Elizabeth M. Gordon Graduate Summer Internship –Book and Paper Conservation at The Frick Collection

New York, New York, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

08 May, 26

Salary

26.0

Posted On

07 Feb, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Preservation, Conservation, Attention To Detail, Organizational Skills, Professional Communication, Basic Preservation Techniques, Handling Rare Books, Archival Materials

Industry

Museums;Historical Sites;and Zoos

Description

Description Part-Time up to 28 hours/week Duration: 10 weeks $26.00/hour Background Internationally recognized as a premier museum and research center, the Frick is known for its distinguished Old Master paintings and outstanding examples of European sculpture and decorative arts. The collection originated with Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919), who bequeathed his home, paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts to the public for their enjoyment. The institution’s holdings—which encompass masterworks from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century—have grown over the decades, more than doubling in size since the opening of the museum in 1935. A critical component of the institution is the Frick Art Research Library, founded in 1920 by Helen Clay Frick, daughter of the museum’s founder. Recognized as one of the world’s top art history research centers, it has served students, scholars, and members of the public free of charge for generations. The Frick has undergone a comprehensive renovation and was open in a temporary home, Frick Madison, from 2020 through early 2024, while renovations were underway at the mansion on 70th Street. In addition to special exhibition galleries and education spaces, we have added enhanced visitor amenities and accessible spaces. The Museum and Art Research Library reopened to the public in April 2025 Workplace culture At the Frick Collection, we pride ourselves on promoting an open and welcoming workplace culture that supports work-life balance. The Frick strives to provide our employees with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits in a beautiful and pleasant work setting, while offering an excellent opportunity to appreciate some of the world’s finest works of art. The Frick Collection provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to personal characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital and civil partnership/union status, alienage or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, familial status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, caregiver status, or other characteristics protected by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Position Summary This internship provides practical, hands-on experience in a busy, production-oriented conservation lab serving a major research library. Interns work on a wide range of circulating and special collections materials, gaining exposure to both routine preservation workflows and more complex treatment projects. Typical tasks may include surface dry cleaning of paper-based materials, adhesive reduction and removal, mending with Japanese tissue, jacketing, rehousing, and basic sewing structures and repairs. Current projects include the repair and rehousing of exhibition catalogues and other library and archival materials in support of long-term preservation and access. Depending on interest and demonstrated skill level, interns may assist with broader preservation initiatives and conservation treatments. Interns may also have opportunities for exposure to digitization workflows and digital preservation practices, particularly where conservation and imaging intersect. This position offers meaningful, real-world experience in collection care within an active institutional setting. Qualifications The education and/or experience requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. The internship is open to graduate students currently enrolled in library and information science programs or in graduate programs with an archival coursework component. Recent graduates of such programs will also be considered. Requirements • Demonstrated interest in preservation, conservation, or special collections work. • Coursework in archives, preservation, book history, or related areas. • Strong attention to detail and ability to perform careful, hands-on work. • Ability to follow written and verbal instructions consistently. • Organizational skills and comfort working in a structured, production-oriented environment. • Reliability, punctuality, and professional communication skills. Preferred • Prior experience in a conservation lab, archives, or special collections setting. • Familiarity with basic preservation or conservation techniques. • Interest in the relationship between physical preservation, digitization, and access. • Experience handling rare books, archival materials, or fragile collections. Physical Requirements The candidate must be able to perform the essential functions of the position and, if requested, reasonable accommodation(s) will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship. Physical requirements are comparable to most office roles. Ability to interact in-person with colleagues and the public. Use common office tools and machines (computer, phone). Ability to traverse throughout the office and building(s) both inside and outside of the and visit different levels of the buildings. Ability to travel throughout New York City for enrichment activities. Ability to carry/transport materials weighing up to 20 pounds. Work Hours and Compensation This role is a part-time temporary nonexempt, up to 28 hour/week role. The duration of this internship is 10 weeks. There are very limited options for remote work on a very limited basis and occasional basis. For the most part, all internships are in-person only in our offices on the Upper East Side. The hourly rate for this role is: $26.00. Interns who are assigned to work in person for the duration of their internship will receive at $1,500.00 onboarding stipend, on or before their first day of work. Benefits in Employment with the Frick Collection Part-time employees and interns accrue sick leave up to 56 hours/year in accordance with the New York City Earned Sick Time Act. Paid Holidays: part-time employees and interns receive paid time-off when they would normally be scheduled to work on holidays The Frick is closed to the public. These include New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Martin Luther King Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Wellness Programs at the Frick include an Employee Assistance Plan, a discount on Citi Bike memberships and a discount on bike helmets. Transit benefit: all interns receive a monthly transit debit card valued at $132.00 for the month(s) they are working at The Frick. Dining And Museum Shop Discounts: The Frick maintains a Seamless/GrubHub Corporate Account for all in-office food ordering. Employees working on-site may access an $8/day discount toward meal delivery from Seamless. This benefit is per employee per shift and is not transferable. All employees may access a discount in the Frick Museum Shop and the coffee bar in the Museum. Apply here or send resume and cover letter to: Preservation, Imaging, and Creative Services Cluster Attn: Pinky Fung, ConservatorThe Frick Collection 1 East 70th Street New York, NY 10021 Timeline Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis as long as this posting is active. Anticipated start date will be early to mid-June. Please note that internship applications to multiple departments are not accepted; please apply to only one department. Qualified candidates of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment. Benefits subject to change and may differ based on employee status.

Responsibilities

Interns will gain hands-on experience in a conservation lab, working on various preservation tasks for circulating and special collections materials. They may also assist with broader preservation initiatives and have opportunities to engage with digitization workflows.