Summer Internships at the Freer|Sackler - Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC

Three full-time paid summer internships will be offered at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery from 31 May through 5 August 2011. The internships will provide an opportunity for supervised hands-on experience in digital photography, digital data management, and the cataloguing of an important collection of over 2000 Japanese ehon (illustrated books) in the Freer Gallery of Art. Interns will be trained and supervised by experienced professionals including curators, conservators, registrars, digital assets managers, and collections managers. While full-time work on the production of digital images toward an online scholarly catalogue is the primary focus of the internships, schedules will be planned to allow interns to participate in occasional Smithsonian-wide events for interns and in museum research seminars.

The first week of the internship will consist of a one-week workshop for training in digital photography of museum collections, data processing, and handling of fragile works of art. Interns will then be assigned to work on full-time supervised assignments for photography, data management, and cataloguing or metadata development for Japanese illustrated books in the Freer Gallery of Art.

Applicants should be available for full-time work (40 hours per week) beginning on 31 May and ending 5 August. The only holiday during the five-day work week will be Monday, July 4. No other vacation may be taken during the internship. Interns will receive stipends of $600.00 per week, or $6000 for the ten weeks of the program. Interns must be prepared to secure their own housing and commuting. Daily parking is not available at the Smithsonian.

Essential selection criteria include:

Graduate coursework in art history, especially Japanese or East Asian studies, library science, museum studies, or archival studies

Japanese language proficiency

Some combination of the following is also desirable:

Proficiency in use of computer software, especially database programs

Relevant museum, rare books, or archival experience

Experience in photography and/or data processing or management of digital resources

Demonstrated evidence of punctuality, attention to detail, ability to work as a productive and collegial team member, and ability to meet requirements of assignments and deadlines.

Internship appointments will be contingent on:

Prompt completion of forms and documents required for Smithsonian security clearance, including required fingerprinting.

Successful completion of all required training sessions.

Application:

One-page statement explaining your qualifications and why this internship is of interest to you

Curriculum vitae or resume

Transcript (may be unofficial)

Two separately submitted confidential letters of recommendation, including one from a university faculty member familiar with your academic background. One may be from a work supervisor. (Letters may be submitted electronically.)

Application materials should be sent to Julie Sears (searsj@si.edu) and must be received byFriday, May 13th, 2011. Late applications cannot be accepted. Applicants will be notified by Wednesday, May 18th