The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is pleased to announce three ten-week summer internships in the Susan and David Goode Center for Advanced Study in Art Conservation. The Goode Center is a vibrant research and training center dedicated to advancing the field of conservation, art history, and science through joint study with conservators, curators, scholars, and scientists. Opened in 2010, the Goode Center is the largest conservation facility in the southeast and is outfitted with advanced analytical and examination capabilities including hyperspectral imaging, scanning and portable x-ray fluorescence, FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy, polarized light microscopy, microfade testing, and computed x-radiography.
Title: Art Conservation Summer Intern
Hiring Range: $15.00/hour
Pay Band:
Agency: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Location: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Agency Website: www.vmfa.museum
Recruitment Type: General Public – G
Job Posting Location: jobs.virginia.gov
Job Duties:
To raise awareness of professional opportunities among students of all backgrounds, but particularly underrepresented minority populations, these summer internships are being offered to students enrolled at an accredited college or university. Each internship will focus on one area of conservation specialization, either paper, paintings, or objects. While the successful candidates will spend the majority of their time in their assigned conservation lab, they will also have the opportunity to learn about other areas of art conservation as well as general collections care and the Museum’s broader operations.
Interns will learn proper art handling techniques and appropriate storage and housing of works of art; participate in the use of scientific and technical conservation equipment; research conservation literature; write condition reports and perform treatments; learn about agents of deterioration; and assist in routine maintenance of the collection and conservation studios. Interns will actively participate in the daily activities of the VMFA conservation studios and become familiar with the American Institute for Conservation Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.
Minimum Qualifications: Qualified candidates should provide evidence of an interest in pursuing art conservation as a career. This can include coursework, extracurricular activities, or volunteer service in studio art, art history, and/or chemistry.
Preferred Qualifications: Candidates will ideally be enrolled in a college or university degree program.
Special Instructions:
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
Three positions will be filled through this announcement. These positions are generously funded through VMFA’s Preservation Training Initiative grant from the National Endowment of Humanities Preservation and Access Education and Training program.
There is some flexibility in the start and end dates for the internship between mid-May to the end of August. Candidates selected for interviews should be prepared to discuss their general summer availability during the interview. The selected interns will be paid $15/hour for the 10-week internship period and will receive a $1,000 housing stipend.
Selected candidates must pass a criminal history background check.
These positions are open to the general public. On-line applications will be accepted until 11:55 PM on Thursday, March 16, 2023. Candidates need to apply through the Commonwealth of Virginia job website, which can be accessed at jobs.virginia.gov.
All submissions should include a cover letter describing the applicant’s interest in art conservation, a résumé, a brief writing sample OR art portfolio (three works of art from any media), and two letters of reference by March 16, 2023. Letters of reference can be uploaded to the application or submitted directly to kim.frola@vmfa.museum.
Applicants selected for interviews will be notified roughly one week of the closing date and scheduled to interview with the Head Conservators of the three Conservation Departments.
VMFA is an EEO/AA and Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Certified Employer.
Contact Information:
Name: Kim Frola
Phone: 804-340-1461
Email: kim.frola@vmfa.museum
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) provided by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor within the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their Certificate of Disability. If you need to get a Certificate of Disability, use this link: Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities, or call DARS at 800-552-5019, or DBVI at 800-622-2155.
