Graduate Assistant- Global Indigenous Art and Lifeways Intern
Position Overview
The Global and Indigenous Art and Lifeways Intern works closely with the Curator for Global Indigenous Art and lifeways on various projects involving the Museum’s collection of art and material culture made by Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Africa, and Oceania, learning the functions of a curator and assisting with all department activities. These research-based projects will contribute to ongoing efforts to document these collections fully and accurately in the Museum’s internal and public databases, and to share them with the public. Interns will participate in a full range of professional staff activities. They will have the opportunity to conceptualize and write for gallery installations and exhibitions when the exhibition schedule allows. All interns will assist with a variety of departmental duties in order to gain a broad understanding of museum operations, including attending various staff meetings and assisting at the visitor services desk.
Additional Information:
Additional Information:
- This internship is an hourly, approximately 20 hours/week, position for 24, 2-week pay periods.
- This position is an 11-month (24 pay periods) appointment beginning August 17, 2026 and ending July 16, 2027.
- This position is also eligible to participate in the university health insurance program. Visit http://policy.ku.edu/graduate-studies/benefits-for-GRAs-GTAs-GAs for more information.
- Students may apply for one or more positions.
- Students who previously have held an SMA internship are also eligible to apply again for the same internships or different internship.
- Interns are also eligible for a $1,000 travel stipend contingent upon available funding.
- SMA interns receive a tuition waiver for up to 9 credit hours for both the fall and spring semesters.
Job Description
90%- Research and Programming
- Conduct research on objects in the museum collection and assist in cataloging newly acquired works of art.
- Assist the curator in exhibition projects including research, project organization, label writing, grant applications, collection documentation, contact with the public, and working with artists. exhibition projects.
- Work with the Collections Manager to document, house, organize, photograph, and conserve items in the collection.
- Respond to inquiries from students, faculty, and the public.
- Help with research and proposal writing for potential acquisitions, deaccessions, and conservation of artwork for the permanent collection.
- Assist the curator with general correspondence and with offered gifts of artwork and other activities related to donors.
- Participate in and help to organize departmental programming, publications, and outreach initiatives.
- Maintain familiarity with current exhibitions/events/objects on display.
- Attend related lectures and other events on campus and in the community.
- As appropriate, participate in related project-based meetings, departmental meetings, consultation, as well as SMA staff meetings.
- Participate in intern meetings and activities, including a collaborative intern project.
- Perform other duties and special projects as specified.
Required Qualifications
- Occasional availability to work weekends and after hours, if needed.
- Must be a University of Kansas graduate student seeking a master's or Ph.D. degree, as evidenced by application materials and interview.
- Enrolled in six credit hours of graduate coursework or at least one hour of thesis/dissertation (approval form from graduate program required), as evidenced by application materials and interview.
- Strong spoken and written communication, as evidenced by application materials and interview.
- Demonstrated computer competency (Office, Outlook, databases, web skills), as evidenced by application materials and interview.
- Willingness to work both independently and in collaboration with museum staff, university faculty, students, artists, and Indigenous communities on team-driven projects.
Preferred Qualifications
- Outstanding written and communication skills, as evidenced in application materials.
- Interest in pursuing a museum career, as evidenced in application materials.
- Experience with and interest in working with contemporary artists, as evidenced in application materials.
- Interest and knowledge of Latin American Studies, African and African-American studies, Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, Art History, History, visual art, or related field.
- Experience working with three dimensional objects and/or archival documentation related to curatorial area.
- Experience with relational databases, especially as used for museum collections.
- Competence in Spanish or other language skills relevant to curatorial/research area.
- Acceptance of Federal Work Study (for eligibility please fill out a FAFSA form through the KU Financial Aid Office).
Position Requirements
During the semester term of the appointment, the student hourly must be enrolled in no fewer than 6 credit hours. For summer periods the student hourly must: (1) have been enrolled in no less than 6 hours in the past spring semester or (2) be pre-enrolled in the upcoming fall semester in no less than 6 hours or (3) be enrolled in summer session or (4) be admitted to study in the upcoming fall semester. Student Hourlies may be undergraduate or graduate students. (Exceptions granted for GRA/GTA/GA appointments DO NOT apply to Student Hourly appointments).
Employment Conditions
(1) Student employees are not eligible for remote work arrangements unless an exception is approved by the unit leadership and HR.
(2) This is an hourly/non-exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non-exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.
(2) This is an hourly/non-exempt position. A student employee cannot hold an hourly/non-exempt position and a salaried/exempt graduate or undergraduate position (GRA/GTA/GA/RUA/RGA) concurrently.
Additional Candidate Instructions
The Spencer Museum of Art currently has multiple internship opportunities available beginning August 2026 through July 2027. Please rank in order of preference which internship you prefer to be considered in your cover letter, as well as be sure to apply to EACH of the internships you are interested in. To ensure consideration, please apply by February 8th, 2026.
Please provide the following information in your application materials (CV and cover letter):
Please provide the following information in your application materials (CV and cover letter):
- Museum or related career goals.
- Educational experience in relevant fields of study.
- Work experience.
- Brief writing sample.
- Language skills.
- Other skills such as computer use, database experience, matting and framing.
- Provide telephone number and email address where you can be reached.
Contact Information to Applicants
Ryan Clasby
ryan.clasby@ku.edu
ryan.clasby@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
$20.50
Anticipated Start Date
Saturday August 1, 2026