Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark – Collections Digitization Intern 

Posted by J Barnes-Mitchell on

 POSITION DESCRIPTION 

COLLECTIONS DIGITIZATION INTERN 

 Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark and accredited museum in Miami, Florida (www.vizcaya.org). Vizcaya Museum and Gardens seeks graduate student to assist with a grant-funded project to digitize and research historic objects in Vizcaya’s decorated rooms, gardens, and onsite storages areas. The intern will photograph and document objects, edit images, create both master digital files (TIFFs) and access and reference files (JPEGs), and will confirm descriptive metadata for the collections database. In addition, the intern will perform object and provenance research as needed. The intern will also write one story for publication on Vizcaya’s website, and will write a final report at the end of the semester. This is a temporary project for the spring 2022 semester and includes a $2,500 stipend. The intern reports to the Collections Manager. 

 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  

  • Digitization of historic objects including image capture, image editing, creation of master and access files in accordance with Vizcaya’s digitization plan 
  • Research related to objects and their provenance 
  • Assist in the creation and online publishing of collection images 
  • Creation of online content for Vizcaya’s website and social media platforms connected to project work 
  • Creation of descriptive metadata in accordance with Vizcaya’s digitization plan 
  • The intern will work during regular office hours; weekly hours are flexible but must coincide with Collections staff regular office hours (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). 

 Education and Work Experience  

Master’s candidate in museum studies, art history, or a related discipline. 

 Skills and Attributes 

  • Interest in collections management, digitization, and historic preservation 
  • Strong organizational skills, especially to track individual files and their status 
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite 
  • Strong time management skills to adhere to a schedule. 
  • Ability to accurately manage files/digital assets and tasks through verbal and written instructions. 
  • A commitment to an inclusive, welcoming and respectful environment for visitors, volunteers, and employees of diverse backgrounds and needs.  
  • Strong verbal communication skills to ask questions and to seek support from colleagues or a supervisor.   

 Learning Opportunities 

  • Intern will work closely with the Collections Manager in a historic house museum 
  • Intern will learn to work with historic objects 
  • Intern will learn to photograph objects and create metadata that will allow for enhanced accessibility. 

 To Apply 

Please send resume and cover letter detailing your interest and experience Bruce Williams at bruce.williams@vizcaya.org no later than December 20, 2021, 

 Work Environment/Physical Demands 

The majority of work is done in an office setting, involving interaction with museum colleagues, work with a computer and photography equipment, and proper handling of historic objects. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 

 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.