Job: Ed Shed Intern

Ed Shed Intern

job summary

Historic Jamestowne’s Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation (JRF) is offering public archaeology internship positions for the Ed Shed, an educational space for all ages at Historic Jamestowne. Ed Shed interns work as part of the JRF Archaeology Department, participating in archaeological programming and education alongside field crew (Field Technicians and Staff Archaeologists), under the supervision of Ed Shed Managers, Site Supervisors, Senior Staff Archaeologists, and the Director of Archaeology. The duties of an Ed Shed intern include: conducting a variety of activities for visitors that include the use of mapping and spatial analytics technology, artifact identification, explanation of basic archaeological concepts, and more; explanation of site history and recent finds to visitors; supporting the activities and programs of the Historic Jamestowne Kid’s Camp; and other archaeology-related duties as assigned by supervisors. Ed Shed interns are not expected to have prior archaeological experience. On-site training in the various tasks assigned will take place during the internship.

site rules

The Archaeology Department handles a variety of tasks at Historic Jamestowne. As such, the Department has developed guidelines for actions on site.

  • Work Hours / Management
    • Ed Shed interns work 9:00am-5:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday from May 23rd, 2023 to August 5th, 2023. Ed Shed interns will be paid at a rate of $15.50/hour.
    • Ed Shed interns operate under the supervision of Ed Shed Managers, Site Supervisors, Senior Staff Archaeologists and the Director of Archaeology Tues-Fri. Ed Shed interns will be under the supervision of whichever staff members are present on Saturdays.
    • Ed Shed interns will be required to stagger lunch breaks with other Ed Shed interns from 11:30am-1:30pm. Staff will have a 30 minute paid lunch.
  • Parking / Access to Site
    • When driving to Historic Jamestowne (coming in off the Colonial Parkway), the main gate is usually closed. Staff should put their hazard lights on, and carefully drive through the exit gate (which will be open). Once able, the staff should return to the right lane.
    • Interns should park in the main parking lot for the Historic Jamestowne Visitors Center. When arriving, the lot is directly in front of the Visitors Center.
    • A pathway leads from the Employee Lot (Located to the right of the Visitors Center) to the PV Private Drive (a gravel road that directly connects the Colonial Parkway to the JRF offices and site). Employees should walk down this path/drive to access Jamestown.
  • Food and Water
    • Food is not provided; staff must bring or purchase their own lunches.
    • Refrigerators in the Yeardley Building (JRF offices) are available for storing food.
    • The Yeardley Building has water fountains where staff can fill up water bottles.
    • The water fountain on the first floor adjacent to the bathrooms has a built-in filter.
  • Restrooms
    • Bathrooms are located in the Yeardley Building (staff only), Dale House, Visitor Center, and Archaearium Museum.
  • Attire
    • Staff will be provided with official “Ed Shed” shirts. However, other shirts are acceptable, provided they contain no offensive language, are not advertisements for products or services, and contain only small-size logos. These rules also apply to pants/shorts, shoes, hats, and coats/jackets. No sleeveless shirts.
    • Leggings are not permitted in place of pants/shorts.
    • Shoes worn should be fairly flat-soled, so as not to leave marks on the areas down in the dig site. Sandals or bare feet are unacceptable.
    • Hats are recommended to help with sunburn, heat, and glare.
  • Ed Shed Etiquette
    • All activities must be resolved and stored at the end of the day; all electronics, lights, and fans should be powered off. The Ed Shed must be cleaned and prepped for the next morning before leaving.
  • Tours / Visitor Interaction
    • Staff should attempt to maintain a polite demeanor with visitors. If a visitor is angry or combative, attempt to extricate yourself from the conversation and inform a Site Supervisor or Senior Staff member.
    • Visitors are encouraged to ask questions and discuss the excavations/history. You will not be able to answer every question; saying “I don’t know” and/or asking another staff member to assist you are valid responses.
  • Safety
    • During the summer, heat-related illness is a serious danger. Pay attention to your body; if you feel suddenly cold, have trouble concentrating or thinking, have a sudden headache, stomach ache or nausea, or stop sweating, immediately inform the nearest staff member and seek out shade and cold water (for mild symptoms) or air conditioning and cold water (for more intense symptoms). Heat-related illness can often be cumulative; i.e. if you have heat exhaustion one day, you will likely be more prone to it on the following day.
    • Ticks are common on Jamestown Island. During the spring, summer, and fall, it is recommended that staff check themselves each night for ticks. While many tick-borne illnesses take around 24 hours to transfer from host to human, others may transfer faster. The sooner a tick is removed, the better. To avoid ticks, staying on gravel paths is safer than cutting through grass.
    • While tents are available, staff are typically in the sun for at least part of a day. Staff may want to use sunscreen or take other measures to protect against sunburn.
    • Pay attention to your surroundings; watch for holes (e.g. recently excavated features, groundhog burrows), equipment, and other hazards.
    • Keep an eye on the health of your coworkers and visitors. If you notice someone suffering from a medical issue, alert other staff members. Visitors in mild distress may sit on a bench with their heads down.
  • Medical or Other Emergencies
    • Alert other staff members.
    • Call 911 if necessary. If it is unclear if police/EMS is required, err on the side of caution and call 911. While on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, make sure to have them reroute the call to James City County (the call will initially go to Surry County, across the James River).
    • Contact NPS Dispatch to alert the NPS Park Rangers to the situation.
  • Illness
    • Staff should not come to work if sick. Instead, contact the Site Supervisor and/or Senior Staff to inform them of the illness, and for potential at-home work.
    • You may be told to leave work early or stay home for certain days if you have been sick or are showing signs of illness at work.
  • Interpersonal or Employment Issues
    • Bullying, intimidation, sexual harassment, physical violence, and other forms of abuse will not be tolerated.
    • If an interpersonal issue emerges, please inform the Senior Staff or the Director, provided you feel comfortable doing so. PV HR can also be contacted.
    • If an employment issue emerges, please discuss this with your immediate supervisor. If the issue cannot be discussed with your immediate supervisor, please discuss with the next supervisor in the chain of command.
to apply

Please submit a résumé and personal statement to edshed@preservationvirginia.org.

This position is for current college students or May ’23 graduates only.

The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation is a subsidiary of Preservation Virginia. Preservation Virginia is an Equal Opportunity Employer.