July 15
Spring Internships (January through May): December 15

Prospective interns are required to complete the Intern application form.

The following items are required for consideration:

  • A recent writing sample (at least four pages)
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Your most recent academic transcript
  • A résumé

Please mail or email items listed above to:

National Building Museum
Attn: Volunteer Manager
401 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

ksheldon@nbm.org
(No calls please)

Final considerations will not be made until all documents are recieved.