Division: Learning and Engagement Division
Supervisor: Chief Learning and Engagement Officer
Position Description: The Programs and Communication Assistant becomes an integral member of the Learning and Engagement Department at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP). The intern will be supervised by the Chief Learning and Engagement Officer. Please note that this is a paid, part-time, temporary position, running through mid-December 2026. Two days are required onsite, with additional hours from home available.
Responsibilities: Depending upon the candidate's past experiences and career goals, as well as HSP’s program schedule, the intern will perform a variety of tasks that will build or hone skills sets, including:
- Program Planning - From logistics to marketing, the intern will help organize upcomingFY27 events. Interns will work collaboratively with the Learning and Engagement staff inpromoting virtual, hybrid, and onsite public programs. They may also assist withprograms supporting teachers and students.
- Exhibit Installation – The intern will gain hands-on experience installing documentdisplay cases for the exhibit Changing Faces of Independence.
- Research - Using the archives of HSP, the intern will conduct research with originalhistorical documents to support programs and communications.
- Writing – The intern will gain experience writing for the general public in order to producea variety of materials, such as social media campaigns, program marketing materials, e-newsletters, blogs on historic subjects and/or document display labels. Routine updatesfor website projects is included in this work.
- Social Media Planning – Interns will assist with the development of HSP’s monthly socialmedia calendar. Interns will also contribute content to social media.
Preferred Qualifications:
- History coursework and programming experience desirable but not required;
- Experience in an education, retail, food service, or other public facing role;
- Experience using social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok;
- Ability to work Wednesday evening hours to accommodate programming;
- Interest in history, education, and libraries/archives
Work Environment:
HSP maintains a team-oriented environment. Interns have their own desk and computer located in office spaces adjacent to program staff. Due the amount of work each staff person oversees, interns are expected to be able to work independently and feel comfortable asking for assistance as needed.
Schedule: 18.5 hours/Week. The intern should plan to work at onsite two days (7.5 hours each) at HSP’s headquarters at 1300 Locust Street. Availability on occasional Wednesday evenings is essential. The other onsite day should be Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday. Additional 3.5 hours of writing and research can be completed outside of normal business hours at home.
Compensation: $16.50/ hour. This is a temporary position with funding to cover 18.5 hours for approximately 16 weeks, or 296 total hours.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands or arm; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance, color vision and depth perception.
To Apply: Please submit a letter of interest and resume in PDF format to Justina Barrett at [email protected]. Include “Learning and Engagement Intern” in the subject line.
About the Organization: Founded in 1824, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) is one of the nation’s most significant archives of historical documents. Our mission is to preserve and provide access to our collection of over 23 million manuscripts, published works, photographs, and graphic materials spanning centuries of American history.
As an actively collecting institution, our holdings support research, learning, and exploration across a diverse range of topics, with strengths in Pennsylvania history, family and community history, ethnic history, science and technology, and the arts. Through research services, educational programs, public events, exhibits, publications, and fellowships, HSP invites you to connect with the past and engage with the stories that define our shared history.
At HSP, we invite you to Make History Yours through the vast collections of Philadelphia’s Library of American History.
(Posted 8/17)
