Are you exploring the field of historic preservation and looking for some real-world experience? The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Internship Program provides opportunities to pursue your professional growth and contribute to sharing Pennsylvania’s rich heritage with the public.

We’d like to invite college and graduate school students interested in historic preservation, archaeology, community planning, cultural resources, architectural history, public history, and other related fields to apply for their summer 2023 interning experience. 

The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is offering three internships this year in our Harrisburg office: one related to architectural survey, one related to archaeological survey, and one related to historical markers. This paid internship is an excellent way for you to build your portfolio while helping PHMC and the PA SHPO preserve Pennsylvania’s important older and historic places.

Overview

The Keystone Summer Internship Program is designed to provide pre-professional training to students interested in pursuing a career in history, historic preservation, or museums.  The internship is intended to be an integral part of the student’s academic training and students are encouraged, although not required, to seek credit for their internships.

  • Interns will be paid $15.88 per hour.
  • Interns must work a minimum of 225 hours and are eligible to work up to 300 hours within the program timeframe. Work hours will be based upon operational needs and finalized between selected interns and their supervisor.
  • Internship period is 10 weeks between May 15th through August 20th 2023.
  • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, enrolled at a college or university in an undergraduate or graduate program, and must hold a minimum of a 2.5 GPA at the time of their internship.

Applications are due by 1/16/2023 11:59 PM EST.

Above Ground Survey Program Intern

The State Historic Preservation Office is offering an internship with our Pennsylvania Above Ground Survey (PAGS) program.

This historic preservation internship is looking for someone who is interested in experiencing historic places through a camera! The Sites Survey intern will document some of Pennsylvania’s historic places using the State Historic Preservation Office’s up-to-date mobile app and web technology. This internship will also include historical research and learning how to do professional level cultural resource survey work.

Summer 2022 Keystone intern taking a photo of the spring house with the PA-SHARE Surveyor field app to document historic resources at Brandywine Battlefield Park, a National Historic Landmark (PA-SHARE Resource #1961RE00033). Photo by Dr. Steven Burg of Shippensburg University, June 2022. Used with permission.

To learn more about the PAGS program, please visit our website and read the PAGS annual report.

Learn more about this specific internship opportunity here.

Archaeological Site Survey Program Intern

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is offering an internship with our Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) program.

This intern will have the opportunity to record archaeological sites throughout the Commonwealth in order to help maintain the PA SHPO’s statewide inventory of over 26,000 sites. The process of site recording is an important step in the consideration and potential protection of sites under state and federal cultural resources laws.

Person looking at small wood enclosure over grouping of stones.
PA SHPO archaeology staff at the Sherman’s Dale Discharge Former Slaves’ Graves site.

Working alongside PA SHPO staff members, the intern will learn the site recording process, work closely with Pennsylvania’s highly active avocational archaeologist community, and conduct field visits. Sites will be recorded using PA SHPO’s online data management and cultural resource GIS tool, PA-SHARE, which is extensively used by historic preservation professionals conducting research in Pennsylvania.

To learn more about PASS, please visit our website and read the PASS annual report.

Learn more about this specific internship opportunity here.

Historic Marker Program Intern

For decades, the PA Historical Marker Program has served as a model for local and even other state marker programs. PA SHPO is committed to continuously improving the program and integrating PHMC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Policy. The Marker Program provides communities the opportunity to celebrate and elevate Pennsylvania’s history. More than 2,500 markers feature people, places, events, and innovations that have affected the lives of Pennsylvanians over the centuries. Each Historical Marker Nomination represents countless hours of research to create a cohesive historical narrative. PA SHPO prides itself on making these materials available to the public for educational, personal, and research purposes.

Historical marker dedication ceremony for the Nile Swim Club in Yeadon, Delaware County. It was the first private swim club owned and operated by African Americans in the country. Photo by Don Giles/PHMC, May 2021.

This internship supports PA SHPO’s work with projects to provide accurate and accessible historical materials to the citizens of the Commonwealth, maintain marker visibility, and continue to expand the program’s reach. This internship will involve research, writing, synthesizing information, updating PA SHPO records, and identifying and collaborating with local partners. When complete, the projects will be published and implemented for future use in the Historical Marker Program and PA SHPO in general.

The intern will have the opportunity to draw on classroom knowledge and previous experience and apply it to real-world preservation and public history practices. Working alongside members of the PA SHPO team in a traditional and virtual professional office environment, the intern will gain valuable hands-on experience in the field with historic resource materials, community preservation, and applying preservation theory to historical criteria. At the conclusion of the internship, the intern will have a portfolio of work products and invaluable experience working with a diverse professional team.

To learn more about the marker program, please visit our website.

Learn more about this specific internship opportunity here.

Other PHMC Opportunities

Many PHMC historic sites throughout the commonwealth are offering internships in public history, education, interpretation, visitor services, museum operations, collections management, and curation.

You can search all of PHMC’s listings here.

How to Apply

Apply online here: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pabureau/transferjobs?department%5B0%5D=Historical%20%26%20Museum%20Commission&sort=PositionTitle%7CAscending&page=1.

Please note that an unofficial transcript must be uploaded as part of the application process. Submissions will be reviewed and applicants will be notified if selected for a virtual interview. Questions regarding the Keystone Summer Internship Program may be directed to MegAnn Carey at mecarey@pa.gov.

Applications are due by 1/16/2023 11:59 PM EST.