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Student Employment

The Wolfsonian opens pathways to museum careers by expanding and enhancing professional development opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at Florida International University. Please see below for information about current programs and eligibility.

Internships

The Wolfsonian employs FIU students through various semester-long, part-time internships designed to maximize hands-on training and exposure to a wide variety of museum operations and practices. Focusing on building core and specialized skills required by aspiring arts professionals, the Wolfsonian internship experience includes project-based assignments in host departments, mentorship opportunities, and access to professional development activities such as career roundtables, off-site collection tours, and cover letter and resume writing workshops.

Beginning in 2023, all positions will be paid at $20 per hour, funded by a 3-year, $250,000 Museums Empowered grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that equips students with the resources and support they need to succeed in the arts.

Our internships follow FIU's academic calendar, require a commitment of 10–20 hours per week (within normal business hours, Monday–Friday), and are on-site unless otherwise noted. Applications from undergraduate students are given the highest priority. 

SPRING: January–April | application deadline: October 21
SUMMER: May–August | application deadline: March 24
FALL: August–December | application deadline: July 9

  • Academic Credit

    The Wolfsonian is happy to meet specific university requirements so that interns can receive course credit, however this must be arranged through the student's advisor or program head; options and opportunities vary by unit.

  • Available Positions

    The following positions are supported by IMLS funding and earn $20 per hour.

    Digital Experiences Intern | Job code 533278 | Apply
    Working with the museum's Digital Experiences department—a team dedicated to improving digital access to and engagement with the collection—the Digital Experiences Intern will assist with digital projects. With tasks such as managing and organizing digital assets, contributing to search optimization and data migration, and supporting the development of online content, the Intern will learn about best practices and gain hands-on experience with the application of digital technology in museums.

    Exhibitions + Curatorial Intern | Job code 533277 | Apply
    Instructing students in all aspects of exhibition development and curatorial work, Exhibitions + Curatorial internship increases awareness of museum practices, fosters analytical and close-looking skills, and enhances appreciation of material culture studies. The Exhibitions + Curatorial Intern will support the Exhibitions and Curatorial teams by prepping installation images, archiving exhibition files, updating checklists, and conducting object research, learning the ins and outs of project managing an exhibition from start to finish.

    Interpretation Intern | Job code 533273 | Apply
    Hosted by the museum's Content + Interpretation department, the Interpretation Intern will be part of a team helping to ensure that The Wolfsonian shares clear and engaging stories with the public. The Intern will gain an understanding of The Wolfsonian's voice, brand, identity, and audience goals and work on a variety of projects that touch upon a range of museum perspectives and areas of focus (Curatorial, Education, Programming, Marketing, Digital, Design, and more). Collaborating with colleagues from diverse disciplines, the Intern will learn how to shape impactful and accessible experiences for our visitors and online communities.

    Library Intern | Job code 533275 | Apply
    The Library internship offers training and hands-on experience in caring for, documenting, and preserving rare books and ephemera. The Library Intern will become familiar with the responsibilities and roles of librarians and archivists while learning best practices for evaluating primary resource materials such as books, photographs, and manuscripts. Tasks involve accessioning and cataloging materials, creating archival enclosures for fragile items, conducting research about library items or topics, and digitizing historical collections. Additionally, there may be opportunities to assist with exhibition activities, process archives, help with inventory, contribute to metadata cleanup, or other special projects.

    Registration Intern | Job code 533276 | Apply
    Working with the museum's Registration department—the core team entrusted with safeguarding the institution's collection, which ranges from paintings and sculpture to furniture and works on paper—the Registration Intern will assist staff with projects related to collections care and records for new acquisitions. Tasks include object inventory, cataloging, tracking, housing, handling, and packing, with additional emphasis on environmental monitoring and integrated pest management. Learning the policies and procedures related to the care, preservation, and documentation of the museum's diverse object collection, the Intern will gain an overall understanding of the day-to-day responsibilities of a museum registrar.

Graduate Assistantships

Founded in 2015, The Wolfsonian's Graduate Assistantship program (formerly known as the Metadata Squad) has supported dozens of FIU graduate students from multiple academic departments, providing essential pre-professional experience across specialties within the museum field.

Over the course of their year-long positions, Graduate Assistants (GAs) work in one or multiple departments, determined by the needs of the museum and the student's area of study. In addition to working in their respective departments, GAs participate in the Wolfsonian GA cohort program, which provides a broad introduction to museum careers and engages participants in discussions on pivotal topics within the field. Past GAs have contributed significantly to museum projects, including digitization efforts, research on the collection, content on The Wolfsonian's website and social media, as well as strategic initiatives.

All Wolfsonian Graduate Assistants receive:

  • A tuition waiver sponsored by their academic department
  • Insurance benefits
  • $10,140 stipend

Eligibility:

  • Full-time enrollment (9 credit hours per semester) in a master's, specialist, or doctoral degree program
  • Satisfactory academic and work performance
  • A minimum 3.0 cumulative graduate grade point average
  • A commitment to working 20 hours per week at the museum (GAs cannot hold other positions without written approval from the University Graduate School)

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to academic@thewolf.fiu.edu prior to applying.

  • Available Positions

    The application cycle for 2024–2025 Wolfsonian graduate assistantships is now closed. Please check back for information on opportunities for the 2025–2026 academic year.

  • Members to Date

    Adriana Romero
    Bo Rodgers
    Brahim Almarales
    Chantal Amallares
    Crystal Garcia*
    Daniel Valladares*
    Denise Balbino
    Genevieve Rossin
    Geraldine Bello
    Gisela Sarabia Sandoval
    Isabel Brador
    Jeannette Portuondo
    Jonathan Klein
    Jorge Paradilla
    Joshua Wolf
    Lauraelena Guerrero
    Leonardo Falcon
    Margaret Merrill
    Meghann Chavez
    Rachel Gonzalez
    Rafael Portilla
    Shawbeta Seal
    Susana Perez
    Ynes Moreno* 

    *2-year assistantships