Job Listing
 🔗Museum Conservation Intern – 1100 hours

  • Internship
  • NCPE Internship
  • Charles Town, WV
  • 18.50 USD / Hour
  • Applications have closed
  • Department: Harpers Ferry Center - Museum Conservation and Collections
  • Job Reference #: 4113b
  • Job Summary: Conservation internship focused on treatment and care of textile and paper objects.
  • Job Qualifications:

    A commitment to pursuing work in the field of art conservation is required. Recent graduate or current student in museum studies, archives, art history, chemistry, or art studio is also required, but attention to detail, good hand skills, flexibility, and a willingness to learn are also very important. Own transportation is required.

  • How to Apply:

    Click on the application button at this listing and follow the instructions to apply online

  • Job benefits: Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • Application Email: waso_cr-intern@nps.gov

Website National Park Service/NCPE Internship Program

Harpers Ferry Center serves parks throughout the entire National Park Service, assisting with exhibit and museum collections needs.

The successful candidate will assist Senior National Park Service (NPS) Museum Conservators with object handling, object photography (before and after treatment digital imaging), report writing (condition reports, treatment proposals, and treatment reports), database entry, lab maintenance, and basic treatment steps for a variety of NPS artifacts on loan to Harpers Ferry Center (HFC) for conservation treatment from park sites service-wide. Training will be provided in all areas listed above.

The position will entail conservation treatment of objects from multiple NPS sites working primarily in two specialized conservation labs (Textiles, Paper/Books). Basic treatment steps may consist of a variety of surface cleaning methods, bathing/wet-cleaning, stabilization/mending tears, filling losses, reattaching loose elements, and humidifying/flattening under the guidance of a Senior Museum Conservator. Preventive conservation duties such as rehousing/exhibition mounting, environmental monitoring, and integrated pest management will be included. There will also be exposure to materials testing such as spot tests, microscopy, XRF, and FT-IR.  This position is ideal for those early on their conservation path with some previous experience in a conservation lab, and those seeking to gain more experience before entering a graduate program in art conservation. The position is almost all in-person, but telework days will be granted upon request for report writing, etc.

This position is part of the Internship Program administered by the National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE). The program is a partnership between the National Park Service and NCPE. The successful applicants must be 30 years of age or younger (or 35 years or younger if a Veteran) when they begin the internship. Other eligibility requirements apply; visit https://preservenet.org/ncpe-internships/ for details and instructions on how to apply.

Qualified NCPE interns who complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate.  Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Visit the website listed above for details about this benefit. Successful completion of the internship does not guarantee Federal employment.