Historic Sites Curatorial Intern (Church History Department)

Description

The Historic Sites Division of the Church History Department documents and preserves the physical and spiritual aspects of the Church's historic sites through rigorous research and careful management, as well as provides accurate, relevant, and inspiring interpretation of these sacred spaces.

The division is looking for an two interns to support this mission by working with full-time staff to contribute to ongoing restoration and exhibition projects. This is an exciting and unique opportunity for two individuals interested in Church history and for those pursuing a career in public history.

This is a paid internship, which is anticipated to last one year (12 months) starting in October. This internship is a part-time (28 hours per week) hourly, nonexempt position.

Please note:

• Applicants must be available to work during regular working hours (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday).
• Applicants must be able to work in-person at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, UT.

During this internship, the intern will:

• Become familiar with the variety of roles involved in managing over two dozen historic sites, ranging from natural landscapes to historic homes.
• Gain hands-on experience in the field of public history.
• Connect and network with Church History Department staff.

Responsibilities

• Conduct historical research to support exhibition themes and messaging.
• Create and maintain an object list in collaboration with the collections management team.
• Produce written products for both internal and external audiences. This could include research reports, exhibition narrative text, and/or social media posts.
• Participate in project team meetings.
• Perform other tasks according to project needs and individual capabilities and interests.

These interns will work under the direction of a Historic Sites curator and will have the opportunity to collaborate with various associate and senior-level staff members in the division.

Qualifications

Paid Interns are qualified while enrolled in an educational institution and for one year following graduation. They must sign a Paid Internship Engagement Letter.

The ideal candidate will possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Required:
  • Must be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from (within the last 12 months), an undergraduate or graduate degree program. Preferences will be given to graduates in history, museum studies, American studies, religious studies, anthropology, or a related field.
  • Sign a Paid Internship Engagement Letter.
• Preferred:
  • Strong research skills and ability to use library catalogs and databases.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Experience writing for public audiences is a plus.
  • Dependability and effective time management, including meeting assigned deadlines and being able to work on multiple projects concurrently.
  • Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Knowledge of Church history preferred.

Please submit the following:

• Current resume
• Cover letter providing a brief explanation of how you hope to benefit from this internship and what you feel you could contribute to the Historic Sites Division
• Sample of your academic writing (example: class paper, published article, etc.)