Emerging Arts Leader Internship: Conservation

TITLE:
Emerging Arts Leader Internship: Conservation
Temporary, Part-Time | September 22 – December 4, 2025
$20.76 per hour | Approx. 15 hours/week, up to 150 total hours | FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Application Deadline: August 18th, 2025

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
SAM strives for its employees, volunteers, and interns to reflect the community in which it exists. Emerging Arts Leader internships are intended to open career pathways for individuals who bring dynamic backgrounds and perspectives to their work in art, museums, or community engagement.

While diversity encompasses many identities and lived experiences, Emerging Arts Leader internships aim to create pathways for individuals from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the museum field — including, but not limited to, those who identify as Black or African American, Asian, Latino/a/x or Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander.

All internships are funded by the IMLS Emerging Arts Leader Grant and are structured around a 150-hour commitment over approximately 10 weeks. Interns will receive hourly compensation at Seattle’s minimum wage and are eligible for an ORCA card and other temporary employee benefits. All internship work must be completed by December 31, 2025, in accordance with the grant funding timeline.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Department Project Execution

• Responsibilities may include the following, but are not limited to:
• Assist Director of East Asian Paintings Conservation in documentation and research of ongoing projects
• As directed by Director of East Asian Paintings Conservation, the intern will provide hands-on assistance at various stages of ongoing conservation projects
• Under the direction of the Director of Collections Care, assist Collections Care team in implementation of art storage projects

• Demonstrated interest in art conservation, museum collections, or related field. Competitive candidates will be able to articulate why this internship supports their professional goals in museums or the wider arts industry.
• Some knowledge or experience with art handling, materials, or conservation practices. Knowledge of East Asian art history and techniques also a plus.

• Minimum undergraduate degree or currently enrolled in undergraduate program

• Ability to work accurately with close attention to detail.

• Develop and deliver a brief presentation related to internship work or professional interests
• Complete a one-page reflection, blog post, or interview about the internship experience
• Participate in scheduled workshops, check-ins, and informational interviews with staff

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Celebrating difference. At Seattle Art Museum, our members, visitors, and local community come from all walks of life, and so do our employees, volunteers, and interns. The plurality of our identities and experiences strengthens our mission: connecting art to life. Our mission and vision call us to be responsive to a multitude of cultural contexts and lived experiences, and as such, our Strategic Plan directly addresses the role art plays in empowering and elevating social justice movements, and promoting structural change to further equity in our society. SAM is particularly dedicated to racial equity in the workplace, because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to both historical and present inequities. We know that equity is not a single fixed destination, it’s ongoing reckoning. As SAM continually strives to be a more inclusive and equitable workplace, we are particularly interested in engaging with those who have been historically underrepresented in the museum field. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we celebrate difference.

SAM is an equal opportunity employer. We are an equal opportunity employer, and consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, sensory, physical, or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or additional need, please let us know at hr@seattleartmuseum.org. The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of the role. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hr@seattleartmuseum.org. For candidates, we ask that, if possible, you wait until you're invited to a screen, online technical assessment or interview before requesting an accommodation.

We encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we include, celebrate and embrace difference. We encourage you to submit an application, even if your experience doesn’t feel like a 100% match with the position. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, and research tells us that womxn and folks of color are less likely to apply if they don't see themselves meeting or exceeding every single qualification listed. We encourage you to apply, even if you feel unsure about whether you meet every requirement in this job post. You could very well be a great fit for this role or others.

Requirements for employment. In order to be employed by the Seattle Art Museum, you must reside in the state of Washington. Employment at SAM is contingent upon successful clearing and maintenance of clearance in both a federal and state criminal background check.

Want to learn more? If you haven't already, check out our Careers page for more on working at SAM.

Though we'd love to be able to reply to every question that crosses our desk, due to the high volume of applications we receive, our HR team is unfortunately unable to offer a response to inquiries requesting search status updates, inquiries about hiring timeline, or requests to be put in touch with directly with the Hiring Team. If your experiences and capabilities are well suited to an open role, our Recruiter or the Hiring Manager will reach out directly to schedule an interview. Thanks for your understanding!