At the conclusion of the internship, student participants will be expected to present the findings of their independent projects in a formal seminar to the SERC community. Archive Technicians should have some knowledge in the subject matter of the archives. Internships The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's (SERC) Internship Program offers undergraduate and beginning graduate students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the fields of environmental research and public engagement. There are collections of maps, technical drawings, business records, film and video, world music and culture, worlds fair memorabilia and advertising materials housed throughout the Institution. The libraries maintain an exchange program with 4,000 libraries to allow staff access to periodicals, museum catalogues and professional society publications. The Safety and Environmental Management staff (Nurses, Fire Protection Engineers, Industrial Hygienists) ensure a healthy workplace and a large force of Security Officers, K- 9 teams, electronic security specialists and disaster recovery experts protect the national treasures in our collections. New programs aimed at digitizing the collections are adding new responsibilities. It contracts for multi-million dollar construction and renovation projects, architect-engineering services, design and fabrication of museum exhibits, information technology, office equipment and bamboo supplies for the pandas.
There are exhibit departments in each museum as well as a central office. These positions require a real commitment to the job and the animals. They work directly with curators and collection managers and may be involved in a variety of activities such as researching artifacts, assisting visiting scholars, packing and storing artifacts, assisting with registration activities, recordkeeping and answering public inquiries. Some Smithsonian units operate their own application servers and provide desktop and help desk services, which are interconnected through the SInet. The internship started November 2014 and ended April 2015 and consisted of working in the collection room …
Check the slideshow below for some of our latest offerings, including virtual field trips and Earth Optimism webinars. They are responsible for organizing and maintaining the records of the artifacts or specimens in a collection.
The Institution employs Computer Scientists, Programmers, Systems Analysts, Network Administrators, Desktop Support Specialists, Security Specialists, Computer Operators and Web Designers. Professional associations in the field also offer seminars. Each museum, research center and a number of programmatic offices have public affairs offices. Current studies of tropical insect biodiversity, life histories and behavior build on nearly 100 years of background work by entomologists like William Morton Wheeler and Ray Schnierla, who studied ants here in the 1920s and Terry Erwin, who made the first estimate of world insect biodiversity in 1982. This has become a very technology driven field involving state of the art imaging, chemical analysis techniques and other analytical tools to assess the state of deterioration and determine conservation methods.
These contacts can be the basis for acquiring gifts of artifacts or monetary donations. Their main responsibility is to promote exhibitions and public programs and build a positive image or brand for the Institution. Smithsonian Gardens develop creative and educational horticultural exhibits and provides decorative flora for special museum events. The Smithsonian Libraries comprise 20 branches and house 1.5 million volumes, 40,000 rare books and 2,000 rare manuscript groups including several books from James Smithson’s personal library.
Staff actively participate in environmentally sound garden design and interact frequently with visitors. They write and edit press releases, develop story ideas and marketing plans to increase the organizations visibility. Students will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge in a selected field of study and to learn a variety of research techniques through firsthand experience. The department also employs Attorneys in Employee & Labor Relations.
Smithsonian Enterprises (SE) is a nonprofit division of the Smithsonian Institution. CM maintains and audits the automated collections management systems to ensure standardization of cataloguing, vocabulary and documentation. Smithsonian loans approximately 3.5 million artifacts & specimens each year.
2017 Short Term Conservation Internship (6 months) To view the status of the Smithsonian’s other museums and the National Zoo, please visit si.edu/museums. Contract Specialists have business degrees and progress in salary and responsibility as they gain knowledge and experience with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The Office coordinates the Institution’s communications and other interactions with the Executive Branch and Congress, submitting budget justifications, preparing correspondence for senior management, assisting with the development of testimony, responding to requests from the Executive Branch or Congress on the Institution’s view on pending legislation and keeps senior management apprised of congressional activity that may have a bearing in the Smithsonian’s activities. Collections Managers and their staffs have degrees in the subject of the collection and gain knowledge on the job and through seminars and other educational activities to stay abreast of the latest care and recordkeeping practices. Staff members have degrees in a social science related discipline with coursework in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods. There is also an imaging center that creates electronic versions of our rare books and distinctive collections so they can be shared on the internet. There is also a central Office of Public Affairs. A writer/editor must have a great command of the English language including grammar, and style standards.
Many Librarians also have an undergraduate or graduate degree in the subject matter of the library.
Historically many people have learned on the job.
We also have specialists who fabricate custom shipping cases for artifacts that are loaned to other museums or are part of a traveling exhibition. Usually the Director of Public Affairs is the chief spokesperson for the organization. OSP provides the Smithsonian community with administrative, and financial services to support these important resources. Museum educators develop a variety of interpretive strategies that are informed by collections-based research as well as educational research and learning theory that enlighten and inspire museum audiences of all ages. Additionally, there is a risk management (insurance) department and an investment department that manages our endowment investments. 2018 Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry of Museum Collections; 2018 Smithsonian Post-Graduate Paintings Conservation Fellowship with NMAAHC and MCI; 2017 Summer Internships in the Conservation of Art and Historic WOrks; 2017 Analytical Studies Intern Program. Smithsonian Gardens employs degreed Horticulturalists and highly skilled Gardeners. Library Technicians often have undergraduate degrees in the subject matter of the library and some experience or education in library practice. Museum Technicians have the opportunity for promotion to Museum Specialist which provides more professional opportunities and challenging research assignments.
The Museum Conservation Institute studies topics such as Analytical Chemistry, Conservation Research, and Materials Science. The Smithsonian workforce includes dedicated men and women located in the Washington, D.C., area; New York City; Cambridge, Mass. These are multi-disciplinary organizations that focus on how best to present the artifacts and information to our visitors. These "outdoor" museums highlight each museums focus and attract millions of visitors each year.
Entomology at STRI continues to be strongly field and natural history based. Special message to researchers: In response to COVID-19, the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History is implementing precautionary measures to help reduce the spread of the virus, including limiting access to facilities.The safety of our staff, visitors, and communities are our first priority. Staff members have backgrounds as financial auditors, criminal investigators and management analysts.
We also employ technicians in horticulture, various types of biological laboratories, as well as mechanical and electronics disciplines. Staff members have expertise in grant and contract administration and financial analysis. Today, a background in chemistry is highly desirable along with an artist's skill in a particular medium.