Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark and accredited museum in Miami, Florida (www.vizcaya.org). Vizcaya Museum and Gardens seeks a conservation track intern to assist with preventive conservation efforts. The selected individual will be involved in activities including cyclic maintenance of decorated spaces, object handling, preparation and reorganization of collection storage areas. This individual will receive training in preventive conservation techniques, including object handling and documentation protocols. The internship is on the Engagement & Cultural Resources Team in the Art & Artifact Stewardship Department, and reports to the Conservator.
 
Vizcaya is owned by Miami-Dade County and is operated by the non-profit Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust, Inc. Our mission is to preserve the estate’s cultural and environmental resources to engage people in connecting with the past, understanding the present and shaping the future. Our vision is to position Vizcaya as an enduring, inclusive and innovative place that inspires people to embrace the cultural vitality and environmental sustainability of the world around us.
 
 
Essential Functions

• Assist the museum’s conservator and collections care staff with cyclic maintenance of Vizcaya’s 100+ outdoor stone, cast stone and lead sculptures.  
• Under supervision of Collections Care Specialist and direct oversight of Collections Care Technician, intern will focus on routine maintenance of decorated spaces. Hands-on cleaning of furnishings and associated decorative objects, monitoring of decorated spaces will take place on weekly basis.
• Assist collections staff with cleaning, organizing and rehousing objects in storage.
• Assist with Integrated Preventive Pest Management, rehousing objects and documentation efforts.
• Assist with moving, organizing and storing objects to ensure easy access for inventory and photography, as well as guarantee security of collection during regular activities and events.

This job description is not designed to be comprehensive; duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
 
Learning Opportunities

• Intern will work closely with the collections care team in a historic house museum and public garden.
• Intern will learn to work with historic objects.
• Intern will receive training in preventive conservation techniques, including maintenance and documentation protocols.

 
 
 
 

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies, History, Art History or a related field and Conservation or Historic Preservation Master’s degree track.
• Interest in conservation, historic preservation and collections care.  
• Demonstrated verbal communication skills to ask questions and seek support from colleagues or supervisor, and to interact with the department and visitors.
• Positive attitude, good interpersonal skills, flexibility and commitment to collaboration.
• English fluency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.

 
Compensation
The salary for this internship is $17/hour.
 
Work Environment/Physical Demands
The majority of work is done in decorated rooms in the Main House, in onsite collection storage areas or outside in the gardens and grounds. Routine periods of sitting, standing and walking are required. Must be able to climb ladders and scaffolding, lift up to 50 pounds and sit or stand for extended periods. Vizcaya is a non-smoking environment.
 
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work/Schedule
This is a part-time temporary internship (24 hours per week), for six consecutive weeks, to be scheduled between June 6 – August 15^th, 2022, for a total maximum of 147 hours. The intern will work during regular office hours; weekly hours are flexible but must coincide with department office hours (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.).
 
To Apply
Please submit a resume and a cover letter expressing your interest in this position to: HRVizcaya@vizcaya.org. Please reference the position title in the subject line of your email.
 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is committed to equity and inclusion and is engaged in a strategic process to ensure that our staff, Board and volunteers reflect our community’s diversity. Vizcaya welcomes applicants from groups that are underrepresented in cultural organizations and seeks to recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce.
 
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is an equal opportunity employer. Vizcaya respects people of all backgrounds and does not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, familial status, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, status as a victim of domestic violence, dating violence or stalking, or other applicable legally protected characteristics protected by law.   
 
Updated April 15, 2022
 
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