Past Internships
Fall 2007 Internships
#2007-3002 PRE-PROGRAM CONSERVATION INTERN, Conservation. 10 hours per week, weekday day time hours. Unpaid. Position Description: Assist with general duties of the department, including storage improvements; environmental monitoring; condition surveys; treatments; and acting as a public interface in the Visible Lab demonstrating techniques. The Primary objective of this internship is to prepare the intern for entry into an accredited graduate conservation program. Interns will develop knowledge in and conduct research on both general and preventive conservation philosophies, ethics, and techniques. Interns will also be able to research appropriate graduate schools and develop contacts in the field. Responsibilities: Assist with completing condition surveys; conduct materials research; aid in environmental monitoring; work on storage mounts and perform treatments; other duties as assigned. Requirements: College coursework in fine art, art history, natural history, library science, chemistry, or related fields; friendly presence and helpful attitude; good interpersonal skills and ability to work well with others as well as independently; attention to detail, good problem solving skills, computer skills, and hand skills/coordination; color matching skills and artistic ability; ability to lift 30 pounds. Background in general and organic chemistry preferred.
#2007-3003 ARCHAEOLOGY INTERN, Archaeology, 10-hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Archaeology Internship will expose the intern to archaeology in a museum setting. Duties will vary according to availability of projects and student interest. Students are encouraged to develop internship projects well in advance of the beginning of an internship through consultation with museum staff and faculty advisors. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of cataloguing artifacts and performing data entry, assisting with the storage and organization of archaeology collections, and/or researching artifacts. Requirements: Respect for and interest in other cultures, good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, friendly presence and helpful attitude with good interpersonal skills and ability to work with others as well as independently. Experience with prehistoric material culture from the Midwest North America helpful but not required.
#2007-3004 ETHNOLOGY COLLECTIONS INTERN, Science, 10-hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Ethnology Collections internship is geared toward undergraduates in the ethnology, anthropology, history, sociology, museum studies or similar field. It will expose the intern to the museum setting generally and collections management standards specifically. Student interest and project availability will determine the exact nature of intern responsibilities. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of cataloguing ethnological collections and performing data entry, assisting with the storage and organization of ethnology collections, researching collections, and/or archival work. Requirements: Respect for and interest in other cultures, good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, friendly presence and helpful attitude with good interpersonal skills and ability to work with others as well as independently.
#2007-3005 CURRICULUM INTERN, Youth and Family. 10 hours per week. Unpaid. Position Description: Pull together curriculum activities for popular classes using outlines from past classes. Research, copy and assemble curriculum activities for offsite classes. Assist with staff interviews. Prepare materials and coordinate the training schedule. Requirements: College coursework in museum programs, informal education, science education, park and recreation coordination or a related field; creative, innovative and able to work as part of a team. Must have strong communication skills.
Summer 2007 Internships
#2006-3028 WATER RESOURCES INTERN, St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS), 40 hours per week. This internship will start early May and last through November 2007. Paid: $10.00/hr. Position Description: The Water Resources intern will assist research staff with daily lab and field duties. Laboratory tasks include sample preparation, basic analyses, and labware cleaning. Field work tasks include stream monitoring, collection water samples, assisting with a large scale filed research project in Northern Minnesota, and prairie restoration work. Learning Objectives/Goals: Gain valuable laboratory skills and develop a better understanding of analytical chemistry techniques used in environmental chemistry. The intern will also be exposed to large scale field research and become familiar with how research ideas are translated into experimental design. Requirements: Recent graduate with academic major in chemistry, geology, biology, or other related field and a background in the natural and/or filed sciences. Require previous laboratory experience. Strong interpersonal skills, resourceful, self-motivated, and reliable.
#2006-3030 YOUTH AND FAMILY OUTREACH INTERN, Education. 40 hours per week. Paid. Position Description: Maintain contact with community education sites to confirm enrollment and/or cancel low enrollment programs. Inform teachers of class status, receive and file outlines and materials lists received from teachers, visit sites and observe classes. Evaluate program outcomes and invoice sites. Responsibilities: Observe and evaluate classes with teaching staff. Analyze program outcome and determine whether or not it met the goal of the class. Develop contacts with the community while gaining experience with implementation. Develop an understanding of the different sites and audience needs. Evaluate financial success of the program. Requirements: College coursework in museum programs, informal education, science education, park and recreation coordination; friendly presence and helpful attitude; good interpersonal skills and ability to work well with others as well as independently; attention to detail, ability to analyze data and present it in written and verbally.
#2006-3031 PALEONTOLOGY INTERN, Paleontology, 10 hours per week. Paid, $9.00/hr. Position Description: Work on projects in the paleontology collection, paleontology laboratory, and/or the paleontology gallery. Duties may include fossil preparation, collections management, assisting visiting researchers, delivery of tours and programs for the public, and/or helping design and implement webpages devoted to paleontology research. Interns are expected to complete a small project based upon the needs of the paleontology department and their own interests. Projects may include research related to the paleontology collection, interpretation of the paleontology collection for the public, outreach, developing small-scale paleontology exhibits, etc. Learning Objectives/Goals: The intern will learn the basic skills of paleontology in a museum setting; gain real world experience sharing paleontology with the public via direct engagement and www design/development; complete a project that utilizes the paleontological resources at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Requirements: Currently enrolled undergraduate students with coursework in biology and/or geology, a major in these subjects is not required. Applicants must be able to lift at least 50 pounds.
#2006-3032 VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS ASSISTANT INTERN, Education. 10-15 hours per week. Unpaid. Position Description: Develop and complete projects pertaining to human resources, outreach and marketing, for the volunteer department at the museum. Responsibilities: Collaborate on the writing of job descriptions, work with local media and other outreach resources, develop the volunteer website component with museum staff and assist with enhancing and evaluating the volunteers' overall experience at the museum. Requirements: College coursework in marketing, communications, human resources, public relations or a related field; creative, innovative and able to work as part of a team. Must have strong communication skills.
#2006-3033 SUMMER CAMP MATERIALS INTERN, Education. 10 hours per week. Unpaid. Position Description: Develop a format for printed materials that teachers prepare for parents regarding the contents of the class. Observe and document activities and pedagogy used in popular classes by our teachers. Responsibilities: Document and compile curriculums by using the teachers' lesson plans and observing classes. Prepare take-home sheets for class participants detailing what they did and learned in class and how they can continue lessons at home. Work with the public relations department to design the take-home sheets to match other official museum publication. Requirements: College coursework in education, journalism, marketing or public relations; friendly presence and helpful attitude; good interpersonal skills and ability to work well with others as well as independently; attention to detail, ability to analyze data and present it in written and verbally.
#2006-3034 MICROSCOPY ACTIVITY DEVELOPER INTERN, Education. 10 hours per week. Unpaid. Position Description: Develop an activity for museum volunteers and lab crew teens to present to the general public. The focus of the activity is to use a new fluorescent/brightfield microscope. Responsibilities: Work with museum staff to develop activities that help to convey complex science to the general public. Work with the public to help them understand the activity and the science which is being presented to them. Assist in the training of volunteers and lab crew teens to use the activity. Requirements: College coursework in biology or a related field; friendly presence and helpful attitude; good interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work well with others as well as independently; attention to detail.
#2006-3036 ETHNOLOGY COLLECTIONS INTERN, Research and Collections, 10-hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Ethnology Collections internship is geared toward undergraduates in the ethnology, anthropology, history, sociology, museum studies or similar field. It will expose the intern to the museum setting generally and collections management standards specifically. Student interest and project availability will determine the exact nature of intern responsibilities. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of cataloguing ethnological collections and performing data entry, assisting with the storage and organization of ethnology collections, researching collections, and/or archival work. Requirements: Respect for and interest in other cultures, good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, friendly presence and helpful attitude with good interpersonal skills and ability to work with others as well as independently.
#2006-3037 PALEONTOLOGY INTERN, Paleontology, 10 hours per week. Unpaid. Position Description: Work on projects in the paleontology collection, paleontology laboratory, and/or the paleontology gallery. Duties may include fossil preparation, collections management. Interns are expected to complete a small project based upon the needs of the paleontology department and their own interests. Projects may include research related to the paleontology collection, interpretation of the paleontology collection for the public, outreach, developing small-scale paleontology exhibits, etc. Learning Objectives/Goals: The intern will learn the basic skills of paleontology in a museum setting; gain real world experience sharing paleontology with the public via direct engagement and www design/development; complete a project that utilizes the paleontological resources at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Requirements: Currently enrolled undergraduate students with coursework in biology and/or geology, a major in these subjects is not required. Applicants must be able to lift at least 50 pounds.
#2006-3039 SPECIAL EVENTS INTERN, Marketing, Communications, and Sales 10-12 hours per week, primarily weekday/daytime hours with occasional event work on evenings or weekends. Paid, $8.00 per hour. Position Description: The Special Events and Marketing Interns will work with the Special Events Coordinator and other Marketing and Communications staff members to assist with the planning and implementation of a variety of museum marketing and community outreach events promoting our summer exhibit, as well as literature drops throughout the Twin Cities. Learning Objectives/Goals: Gain experience in special events planning, marketing, public relations, promotions, and working within an office environment at a nonprofit. Must be able to work independently as well as a member of a team. Requirements: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; good organization skills and attention to detail; high level of initiative and follow through; familiarity with Microsoft Office suite. Interns will need to be comfortable speaking in public, and able to do activities with children and families as well as handle large crowds. Weekly journals will be submitted to Special Events Coordinator to evaluate and improve the experience. Prefer Marketing, Public Relations, or Nonprofit Management majors but other applicants will be considered. Students of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
#2006-3040 EVALUATION INTERN, Exhibits, 25-40 hours per week, variable hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Evaluation intern will have three primary responsibilities: (1) participate in ongoing front-end and formative exhibit and program evaluations; (2) contribute to the analysis and reporting of a multi-year study of the museum's audience; (3) contribute to a growing database of the museum’s evaluation studies. Learning Objectives/Goals: Gain practical experiences in designing, implementing, and analyzing program and exhibit evaluations. Research other museum audience studies, identify critical issues for data analysis, and develop graphic and narrative interpretations of the data. Continue development of a longitudinal database of museum evaluation reports. Requirements: College undergraduate or graduate student with a social science background is required. Some experience with evaluation or research is preferred (not necessarily in informal learning environments). Must have extremely strong organizational and analytic skills and familiarity with creating PDFs and using a scanner. Experience with Excel and database software such as Access is preferred.
Spring 2007 Internships
#2006-3014 YOUTH AND FAMILY OUTREACH INTERN, Education. 10 hours per week. Unpaid. Position Description: Research and redevelop the summer outreach programs the Youth and Family department offers to community education sites in the greater metropolitan area of the Twin Cities. The ultimate outcome is to price our programs appropriately and retain the high quality curriculum so Science Museum of Minnesota classes are the first choice for science at any site. Responsibilities: Developing curriculum from museum resources to create a menu of classes; assisting with staff interviewing and training; preparing materials and coordinating a training schedule for teachers and staff; coordinating summer programs with community education sites. Requirements: College coursework in museum programs, informal education, science education; park and rec coordination, or related fields; friendly presence and helpful attitude; good interpersonal skills and ability to work well with others as well as independently; attention to detail, ability to analyze data and present it in written and verbally.
#2006-3015 SPECIAL EVENTS INTERN, Marketing, Communications, and Sales, 12-15 hours per week, primarily weekday/daytime hours with occasional event work on evenings or weekends. Paid, $8.00 per hour. Position Description: The Special Events and Marketing Intern will work with the Special Events Coordinator and other Marketing and Communications staff members to assist with the planning and implementation of a variety of museum marketing and community outreach events promoting our current exhibits. Learning Objectives/Goals: Gain experience in special events planning, marketing, public relations, promotions, and working within an office environment at a nonprofit. Must be able to work independently as well as a member of a team. Requirements: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; good organization skills and attention to detail; high level of initiative and follow through; familiarity with Microsoft Office suite. Interns will need to be able to do activities with children and families as well as handle large crowds. Weekly journals will be submitted to Special Events Coordinator to evaluate and improve the experience. Prefer Marketing, Public Relations, or Nonprofit Management majors but other applicants will be considered. Students of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
#2006-3016 COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS INTERN, Marketing, Communications, and Sales, 12-15 hours per week, primarily weekday/daytime hours with occasional event work on evenings or weekends. Paid, $8.00 per hour. Position Description: The Community Promotions Intern will work with the Special Events Coordinator and other staff to build relationships with various community organizations, giving them an opportunity to promote their programs and services to the museum audience during the RACE exhibit. Learning Objectives/Goals: Gain experience in special events planning and promotions. Hone skills in working with diverse communities and within an office environment. Assist with the planning and implementation of on and offsite promotional events. Requirements: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; good organization skills and attention to detail; high level of initiative and follow through; familiarity with Microsoft Office suite. Must be able to work independently as well as a member of a team. Interns will need to be able to do activities with children and families as well as handle large crowds. Weekly journals will be submitted to Special Events Coordinator to evaluate and improve the experience. Prefer Marketing, Public Relations, or Nonprofit Management majors but other applicants will be considered. Students of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
#2006-3017 BIOLOGY INTERN, Research and Collections, 10+ hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Biology internship will work on updating the currently out-of-date web-based DNR moss atlas. The intern will contribute to and acquire knowledge of botanical collections at the Science Museum of Minnesota and outside collections. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of researching specimens; cataloguing specimens; updating the web-based moss atlas. Requirements: Good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, able to work with others as well as independently. The internship is geared towards undergraduates pursuing a degree in biology or computer science.
#2006-3019 ARCHAEOLOGY INTERN, Research and Collections, 10-hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Archaeology Internship will expose the intern to archaeology in a museum setting. Duties will vary according to availability of projects and student interest. Students are encouraged to develop internship projects well in advance of the beginning of an internship through consultation with museum staff and faculty advisors. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of cataloguing artifacts and performing data entry, assisting with the storage and organization of archaeology collections, and/or researching artifacts. Requirements: Respect for and interest in other cultures, good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, friendly presence and helpful attitude with good interpersonal skills and ability to work with others as well as independently. Experience with prehistoric material culture from the Midwest North America helpful but not required.
#2006-3020 PRE-PROGRAM CONSERVATION INTERN, Conservation. 10 hours per week, weekday day time hours. Unpaid. Position Description: Assist with general duties of the department, including storage improvements; environmental monitoring; condition surveys; treatments; and acting as a public interface in the Visible Lab demonstrating techniques. The Primary objective of this internship is to prepare the intern for entry into an accredited graduate conservation program. Interns will develop knowledge in and conduct research on both general and preventive conservation philosophies, ethics, and techniques. Interns will also be able to research appropriate graduate schools and develop contacts in the field. Responsibilities: Assist with completing condition surveys; conduct materials research; aid in environmental monitoring; work on storage mounts and perform treatments; other duties as assigned. Requirements: College coursework in fine art, art history, natural history, library science, chemistry, or related fields; friendly presence and helpful attitude; good interpersonal skills and ability to work well with others as well as independently; attention to detail, good problem solving skills, computer skills, and hand skills/coordination; color matching skills and artistic ability; ability to lift 30 pounds. Background in general and organic chemistry preferred.
#2006-3021 ETHNOLOGY COLLECTIONS INTERN, Research and Collections, 10-hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Ethnology Collections internship is geared toward undergraduates in the ethnology, anthropology, history, sociology, museum studies or similar field. It will expose the intern to the museum setting generally and collections management standards specifically. Student interest and project availability will determine the exact nature of intern responsibilities. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of cataloguing ethnological collections and performing data entry, assisting with the storage and organization of ethnology collections, researching collections, and/or archival work. Requirements: Respect for and interest in other cultures, good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, friendly presence and helpful attitude with good interpersonal skills and ability to work with others as well as independently.
#2006-3022 COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT INTERN, Research and Collections, 10+ hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Collections Management internship will expose the intern to how collections in a museum are stored, documented, and cared for. Duties will vary according to availability of projects and student interest. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of cataloguing artifacts or specimens; assisting with the storage and organization of collections; and researching artifacts or specimens. Requirements: Good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, friendly presence and helpful attitude with good interpersonal skills and ability to work with others as well as independently. The internship is geared towards undergraduates pursuing a degree with anthropology, museum studies, library science, or other relevant coursework.
#2006-3023 RESEARCH ASSISTANT INTERN, President's Office, 10 hours per week. Paid, $10.00/hr. Position Description: Research current statistical data surrounding the issue of science education policy, globally and nationally. Write talking point and brief paragraph documents synthesizing and citing the data for use by museum President. Learning Objectives/Goals: The intern will learn and hone skills in performing public policy research; develop skills in preparing statistical policy data for consumption by various audiences; observe how public policy data informs museum strategic planning. Requirements: Masters degree candidates in Public Policy or Education Policy and Administration, or Undergraduates with an interest in pursuing such graduate degrees. Must have proven quantitative research skills and excellent writing skills. Resourceful, self-motivated, and reliable. Statistics classes and/or familiarity strongly recommended.
#2006-3024 HISTORIAN INTERN, President's Office, 10 hours per week. Paid, $10.00/hr. Position Description: Research the 100 year history of the Science Museum of Minnesota. Research findings will be used by the intern and other staff for various purposes and publications surrounding the museum's centennial in 2007. It is expected that research will inform marketing, development, and administrative initiatives as well as provide a record for posterity. Learning Objectives/Goals: The intern will learn and hone skills in performing institutional research for a variety of purposes. The intern will develop organizational, teamwork, and planning skills while working as part of a cross divisional team planning a major institution initiative. The intern will also refine historical skills. Requirements: Masters or Undergraduate candidates in History or American Studies fields. Must have proven historical research skills and excellent writing skills. Resourceful, self-motivated, and reliable. Able to work independently and as part of a team.
#2006-3025 LEARNING TECHNOLOGY CENTER (LTC) VISITOR ACTIVITY INTERN, Education, 10 hours per week. Paid, $10.00/hour. Position Description: Assist to create educational activities related to the science and art of light and share your developments with the museum public and community. Develop and test educational program components (make and take activities, demonstrations, workshops, etc.) Collaborate with museum staff and artists to plan and implement these programs. Other duties as assigned. Learning Objectives/Goals: Learn to create informal education activities related to the sciences of art and light. Learn to interpret scientific concepts in an engaging way for a broad visiting audience. Hone skills to work independently as well as a member of a team. Requirements: Interested in science, art, and technology. Enthusiastic about working with groups in the public museum. Demonstrated leadership, experience, strong organizational and communication skills, creativity, and resourcefulness. Flexibility, reliability, and self motivation are assets to the job. Junior or Senior standing students with science, technology, and fine arts majors are preferred but other academic majors will be considered. Students of color are strongly encouraged to apply.
#2006-3026 BIOLOGY COLLECTIONS INTERN, Research and Collections, 10+ hours per week, weekday/daytime hours. Unpaid. Position Description: The Biology Collections internship will work on a variety of Biology Collections related tasks. Individual projects can vary depending on student interest. Learning Goals/Objectives: Project may include any combination of general specimen cataloguing, lab assistance, and/or specimen accessioning. Requirements: Good research and problem solving skills, attention to detail, able to work with others as well as independently. The internship is geared towards undergraduates pursuing a degree in biology.
#2006-3027 PALEONTOLOGY INTERN, Paleontology, 10 hours per week. Paid, $9.00/hr. Position Description: Work on projects in the paleontology collection, paleontology laboratory, and/or the paleontology gallery. Duties may include fossil preparation, collections management, assisting visiting researchers, delivery of tours and programs for the public, and/or helping design and implement webpages devoted to paleontology research. Interns are expected to complete a small project based upon the needs of the paleontology department and their own interests. Projects may include research related to the paleontology collection, interpretation of the paleontology collection for the public, outreach, developing small-scale paleontology exhibits, etc. Learning Objectives/Goals: The intern will learn the basic skills of paleontology in a museum setting; gain real world experience sharing paleontology with the public via direct engagement and www design/development; complete a project that utilizes the paleontological resources at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Requirements: Currently enrolled undergraduate students with coursework in biology and/or geology, a major in these subjects is not required. Applicants must be able to lift at least 50 pounds.