Job Title
Museum Technican, National Park Service
Job Description
I do the technical work connected to collections management. This includes sorting, cataloging, and storing artifacts, inventory, integrated pest management and housekeeping, and tracking environmental data. I have worked with archaeological, historical, ethnographic, art, natural history, and archival collections.
Favorite thing about my job
I get the opportunity to travel to do what I love. Because I work seasonally, I get to spend 6 months in one place, and then a year later I am somewhere completely different. There’s always something to learn, and always new perspectives to gain. It definitely doesn’t hurt that I am stationed in some of the most beautiful parts of the country, either!
Favorite thing about my experience in the program
Both the development of skills in class and the professors who teach those classes. Each of the public history courses results in a tactile product for a portfolio. You get to see how the theories discussed in class play out in real life, while creating a deliverable. Similarly, the professors are incredible- the mentoring and advice they provide throughout the program was so helpful.
Any advice for future students
Be open to new opportunities, both inside the classroom and outside. I stumbled into digital history at App, and it gives me a competitive edge in the job market.
Make friends with both your cohort and classmates. Not only are they going through the same thing you are, the number of times interviewers ask about teamwork in interviews is high.
Your time is valuable. Find a healthy work-life balance and stick with it. Otherwise, it's way too easy to get overwhelmed. If you can help it, go for the paid internship.