Job Listing
🔗Preservation Consultant
Website Providence Preservation Society
Providence Preservation Society (PPS) is one of the city’s legacy cultural and civic organizations. Founded in 1956 on College Hill, we work across the city’s 25 neighborhoods to preserve Providence’s architectural landmarks, promote sustainable building practices, and celebrate our unique history and heritage through research, education and advocacy.
Providence Preservation Society is seeking a preservation consultant to build on previous research and undertake new research to develop a more comprehensive understanding of LGBTQ+ history in Providence and the places associated with that history. The consultant will produce a Survey Report that includes a methodology statement, historical context statement, bibliography, and an annotated list of 30 to 50 sites associated with LGBTQ+ social and political history in Providence. Consultants need not reside in Providence, but should reside within commuting distance given the nature of the project, which will require on-site research.
This grant-funded project will commence in Spring 2026 and conclude in May 2027. The project fee is $20,000 and there is an additional travel budget of up to $600 if travel is necessary to complete this project. Proposals are due March 20, 2026.
The goal of this project is to honor, protect, and increase public awareness of historic resources associated with Providence, Rhode Island’s LGBTQ+ community. Despite a long and rich history of LGBTQ+ activism, social and cultural institution-building, and a vibrant LGBTQ+ arts scene, the history of Providence’s LGBTQ+ community is little understood and sites associated with this history are poorly documented. Until 2018, there was no centralized archival site for LGBTQ+ history and most documentation of LGBTQ+ life existed scattered across historical archives and mostly among medical or criminal historical records. This is not unique to Providence. As scholarship in the field of LGBTQ+ History has shown, because the lives and work of LGBTQ+ communities have until recently largely been considered culturally taboo, there has been slow growth in the establishment of LGBTQ+ historical resources that do not reproduce this taboo. Recent efforts such as the Providence Public Library’s RI LGBTQ+ Community Archives (https://www.provlib.org/research-collections/community-archives/lgbtq/) and the Queer StoRIes Project attempt to gather and present LGBTQ+ history from the perspectives of those who lived it. This application seeks to bolster and support these efforts, with a particular emphasis on the places associated with this history.
Project Overview and Work Products
The proposed project would build on previous research and undertake new research to develop a more comprehensive understanding of LGBTQ+ history in Providence. A focus of the work will be the identification of places associated with this history. Resource types may include buildings that housed social justice organizations, residences of LGBTQ+ civil rights leaders, churches, schools, social and cultural institutions, and workplaces, among others. The proposed project would produce a Survey Report that includes a methodology statement, historical context statement, bibliography, maps, and an annotated list of 30 to 50 sites associated with LGBTQ+ social and political history in Providence, with preliminary National Register eligibility evaluations. By focusing on Providence – Rhode Island’s most populous city – the proposed project will provide a starting point for the creation of RIHPHC survey forms, which would describe each site and its historical significance in greater detail and a new or amended National Register of Historic Places nomination for one or more properties. In addition, it would create the foundation for a statewide context, a statewide LGBTQ+ survey, and the nomination of sites outside the capital city.
Over 21,000 properties in Rhode Island are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, but, due to blind spots and biases, very few of these properties are significant to groups that have historically been marginalized by the dominant culture. Although some sites associated with Rhode Island’s LGBTQ+ history are listed in the National Register, not one is listed because of its LGBTQ+ significance. The proposed project is a critical first step in correcting this omission.
The City of Providence, Rhode Island has a long and vibrant LGBTQ+ history. However, due to cultural taboo and political oppression, this history has remained largely underground. This proposal seeks to complement and elaborate on recent efforts to honor and celebrate sites that have been central to histories of LGBTQ+ activism, social connection, visual and performance art, and cultural life. Due to the systemic underrepresentation of LGBTQ+ history in archives and public history sites, oral history will be an important method for researching the cultural significance and locations of the sites that will be included in this project.
Project Management and Methodology
The consultant’s research methodology will involve consulting existing collections, such as the Providence Public Library’s RI LGBTQ+ Community Archives and the Queer StoRIes Project, as well as conducting significant additional research, including with primary sources and community members. A public meeting will be held after the consultant has begun their research, so that they have familiarity with the history and resources but time to incorporate information from LGBTQ+ community members. Once research is complete, the consultant will develop the Survey Report, which includes the sections outlined already. The Survey Report will be reviewed by PPS and RIHPHC staff, as well as paid field experts, and edits/comments will be addressed by the consultant.
The consultant will meet with PPS and RIHPHC staff regularly, including at key project milestones, over the course of the project; some of these meetings may be held virtually. The consultant will also be required to submit bimonthly progress reports for the duration of the project.
Project Milestones and Phasing
April – August 2026 (Phase 1 of Research)
Consultation of existing research and resources and interviews with community members and community researchers, leading up to a public community meeting where the consultant will present preliminary findings for discussion with field and community experts. Consultant completes preliminary spreadsheet with sites under consideration, with links to existing narratives about these sites by June 15, 2026 for review by PPS and RIHPHC.
September – October 2026 (Phase 2 of Research)
Consultant completes research phase, incorporating insights and suggestions for further research from the public community meeting.
November 2026 – February 2027 (Draft Phase)
Draft of Survey Report completed and shared with PPS, RIHPHC and community readers by December 31, 2026. Feedback provided by February 10, 2027.
March 2027 – May 2027 (Project Completion)
Completion and Submission of Survey Report by May 31, 2027.
Project Fee: $20,000.
Benefits
All NCPE interns received an hourly stipend, the rate is listed at each position description. Additionally, interns receive paid time off (PTO), paid Federal holidays if working full-time, and access to NCPE's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for career and personal counseling, coaching, and referrals. Project sites may also offer a housing allowance and/or commuting stipend; this information is also listed in the description or offered during the interview.
Eligible NCPE interns who successfully complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate. To be eligible to earn a PLC certificate, an intern must be 30 years old or younger (or 35 if a veteran). Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Successful completion of a NCPE internship does not guarantee Federal employment. Contact manager@preservenet.org for more details.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be
*at least 18 years old;
*no older than 30 years of age (or 35 years if a Veteran) when beginning the internship; applicants who are 31 or older (or 36 or older if a Veteran) are not eligible;
*currently enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program at the college level (or recently graduated within the past 12 months)
*be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
Interns are not allowed to work more than 1200 hours total in the program; previous interns must stay within this overall limit. The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full-time (40 hours per week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. If selected, the exact starting date will be determined by you and the NPS supervisor. The stipend rate is $17.00 per hour unless otherwise listed.
The successful candidate is responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location; some exceptions apply. The supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodation.
The National Council requires all interns working in-person at Federal facilities and/or with Federal employees receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please be advised that you may also be required to wear a mask, depending on the protocols adopted by your work site. Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required if you are selected for a position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about these requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE's Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@preservenet.org.
Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees. Stipends are academic awards and taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.
How to Apply
You may review NCPE's internship opportunities anytime without registering. Use the search function to find listings by location, keyword, or area of interest/category. Once you identify one or more positions of interest, there is a 3-step application process.
Step 1: Click on the Apply for Job button, then select Universal Application. Click on Register to create a User Account, which requires a username and email. A link will be sent to you from manager@preservenet.org to create a password. We suggest that you add this email to your safe senders list so you don't miss receiving this important link. You will be instructed to Log In to Preservenet using your username or email and password, which will take you back to the Universal Application.
Step 2: The Universal Application is required to apply for all NCPE internships. You fill out this form only once. In addition to contact information, educational status, work history, and experience, it requires two attachments: (1) the 2 most recent years of academic transcripts. These may be unofficial transcripts if official versions are unavailable. A PDF is preferred, labeled Your Your Last Name_Your First Name_Transcript. (2) a resume or CV (curriculum vitae). Please limit to a maximum of 4 pages; 2 pages are preferred. A PDF is preferred but jpg, png, doc, or docx file types are accepted. Label Your Last Name_Your First Name_Resume. This form may be saved as a draft and completed later. Use the link provided to return to the form.
Step 3: Once you submit the Universal Application, you may browse and apply for NCPE internships using the link provided. Complete the application process by clicking on the Apply for job button found at each internship listing and upload the required Essay. Use the essay to explain why you are applying for an internship, including how your interest areas will benefit the National Park Service (NPS) and how the internship will further your studies and career goals. Be as specific as possible; there is a 400-word maximum length. Submit the essay to finish the application for that position. You may apply for a maximum of 6 internships during an application round; there is no limit at other times of the year. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
Logging in with a Registered User Account and completing the Universal Application is required to apply for NCPE Internships. Please visit the Universal Application page to register for an account and complete the form. After logging in and completing the form, refreshing this listing will display the Job Application to apply online.