The Presidio Trust is seeking a Collections & Exhibitions Intern

The Presidio Trust is seeking a Collections & Exhibitions Intern to serve as a key member of our Interpretation Office in the Visitor Engagement Department. The Presidio is a new kind of national park. It is home to the spectacular vistas, nature, and programs that visitors would expect as well as a community of residents and organizations who bring renewed vitality and purpose to this former military post. The Presidio Trust is an innovative federal agency created to save the Presidio and share it with the public. The Trust’s Visitor Engagement Department provides welcoming and meaningful opportunities for all to enjoy their national park and operates the Presidio’s two public-serving centers – The Presidio Officers’ Club and the Presidio Visitor Center, which welcomed over 196,000 park visitors last year. Learn more at www.presidio.gov.

Our ideal candidate is an individual who wants to learn the fundamentals of curatorial practice in a unique national park setting. Working closely with and being mentored by the Supervisory Curator, this internship includes developing and improving skills in museum and archaeological collections care, exhibition development and maintenance, and exhibition evaluation. If you want to gain practical, hands-on experience in a wide range of curatorial activities, this internship is for you.

Responsibilities

  • Process museum and archaeological collections, including cataloging, labeling, and photography
  • Provide support for collections transaction activities such as acquisitions and loans
  • Conduct preventative conservation
  • Create and update database records for collections and exhibitions
  • Maintain exhibitions in the Presidio Officers’ Club and Archaeology Lab Gallery
  • Participate in exhibition development, including researching, writing, and content coordination
  • Conduct visitor observation and other summative evaluation
  • Support team and departmental operations including meetings, collaborative projects, and program support

Required

  • Some college, with coursework in Museum Studies, Anthropology, History, Art History, or a related discipline
  • Desire to work with a diverse group of people with different backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, ages, and viewpoints
  • Positive attitude and professional demeanor
  • Good interpersonal, communication, customer service, and public speaking skills
  • Strong written communication skills
  • Detail-oriented and organized
  • Computer experience in Microsoft Office and Excel
  • Able to lift at least 30 pounds

Desired

  • Relational database experience
  • Adobe Creative Suite experience
  • Bilingual

Why Apply

  • Develop skill and experience in curatorial operations
  • Learn fundamentals of museum and federal agency collections care responsibilities
  • Learn considerations and processes for developing and maintaining engaging, high quality, visitor-centered museum exhibitions
  • Learn the significance of evaluation as a fundamental component of curatorial practice
  • Gain professional development in a team setting
  • Work in a team setting in a national park with staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds who share a common interest in public service, engaging the public, and preserving the cultural and natural history of the Presidio

Terms

  • Start Date: January 27, 2020
  • End Date: December 18, 2020
  • Length of Position: 11 months
  • Schedule: 32 hours per week, Monday – Thursday schedule with flexibility including occasional holidays, weekends and evenings
  • Compensation: $20.51/hour plus health and commuter benefits

To Apply

Interested candidates should apply by email with cover letter, resume and contact information for at least two references to Internship Coordinator Karen Braseth at interns@presidiotrust.gov. PDF format is preferred but Microsoft Word versions are acceptable. Your cover letter should provide a brief explanation of your interest in the position relative to your future educational and career goals. If you have any special skills or interests, please include those. The resume should outline the applicant’s relevant experience and include contact information for two references familiar with the applicant’s previous work or academic experience. We will review applications received and will select some or all for interviews to be conducted at a mutually arranged time. Applications will not be kept on file after a decision is made.

About the Interpretation Office

The Interpretation Office works to preserve the integrity of the Presidio National Historic Landmark District, creates new knowledge about it through original research, and brings alive the historic and natural assets of the Presidio through interpretation. The team brought enriching experiences to over 48,000 visitors last year through guided walks, talks, exhibitions in the Presidio Officers’ Club, and our public archaeological excavation.

The Curation Team connects the public with the Presidio’s heritage through participatory, co-created exhibitions at the museum at the Presidio Officers’ Club, where more than 117,000 visitors have viewed the current special exhibition, Exclusion: The Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration. The team also stewards archaeological and museum collections held in trust for the public, caring for nearly three-quarters of a million objects and records.

The Presidio Trust is an equal opportunity employer. Our Internship Program values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strive to diversify our workforce and seek applications by individuals from all backgrounds, abilities, cultures, orientations, identities, and communities. Questions: Call (415) 561-2730 (Monday to Friday, 8 am – 5 pm) or send an email to interns@presidiotrust.gov.