Museum and Archival Collections Digitization

National Park Service • Towson, MD

14h • Onsite

About The Position

The Semester of Service Program provides students with an unpaid, project-based volunteer opportunity to support Federal missions and gain hands-on experience and career-ready skills. This 90-day assignment takes place during Spring 2027 at Hampton National Historic Site in Towson, Maryland. The volunteer will work in person with professional curatorial staff to learn archival digitization techniques, material handling, and basic archival practices. The work involves handling and digitizing original historic documents, photographs, and other archival materials from Hampton National Historic Site and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, then organizing and labeling the resulting digital files to improve access for the public, researchers, and descendants. The volunteer must commit to 8–20 hours per week for at least 90 days. This is an unpaid volunteer position, and participants are not Federal employees.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national studying in the United States or abroad; eligible international students may participate subject to applicable immigration, visa, and agency requirements.
• International students must have maintained continuous residence in the United States for three years to be eligible for the background check needed to access government equipment and buildings.
• Be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited educational institution beyond high school throughout the 90-day opportunity; qualifying institutions must be located in the United States.
• Be in good academic standing as defined by the educational institution and provide transcripts for verification.
• Students graduating before May 1, 2027, are not eligible.
• Commit to volunteering 8–20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.
• Complete required onboarding documentation assigned by the Department of the Interior and the educational institution.
• Agree to volunteer without compensation or stipend and acknowledge that volunteers are not Federal employees.
• Not be a current Federal employee.
• Have good hand-eye coordination, strong attention to detail, proficiency with Microsoft Office, and the ability to learn new computer programs.

Nice To Haves

• Coursework in museum or archival topics.

Responsibilities

• Learn archival digitization techniques, material handling, and basic archival best practices from professional curatorial staff.
• Handle original historic documents, photographs, and other materials while applying basic archival best practices.
• Scan or photograph original documents in the archival collections at Hampton National Historic Site and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.
• Organize and label digital media files created through digitization to facilitate access for the public, researchers, and descendants.

Benefits

• Meaningful project work with clear deliverables, regular supervision, and Federal mentorship.
• Hands-on application of academic knowledge in real-world Federal operations.
• Exposure to Federal missions, workplace culture, and potential career pathways.
• Coverage under the Federal Tort Claims Act and workers' compensation for service-related injuries.
• Structured onboarding and ongoing supervision.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed