Traditional Trades Advancement Program- Arlington National Cemetery Architectural Conservation Intern

Traditional Trades Advancement Program- Arlington National Cemetery Architectural Conservation Intern

Position Details

Stewards Individual Placement Program (SIPP) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health. SIPP in partnership with Army National Military Cemeteries are seeking interns who will serve alongside the Conservation Program Manager to preserve and rehabilitate monuments, memorials, sculptures, and historic structures.

Army National Military Cemeteries (ANMC), consisting of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and the U.S. Soldiers’ & Airmen’s Home National Cemetery (SAHNC), represents the American people for past, present and future generations by laying to rest those few who have served our nation with dignity and honor, while immersing guests in the cemetery’s living history. Within the agency, the Director of Engineering, Planning & Resources Division, Cultural Resources Management (CRM) Program and Conservation Program work to maintain & preserve the hallowed grounds. This includes the historic structures, monuments, memorials, cultural landscapes, & objects.

Interns will contribute to the preservation of various historic structures, monuments, memorials, & objects by assisting the Conservation Program Manager with a wide variety of projects. Specific 2024 projects will include Tomb of the Unknown Solider restoration, Memorial Amphitheater repairs, as well as many other historic resources of Arlington National Cemetery and Soldiers and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery.

This opportunity is part of the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) which provides an immersive experience for diverse young adults and veterans to learn from experts, developing trade skills and knowledge to enter the workforce, while preserving traditional trades and addressing critical maintenance projects within our national parks. Through TTAP, the NPS is laying the foundation to train the next generation of preservation maintenance workers with a focus on land and cultural resources. Each program cohort offers the NPS the opportunity to increase the geographical reach of the program’s recruitment and delivery along with the capacity of skilled historic preservation workers to enter both the public and private sectors. This is a full-time five-month internship position. No housing provided as part of the internship.

Position Responsibilities will include:

• Hands-on preservation and conservation of the primarily metal and masonry monuments, memorials, sculptures, and historic structures.
• Physical fieldwork involving tools and chemicals, some work at heights.
• Preparation of short conservation treatment records for tasks completed
  on historic structures.
• Field inspection, condition assessments, historic fabric investigation, field
  documentation by photography and written notes, assistance with on-going preservation, conservation, monitoring, documentation, and treatment projects.
• Project documentation.
• Archival work, including scanning and cataloguing of ANC files, and research into the history of objects and structures.
• Assisting with a range of office work, which may include filing, data entry, preparation of short reports, reviews of studies produced by others, and continuation of on-going research, documentation and treatment projects of historic structures.
• Job Trainings provided: Basic preservation theory & skills, construction safety & tool use, monument documentation and conditions assessment, preservation treatments and maintenance.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must provide own transportation in the greater DC-metro region
• Willingness to learn and work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions
• Solid research, technical writing, and communication skills
• Strong attention to detail when authoring and reviewing work
• Should be comfortable working with computers
• Fluent with Microsoft Office programs
• Ability to pass a background check
• Must provide own transportation in the greater DC-metro area
• Prior experience with hand tools and power tools, possibly to include construction, maintenance, metalworking, or masonry field experience. Any experience with art making or handling, historic preservation or conservation treatments, is advantageous but not a requirement.
• Applicant should be comfortable:
  •   Using hand and power tools
  •  Working outside in a variety of weather conditions
  •    Standing for extended periods, walking, bending, crouching, and climbing
  •   Working at heights, like ladders or scaffolding
  •    Working with chemicals
  •   Lifting 50 lbs. or less
  •   Be hard-working, reliable and detail oriented
  •    Be capable of working under direction on fragile and delicate items
  •   Be able to follow instructions
  •    Maintain a positive attitude
  •   Adhere to site safety protocols at all times

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Actively pursuing a degree, or be a recent graduate, in materials conservation of outdoor monuments and sculptures, historic preservation, architectural history, or a closely related field.
• Currently enrolled in an academic program in a similar field or possess relevant prior work experience.
• Prior experience with hand tools and power tools, construction, maintenance, metalworking, or masonry fields, historic preservation or conservation treatments.
• Should be comfortable working outside for extended periods, at heights, with chemicals, with tools, lifting 50 lbs.
• Prior experience with field conservation work, especially masonry and bronze.
• Hands-on experience with field documentation and conditions assessment.

Benefits:

• $590/wk + $200/wk housing allowance (equivalent to $19.75/hr)(pre-tax)
• AmeriCorps Segal Education Award- $2,817.14 (requires completion of entire internship)
• Specific training offered:
  • OSHA 10 certification
  • Preservation Philosophy
  • Trade skill development
• Job Trainings: Basic preservation theory & skills, equipment use, documentation standards, preservation documentation and conditions assessment, masonry and metals treatment and preservation.

How to Apply
Apply on-line at: https://stewardslegacy.org/open-positions.  In addition to your resume, please submit a one-page cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position.