Intern - Community Engagement Archival
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LOCATION: History Center - 345 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102
Black Youth Healing Arts Center - 643 Virginia St., St. Paul, MN 55103
COMPENSATION: $16.50 hourly
HOURS: This is a part-time, temporary position from approximately June 8, 2026 to August 30, 2026. A part-time intern must be available to work 15 hours per week. This position offers a flexible work schedule, coordinated with the intern’s school schedule and operational needs. Preferred working hours are 5 hour shifts scheduled M-F.
POSTING DATE: March 3, 2026
DEADLINE DATE: March 23, 2026
SEMINAR EVENTS: Interns are required to participate in three, in-person seminars focused on professional development, learning how cultural organizations operate, and building a network of industry professionals. At the end of the semester, interns complete a final presentation to share their work.
Please ensure you are available for these dates when applying:
Thursday, June 18 from 11:30am-1:00pm
Thursday, July 21 from 1:00-3:00pm
Thursday, August 13 from 3:30-5:30pm
Final Presentations: Thursday, August 27 from 11:00am-1:00pm
TO APPLY: Interested applicants must apply online at the Minnesota Historical Society’s career center at www.mnhs.org/jobs and include a cover letter, resume, and any required additional materials by the application deadline date.
ADDITIONAL APPLICATION MATERIALS:
Work samples will be accepted, but are not required.
DESCRIPTION: We are seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented Archival Intern to help maintain and systematize thousands of archival assets for the four-part documentary series The Safe Space. This role is essential to preserving, organizing, and unlocking decades of history tied to Central Touring Theatre (CTT). The ideal candidate understands that archives are not just files, they are legacy. This individual must take pride in precision, historical awareness, and meticulous organization. The Archival Intern will serve as the central knowledge hub for all archival materials and must be able to quickly identify, retrieve, and contextualize assets for the Director, Story Producers, and Post-Production team.
This role is primarily on-site at our headquarters studio within the Black Youth Healing Arts Center, where the Archive Specialist will lead the foundational organization of our archival collection. After a structured system and sustainable workflow have been fully established, hybrid and remote flexibility may be available based on project needs and performance.
RESPONSIBILITIES: 1) Support the team in responding to archive-related requests; 2) Quickly locate specific images, clips, or documents upon request; 3) Assist in maintaining an internal tracking document for asset usage across episodes; 4) Collaborate closely with the Post-Production team to ensure archival footage is properly labeled and delivered; 5) Scanning and digitization of physical materials; 6) Help maintain high standards of image and file quality; 7) Handle sensitive or rare materials while learning archival best practices; 8) Support the tracking of usage rights and licensing notes when applicable; 9) Assist in organizing photographs, video clips, slides, newspaper articles, documents, and memorabilia into a structured, searchable system; 10) Contribute to the creation and upkeep of a comprehensive archival catalog with consistent naming conventions and metadata tagging; 11) Help assign asset numbers and cross-reference materials across folders, drives, and physical storage; 12) Support efforts to ensure digital backups are properly maintained and redundancies are in place.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student, or have graduated within the past 12 months at the time of application.
Ideal candidates might be currently pursuing, or have graduated with a degree in the following areas: History, Archival Studies, Library and Information Science
Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage large-scale archival collections.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Ability to recognize historical context, eras, and visual patterns.
Proficiency in digital file management systems and metadata organization.
Experience working with archival collections, documentary productions (is a plus), libraries, museums, or historical institutions preferred.
Ability to work independently while remaining collaborative and communicative.
Strong documentation and cataloging skills.
Passion for storytelling and preserving legacy.
Should you have questions with the application process, email internships@mnhs.org or call 651-259-3191.
At MNHS, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, interns, volunteers, our products and services, and our community. The Minnesota Historical Society believes that an inclusive culture among our team members is critical to our success as a historical society and museum, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The Minnesota Historical Society is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and employer.
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