MFA Internships - Summer 2012
Internship opportunities at the Museum are available seasonally in the fall, spring, and summer in a broad range of disciplines including, (but not limited to): curatorial, development, public relations, publications, intellectual property, museum education, retail operations, information technology, and human resources. All internships are unpaid.
Applications are being accepted for summer 2012 internships listed at www.mfa.org/employment/open-internships as of Friday, February 10, 2012.
(Fall 2012 opportunities will be posted on or about July 30, 2012; no applications for fall positions will be accepted or considered before that time.)
Click here to view current positions.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Read this section carefully before submitting your application as some procedures have recently changed. Applications not conforming to these posted procedures will not be processed or considered.
E-mail is the preferred method of applying, with all attachments in Microsoft Word format only. Applications should be emailed to (intern@mfa.org). Cover letters should be addressed to Herbert Jones, Volunteer and Intern Programs Coordinator.
To apply for an internship, please attach to your email a single MS Word document, containing:
1. a statement-of-purpose cover letter clearly stating:
- the internship for which you are applying
- how your skills/experience qualify you for the internship in question
- how the internship in question fits into your academic and career goals
- your personal interests, and;
2. a resume or CV
***A letter of recommendation, (also in MS Word format), from an academic instructor or advisor, or from a current/recent employer is strongly encouraged and may be included in the original cover letter/resume document. If submitted separately, the recommendation must also be in MS Word format, and should be e-mailed directly to intern@mfa.org. All recommendations submitted separately, (whether sent by you or a third party), must include the applicant's full name in the subject heading of the e-mail.
(Note: Documents in formats other than MS Word will not be accepted.)
Important Information
All internships at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, are unpaid positions.
Applicants may apply for no more than three internships per season.
A separate cover letter/resume document is required for each position. (Only one letter of recommendation is needed, even when applying for multiple internships.)
You may include both the cover letter and resume in the body of your e-mail, as well as in a single Microsoft Word attachment.
The subject line of your e-mail should include:
- Your full name
- The title of the internship for which you are applying
- The season of the internship for which you are applying
- (for example: Herbert Jones, Artful Adventures Internship, Summer 2012)
All applications will be acknowledged via email within five business days of receipt by the MFA. Thereafter, only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted, usually via telephone. (Note: we do not confirm - neither via email nor phone inquiry - receipt of recommendations which arrive separately from the original application.)
Incomplete and/or incorrectly formatted (i.e. formats other than MS Word) applications will not be accepted.
Recommendations sent separately from your application should be addressed to: Herbert Jones, Volunteer & Intern Coordinator; and should be emailed to: intern@mfa.org
If you choose to send your application by mail, please send to:
Herbert Jones, Volunteer & Intern Coordinator
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. May I complete an internship for course credit?
A. Yes. Please note that intern applicants are responsible for making all appropriate arrangements with their schools to receive credit for internships. Hours vary and are flexible; however, a minimum of 12 hours per week is generally expected to receive course credit.
Q. Who may apply for an internship?
A. The MFA accepts applications from college-level sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and recent graduates or graduate students.
Q. Do you accept international students?
A. We accept international students and encourage all international students to apply. Please note that all international students are responsible for making all appropriate arrangements with their countries regarding permits and/or visas, as well as securing housing. The MFA does not sponsor international student interns.
Q. Is there a deadline for summer internship applications?
A. While the Museum's internship program operates on a rolling application basis, please note that intern managers may begin conducting interviews as early as February 27, 2012. Although different departments will interview on different schedules, all prospective candidates are advised to submit applications at their earliest convenience to ensure full consideration. We will continue to accept summer application materials on a rolling basis for each position until it is filled. Please check http://www.mfa.org/employment/open-internshipsoften for updates to the listings.
Q. Will I receive a confirmation of receipt of my application materials?
A. All applicants will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of their applications, (i.e. their cover letter/resume combinations), within five business days of receipt by the MFA. We do not confirm - either via email nor phone inquiry - receipt of recommendations received apart from the cover letter & resume.
Q. Am I required to submit a letter of recommendation?
A. Some departments or internships require (and rely strongly upon) recommendations from advisor, instructors, or employers; others may not. If a description lists a letter of recommendation as a requirement or qualification, please comply accordingly. Even if a recommendation is not listed as a requirement, submitting one can only strengthen your application and is therefore strongly urged. (If at all possible it is best to submit the recommendation along with your cover letter/resume document.)
Q. How will I know if I am selected for an interview?
A. Due to the large number of applicants, we follow the following procedure: those applicants selected by the host department for an interview will be contacted initially via email, usually with a follow-up by phone within two days of their selection as a finalist. (Be sure to include your preferred email address and a daytime phone number in your cover letter and/or resume.) Applicants not selected for an interview will be notified thereof via email as soon as possible once the host department makes that decision.
Q. How do I know if an internship is still available?
A. Internships remain posted on our website until they are filled, even throughout the final interview process. Once an internship is filled, it is immediately removed from the listings. Please visit http://www.mfa.org/employment/open-internshipsoften for updates to the listings.
Q. Are internships at the MFA paid?
A. No; all internships at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, are unpaid positions.
Q. How many hours per week do I need to commit to an internship?
A. The minimum hours vary from internship to internship. In general, an average of 14-25 hours per week is expected for summer internships. Please see each internship description for its specific time requirement.
Q. Are interns required to attend an orientation?
A. Yes, all accepted summer interns are required to attend an orientation on either: Wed, May 2 (10am or 6pm); Tues, May 22 (9:30am); Wed, June 2 (10am or 6pm); or Tues, June 12 (9:30am) No intern may begin her/his internship before attending orientation; please arrange your schedule accordingly.
Q. When do summer internships start?
A. In general summer internships begin in late May and continue through mid-August. Start and end dates for each internship will vary based on department's needs and the selected intern's schedule, and will be confirmed on an individual basis by the host department. All interns must attend an orientation before beginning their internship. Orientations are scheduled for: Wed, May 2; Tues, May 22; Wed, June 6; or Tues, June 12.
Q. When may I send in my application materials for fall 2012 internships?
A. Applications for fall 2012 internships will not be accepted until we have officially posted the listing on www.mfa.org/employment/open-internships; on or about July 30. Fall internships will run from mid September through early December 2012.
Q. Is there housing for interns?
A. At this time the Museum does not offer housing to interns.
