Internship Opportunities

Below are internship descriptions, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at cgarza@brooklynhistory.org

Public Programs/Visitor Services Intern

Marketing and Public Programs Intern

Oral History Interns

Development / Membership Intern
Education Intern
Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative Intern

Public History and Research Intern, In Pursuit of Freedom

Additional Internships

Public Programs/Visitor Services Intern

The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) is seeking one Visitor Services/ Public Programs Intern for the spring semester. Internships are unpaid, but can be applied toward course credit. The Visitor Services / Public Programs Intern will gain exposure to both the front-of-house and behind-the-scenes workings of the museum through serving at the front desk and helping to plan and execute public programs. This internship involves facilitating public access to the museum, working to develop and expand visitor information, and aiding in marketing and promotion of the museum and exhibits. Each intern will have the opportunity to develop and execute a public program. College students, graduate students or recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

Duties

-Develop public program series for 2012-2013.
-Conduct research on public program presenters.
-Assist with drafting program descriptions and literature.
-Assist with performing daily Visitor Services operations such as selling admission tickets and answering phone calls.
-Assist with public program set-up.
-Photograph public programs.

Qualifications
- Pleasant public presence.
- Comfortable with customer interaction.
- Strong organizational skills
-Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Interest in attending local events and programs.
-Interest in Brooklyn history and contemporary culture.
- Ability to work independently on tasks.
- Prior experience with public programming, customer service, marketing, special events, museum and/or office experience preferred.

Time Commitment
1-2 day (minimum5 hours per day) per week, Wednesday- Sunday. Time commitment may be increased to meet course hour requirements. Opportunities to assist during evening public programs are also available.

No phone calls please.

Please fill out the Internship Application and send with a resume to:

Marketing/Public Programs Intern

The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) is seeking Marketing/Public Programs Interns for spring 2012.  Internships are unpaid, however may be applied toward course credit.

Responsibilities
Interns will gain exposure to marketing and public programming efforts for a nonprofit organization. Interns will assist the Public Programs & Communications Manager with projects aimed at promoting BHS’s public programs through various news and social media channels.

Duties

• Assist with drafting text for newsletter, eblasts and Facebook
• Conduct research for Photo of the Week posts
• Research and develop public program series for 2013
• Assist with various marketing and development efforts

Qualifications

• Graduate students preferred, strong undergraduate applicants encourage to apply
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent computer skills, including Excel and Word
• Willingness to assist as needed in cooperative team environment

Time Commitment

1 day (minimum 4 hours daily) per week, Monday- Friday.
Please fill out the Internship Application and send with a resume and brief cover letter to:

Keara Duggan

kduggan@brooklynhistory.org

Public Programs & Communications Manager
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Oral History Interns

Brooklyn Historical Society and Museum of Chinese in America

In 1993-1994, the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) and the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) collected oral history interviews regarding Brooklyn’s Chinese community in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. 30 interviews were conducted in English, Mandarin, or Cantonese. Narrators include recent Chinese immigrants as well as people of Italian and Puerto Rican heritage who live in the neighborhood.

BHS and MOCA are digitizing this collection to make it newly accessible. BHS and MOCA seek an Intern to help transfer interviews from cassette tape to digital audio and write summaries of these interviews prior to cataloging. Candidates interested in Brooklyn history, Chinese history, oral history, digital audio technology and archives should apply. Academic credit may be possible.

Responsibilities:
• Transferring oral history interviews conducted in Cantonese and Mandarin from cassette tape to digital audio.
• Summarizing (in English) content of interview.

Qualifications:
• Conversational fluency in Cantonese and English is required
• Comfort with Mac and PC computers is required
• No previous digitizing experience necessary

Location:
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn
Directions: 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall, A,C,F to Jay St/Borough Hall, or M,R to Court St.

Resumes and Cover Letter should be submitted via email to: oralhistory@brooklynhistory.org

Sady Sullivan, BHS and Yue Ma, MoCA
8th Avenue - Sunset Park Oral History
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Questions please call: 718.222.4111 x233

Development/Membership Intern

The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) is seeking Development / Membership Interns.  Internships are unpaid, however may be applied toward course credit.

Responsibilities
Interns will gain exposure to fundraising and membership development activities for a nonprofit organization. Interns will assist the Development and Membership Department with projects aimed at maintaining the Museum's relationship with current donors and members.

Duties

Assist with record keeping, including data entry into donor data base (Raiser's Edge 7), and filing

• Prepare membership information for mailing
• Assist with special events
• Undertake various projects as needed

Qualifications

Knowledge of Raiser's Edge 7 (preferred, but not required)

• Willingness to assist as needed in cooperative team environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent computer skills, including Excel and Word

Time Commitment

1-2 days (minimum 4 hours daily) per week, Monday- Friday.

Please fill out the Internship Application and send with a resume and brief cover letter to:

Taina Sanon

membership@brooklynhistory.org

Membership Coordinator
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Education Intern

Summary of Work:

Education interns work with the entire Education Department and report to the Director of Education.  The primary responsibilities of the graduate-student intern are to lead hands-on K-12 tours as part of a two-person educator team.  Additionally the intern will assist in the creation of a professional development workshop for teachers and complete a research project corresponding with an existing exhibit or program.  Additional responsibilities may include creating or revising curriculum materials, conducting outreach programs in NYC schools, supporting our ongoing collaboration with the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92, updating databases of teachers and schools, assisting with the creation of content for BHS’s social media outlets, and other administrative tasks as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Teach school programs on- and off-site
• Co-facilitate staff development workshops for teachers when needed
• Conduct research for social media posts
• General education tasks might also include maintaining a teacher database, revising curriculum materials and tour-related didactic materials, and other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• B.A. in history, education, art, or a related field
• Currently enrolled in a M.A. program in Museum Studies, Museum Education, Education, Public History, or a related field (preferred)

• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to carry out multiple and diverse tasks concurrently
• Willingness to work as part of a team
• A visit to the museum (128 Pierrepont Street) prior to applying is strongly recommended

Internship Hours and Duration:

• Internships must be at least one day (or two half-days) per week.

To Apply:

Spring 2012 internships have been filled.

Check back later in the spring for information about applying for Summer 2012 internships.

Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative Intern

The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) seeks a highly motivated individual who can produce results with minimal supervision, and manage several products simultaneously.

The unpaid internship will consist of the following duties:

• General project management: act as the go to person for all aspects of the BJHI and keep the project moving forward;
• Work with BHS leadership, the BJHI Advisory Committee, and other community members to refine the goals, strategies, anticipated outcomes, and timeline for the Brooklyn Jewish History Initiative;
• Website maintenance and expansion, including identify images and writing content;
• Support BJHI public programs, this may include research, contacting speakers, and working at events;
• Prepare summaries and descriptions of the project for a variety of outlets, such as: the BHS website, the media, and funding applications (private foundations and individuals);
• Communicate with members from diverse segments of the Brooklyn Jewish community about the project and ways they might participate or contribute to the project;
• Archival research;
• General administrative tasks as necessary.

The ideal candidate is:

• A recent graduate or currently pursuing a master’s degree with a background in history, museum studies, or arts administration;
• An excellent writer and editor;
• Able to communicate with a variety of people –including BHS staff, scholars, community members, and major donors—over email, the phone, and in person;
• Knowledgeable or interested in Brooklyn, Jewish, and American histories;
• Fluent in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook;
• Able to learn how to manipulate an existing WordPress website (possessing or willing to acquire web design and HTML skills);
• Available to intern three to four full days per week, for a minimum of three months, starting January 23, 2012.

To apply, please email BROOKLYNJEWISH@BROOKLYNHISTORY.ORG (subject: “BJHI Internship”) with your resume and a cover letter.  

Research and Public History Intern, In Pursuit of Freedom

In Pursuit of Freedom, a multi-faceted, collaborative public history project between Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS), Weeksville Heritage Center and Irondale Ensemble Project, will tell the story of anti-slavery activism, abolitionism and elements of the Underground Railroad in Brooklyn, NY during the antebellum period. 

Project Historian seeks TWO interns for the Spring 2012, a Research Intern and a Public History Intern. Both interns will gain experience on a high profile project as it takes shape from scholarly research to public history. Interns work 8-15 hours per week Mon-Fri (flexible) and are based primarily at BHS. The internship is unpaid but can be applied towards course credit.

Research Intern

Responsibilities: assist Project Historian with research including but not limited to city directories, census, newspapers, other primary material; summarize historical manuscripts; fact check a variety of documents; other research tasks to support the work of the Project Historian

Preferred Requirements: must be a currently enrolled Graduate Student, or recently completed a graduate program (M.A. or Ph.D) in African American Studies, Nineteenth Century U.S. History, Atlantic Studies. Familiarity with citation styles and electronic databases, detail oriented, must be organized and able to work independently.

Public History Intern

Responsibilities: assist Project Historian with managing and organizing primary materials for project; contact external repositories as needed for project; other tasks to support the work of the Project Historian.

Preferred Requirements: Graduate Students, recent graduates, and professionals that possess a background in Museum Studies, Art History, Public History, Library Science. Familiarity with citation styles, rights and reproductions, detailed oriented, very organized and be able to work independently and as part of a team. 

Please indicate which internship you are applying for, brief statement of interest, days/ hours availability and CV. Email to: Dr. Prithi Kanakamedala

No phone calls please.

Additional Internships

Additional internship opportunities available in Programming, Education and Communications. Please complete the Internship Application and send with a resume to:

Cristina Garza
Public Programs and Visitor Services
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

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