Registration Intern - Summer 2023
This internship is part of the University’s Jeff Metcalf Internship Program. Please review to learn more about program requirements for Metcalf interns.
Fellowship Award Amount: up to $2,500-$3,200
Internship Time Commitment: Summer Quarter ( 8-10 weeks;15-20 hours per week)
Please make sure that if selected for an interview, you communicate to your prospective host organization/employer where you will be physically located during the internship as your location may affect your (or your host organization/employer’s) ability to pursue this opportunity.
If you are an international student, please make sure to visit the OIA website to familiarize yourself with your work authorization eligibility and requirements as soon as possible. If you’d like to make an appointment with your international adviser, please visit this page.
Registration Internship
2023 Summer
Supervisor Emily Edwards, Associate Registrar
About the Smart Museum of Art
As the fine arts museum of the University of Chicago, the Smart Museum of Art is a site for rigorous inquiry and exchange that encourages the examination of complex issues through the lens of art objects and artistic practice. Through strong scholarly and community collaborations and a welcoming approach to its exhibitions, collections, publications, research and teaching, and public programs, the Smart Museum plays a dynamic role in expanding artistic canons, rethinking received histories, introducing new perspectives, and engaging diverse communities—locally, nationally, and internationally. The Smart Museum will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024.
Principle Responsibilities
- Assist with maintaining the paper and electronic systems that catalog, document and report on both the permanent collection and loans to the museum including data entry, image and digital file linking, copyright research and clearance, data clean-up, and archiving departmental records.
- Assist with cataloging works both in the collection and on loan to the museum and prepare condition reports, inventories, and receipts.
- Assist with the packing, unpacking, installation, deinstallation, and storage of artwork.
- Assist with the campus loan program, processing loan renewals and performing routine condition checks of artwork.
- Other duties as they arise.
Qualifications
Applicant must be a University of Chicago undergraduate student. Must be reliable, attentive to detail, highly organized. Must possess the ability to see projects through to completion. Must be able to work well with others and independently and be able to maintain rigorous standards of security. Knowledge of art and varying artistic media, previous experience handling sensitive or delicate materials, database management, and/or image processing is highly desirable.
Physical demands include the ability to safely handle and transport artwork; the ability to carry moderately heavy objects; the ability to crouch, climb, balance, sit, and stand for long periods of time; and some office work, including typing and data entry. The intern should be sensitive to their own physical limitations.
Compensation and Hours
$2,500 - $3,200 stipend for part time summer internship | 20 hours over a 10-week summer
Application Requirements
Please submit a one-page cover letter to tell us more about your academic and extracurricular interests and why you would like to work with the Registration Team at the Smart Museum. What do you hope to gain from your time at the museum? We suggest using direct, jargon-free language and short paragraphs to highlight the skills and experience you bring to this position.
Please also share your CV or Resume and academic transcript (unofficial): These materials allow us to identify resources and suggest understudied objects in the museum’s collection that align with your research interests, professional experiences, and coursework.
To apply
Submit above materials to Handshake. Any questions can be directed to Aneesah Veatch, Academic Engagement Coordinator, aveatch@uchicago.edu.
Cover letters can be addressed to Emily Edwards, Associate Registrar
Application deadline Sunday, February 26th 11:59 PM Central Time
Timing
Anticipated start date beginning of the Fall Quarter to be confirmed with candidate availability.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they believe they meet all criteria. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that any applicant meets every single qualification for a given position. We encourage you to apply if you think you could excel in or benefit from this role. We are dedicated to considering a wide range of candidates, including those with diverse interests, experiences, and backgrounds.
This internship is currently planned to support in-person museum activities. If campus guidelines change, the positions may be reconfigured to be remote.