Job Listing - Historic Preservation Intern

Position: Historic Preservation Intern

Location: Stratford Hall 483 Great House Road Stratford, Virginia 22558

Term: 10 Weeks, Approximately 40 hrs/week

Stipend: $1,500 with housing provided

Position Objective: The Preservation Department of Stratford Hall is seeking a qualified intern to participate in its Preservation Internship program. The intern will assist in the daily operations of the Preservation Department and will report to the Director of Preservation with day-to-day activities being directed and overseen by the Preservation and Maintenance Technicians.

Selection of Duties, Work and Opportunities:

• Perform hands-on preservation/restoration work on the historic structures. This work will involve exterior painting. This will require the proper prep work for the painting and usually leads to wood repair work.
• Masonry work and repointing.
• Window glazing and repair.
• Plaster work and repair.
• Other hands-on opportunities may arise during the internship as well.
• Be involved in the day-to-day operations of Stratford Hall’s Preservation and Maintenance Departments.
• Research Projects.
• Visiting other Historic House Museums.

Desired Qualifications and Experience:

• Knowledge of 18th -century building materials and techniques.
• Desire to work professionally in a museum setting.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to problem solve.
• Knowledge of common architectural terminology.
• Hands-on historical restoration/preservation training and/or experience.

Education:

• Working towards or recently completed a degree in the Historic Preservation Field.
• Applicants should have completed one year of preservation course work.

Experience:

• Hands-on preservation training/experience preferred.

Specialized Skills:

• Knowledge of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
• Familiarity with 18th -century building methods, materials, and their inherent risk.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform construction work, including lifting and carrying and associated manual labor.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 80 lbs; Ability to stand for long periods of time; Ability to bend and crawl; Ability to climb and balance on ladders and scaffolding, with heights up to 20 ft.
• Understand the inherent nature of working with historic materials and their various forms.
• Ability to work outside in varying weather conditions (rain, heat, humidity).

How to Apply: Interested applicants should send a personal letter of interest no more than 500 words, stating reasons for wanting to be an intern at Stratford Hall including their goals for the internship and dates available for work. A resume and list of two references. The applicant should be prepared to send examples of their work if asked.

Application materials should be received by March 1, 2023

 Emailed with Historic Preservation Intern in the subject line to: lmanderson@stratfordhall.org

All questions can be directed to Phil Mark, Director of Preservation, at (804) 493-1975 or pmark@stratfordhall.org.

About Stratford Hall: Stratford Hall is located in Westmoreland County on the beautiful Northern Neck of Virginia. Stratford Hall is a 45-minute drive from Fredericksburg, two hours from Washington DC and 90 minutes from Richmond, VA. This National Historic Landmark is set on over 1,800 acres with over 2 miles of Potomac River waterfront. The Great House circa 1738 and related buildings are among a handful of exceptionally intact structures from colonial Virginia. In addition to the Great House, Stratford Hall also features a reconstructed 18th century gristmill, a newly installed 18th century garden and a Colonial Revival garden that dates to the 1930s. Stratford Hall was the home to four generations of the Lee family, which includes two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee. It was also the home of Revolutionary War hero “Light Horse” Harry Lee and birthplace of Robert E. Lee.