Collections & Archival Management Intern (House Inventory)

Job Title: Collections & Archival Management Intern (House Inventory)
Department: Collections and Curatorial 
Reports to: Jeremy Dimick, Director of Collections and Curatorial

Hourly Wage: $15.00/ hour

Start: May 2025

History saved and preserved is the foundation for strong, vibrant communities and future generations. The Detroit Historical Society’s mission is to tell Detroit’s stories and why they matter. Founded in 1921, the Society has been bringing together diverse voices and communities around the stories of the region to find their place in the present and inspire the future for over one hundred years. Located in Detroit’s cultural district, the Society administers and develops exhibitions and programming for the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle, and our Collection Resource Center at Historic Fort Wayne. The team cares for over 250,000 artifacts in its collection and relies on a staff of over sixty individuals to help continue to bring Detroit’s vibrant stories to life.

Position Description

The Detroit Historical Society is pleased to offer a paid internship opportunity with its Collections Department and the 250,000 artifacts that tell these Detroit-stories. The internship provides opportunities with several different aspects of museum work, including general collections management and registrar work. The position will assist the Society’s Collections Department Staff in organizing, cataloging and imaging a large collection of furniture on display in a historic house of the grounds of Historic Fort Wayne. In addition to working on this specific project the position will also assist with general work on a collection-wide inventory our 250,000 objects. 

Selected intern will be immersed in the day to day operation of a large three-dimensional artifact collection and will be working to improve intellectual control from the ground up. The result will be a firsthand experience in collections management, regular work with Past Perfect, a widely used museum collection management system and exposure to all the skills necessary to work with and manage museum collections. 

Society internship work hours and reporting requirements will conform to the student’s university course standards and schedule. However, interns can expect to spend approximately 120 hours working during the semester in which they are enrolled in the internship course (roughly 10 hours per week for approximately 12 weeks and be paid $15.00 per hour). 

Major Responsibilities

• Daily work on inventory of historic home contents 
• Systematically work through the home inventorying furniture, bedding, decorations, etc.
• Compile findings in a building inventory list in the societies’ collection management system
• When required, research to date and describe previously un-catalogued items with accurate, standardized descriptions and terminology
• Daily work with PastPerfect collections management database and various other collection records
• Photograph material to be added to the Society’s PastPerfect Online public-facing database

General Responsibilities

• Daily work with PastPerfect collections management database and various other collection records
• Photograph material to be added to the Society’s PastPerfect Online public-facing database

Required Qualifications for Successful Position Performance

• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
• Ability to work on a tight schedule and meet deadlines
• Basic knowledge of Detroit history desired
• Able to lift up to 20 pounds with or without a reasonable accommodation 
• Able to use a step ladder with or without a reasonable accommodation 
• Ability to sit for long periods of time at a computer and ability to stand for long periods of time in warehouse setting
• Self-starter who can work independently as part of a larger initiative

Preferred Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of Detroit history desired
• Self-starter who can work independently as part of a larger initiative

Education and Experience

• Working toward a 4-year degree with a concentration in history, anthropology museum studies or similar field of study
• Preference will be given to candidates who have worked with museum collections in the past in either a paid or volunteer role. 

Compensation & Benefits 

•   Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of qualifying service in coordination with FMLA.

Please note the hourly wage prior to sending a résumé and cover letter to the Human Resources Department at humanresource@detroithistorical.org by April 17, 2025. No phone calls, please.

Candidates must have reliable transportation and be willing to undergo a criminal background check and provide references (as needed/requested). Please note the hourly wage prior to sending a résumé and cover letter to the Human Resources Department at humanresource@detroithistorical.org  by April 17, 2025.
No phone calls, please.

EEO Statement  

Detroit Historical Society is committed to the principles of equal employment. We respect diversity and accordingly are an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions and lactation), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation , marital status, military service and veteran status, disability, genetic information, height, weight, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The Organization is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.