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The Role
Unpaid archival digitization intern supporting inventory, light processing, holdings maintenance, scanning, metadata entry, DAMS uploads, research requests, and digitization tracking. The intern will assist with archival materials such as paper, posters, audiovisual items, and press materials; create metrics reports; and update digitization procedures and standards. The role is fully onsite, divided between SFMOMA locations, and requires school credit.
Summary Generated by Built In
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.
Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.
Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.
Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure, always ready to explore new perspectives.
Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.
SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.
Schedule: Spring 2027, duration based on school schedule, at least 3 hours per week, fully onsite
This is an unpaid internship – applicant must provide proof for receiving school credit.
Archives and Records Management
The SFMOMA Archives collects, preserves, and provides reference access to the records that document the curatorial, educational, and administrative activities of the museum. The SFMOMA Archives houses the institutional records of the museum dating back to 1935. The department is also responsible for the museum’s Records Management Program. In this capacity, the Archives staff develops strategies, plans policies, and implements guidelines to ensure the orderly transfer and disposition of museum documentation so that the museum's historical record is complete.
Position Description
The Archives and Records Management internship aims to provide experience with the digitization of archival cultural material and offers an opportunity to learn more about the archives and records management profession. The Archives and Records Management intern will work one-on-one with the Associate Records Manager to inventory, lightly process, and perform holdings maintenance for archival materials in preparation for digitization. The Archives and Records Management intern will learn how to complete scan requests for internal and external research requests, upload digitized assets to the digital asset management system (DAMS), and develop and improve procedures relating to digitization standards and practices for the Archives and Records Management department.
Project Plan
- Get to know the SFMOMA Archives & Records Management Department
- Learn about the archives’ role and collections, as well as its policies and procedures as pertain to digitizing material
- Meet the team and learn about each person’s role and path to SFMOMA
- Learn the tools that are used to digitize physical archives materials and make them accessible to internal and external audiences
- Begin and complete scanning requests and small-scale digitization projects as assigned
- Perform holdings maintenance on material queued and pulled for scanning as needed
- Scan material following existing archival digitization standards
- Upload and input descriptive metadata for scanned material to digital asset management system
- Track request progress in Asana
- Deliver completed scans as assigned
- Participate in SFMOMA Archives inventory projects
- In an effort to identify more collections to triage for processing and digitization, the intern will assist with inventorying unprocessed collections, such posters, AV materials, and press materials
- By the end of the internship, the Archives & Records Management intern will have:
- Complete a metrics report of digitization work
- Created and/or updated digitization SOPs and standards documentation
- Attained experience the full lifecycle of digitization at the SFMOMA Archives
- Assisted with research requests
- Participated in archival inventory and triage for processing and digitization
- Get to know the SFMOMA Archives & Records Management Department
Educational Objectives
- Gain experience in processing and digitizing archival materials.
- Collaborate with colleagues within the Archives and Art Resources department
- Develop research, information management and problem-solving skills.
- Introduce the intern to core competencies of the archives and records management professions through a combination of the assigned project and mentoring.
Qualifications & Skills
- Must be a current student in or recent graduate of a Masters-level program in library science, records management/administration, museum studies, or related program.
- Detail-oriented and extremely organized
- Interest in archives and records management, specifically in a museum setting
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft 365 (including Teams and SharePoint), and task-management applications such as Asana and Airtable
- Experience handling fragile objects, particularly paper and audiovisual materials
Application Requirements
- Intern application on SFMOMA job site
- Resume, in PDF format
- Cover letter stating the specific internship of interest, in PDF format
- Describe the experience you bring, why you are interested in museum or nonprofit work, reasons for applying to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and your goals for the internship.
- Two letters of recommendation from either a college professor or current/former employer, in PDF format
- College/university transcript, in PDF format
- Transcripts can be unofficial but must be legible
- If you are currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program, please provide the transcript for your current program, not your undergraduate transcript
The position’s workspace is divided between the museum’s Third Street location and its Collection Center in South San Francisco dependent on assigned projects.
Job posting open date: 5/18/26
All jobs posted will remain open for at least five business days.
We encourage all interested applicants to apply within the initial open posting period as the application close date may or may not be extended beyond that initial period. Applications will not be accepted after a posting has been closed.
Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal or state law.
You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.
You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People Team at [email protected].
Skills Required
- Current student in or recent graduate of a master's-level program in library science, records management or administration, museum studies, or a related program
- Detail-oriented and extremely organized
- Interest in archives and records management, specifically in a museum setting
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Microsoft 365, including Teams and SharePoint
- Proficiency with task-management applications such as Asana and Airtable
- Experience handling fragile objects, particularly paper and audiovisual materials
- Proof of eligibility to receive school credit
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The Company
What We Do
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is a museum of modern and contemporary art and a cultural center for the Bay Area. Its collection includes painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts. SFMOMA presents exhibitions and public programs, offers free art-filled public space, and aims to share the art of our time, open minds, and help build a better world.
