Conservation Intern


Department: Conservation
Reports to: Head of Conservation
Location: Onsite in Marfa, Texas
Duration: Fixed Term, 10 weeks June to August
Application Deadline: April 30


Overview
The Conservation Department is responsible for the physical care of the collection and related materials. Chinati conservation team ensures stewardship for the collection by providing for the protection of the works and the preservation of spaces that house them.

This pre-program conservation internship is a paid position with a goal to expose intern to collection care and management practices. This internship introduces the participant to conservation ethics and provides experience in preventive conservation, collection management, documentation and hands-on treatment. The role offers training for graduate programs, technician positions, or allied heritage preservation professions. 

The conservation intern will work directly with Chinati’s head of conservation and conservation team, with cross-departmental activities with Facilities and other teams. This role can be physically active, and the conservation intern must be comfortable with: climbing ladders & scaffolding; bending, stooping, kneeling, and/or working on a lift; lifting up to 20 lbs. unassisted, and up to 50 lbs. with the assistance of others; and working in varying conditions, cold and high heat, and time spent outdoors in variable weather conditions.

Internship Scope
Possible internship activities include:

  • Conservation Activities
    • Object examination
    • Photographic and written documentation
    • Interventive treatments
    • Material research
  • Collection Care Activities
    • Collection and exhibition space maintenance
    • Environmental monitoring
    • Integrated Pest Management
    • Lab and storage maintenance
  • Registration Activities
    • Inventory and cataloguing
    • Object handling and rehousing
    • Object labeling
    • Organizing records
  • Personal Development Activities
    • AIC student subscription for students currently enrolled in a program
    • Access to specialist literature
    • Allocating time to attend webinars and talks
    • Networking opportunities
  • Occasionally assist with tours, special events, and other initiatives that support Chinati

Eligibility and skills

  • Current enrollment as a full-time undergraduate in either a bachelor’s degree program, college-level coursework, or an associate’s degree program. Recent graduates (within the last academic year) are also eligible. 
  • Knowledge of art materials and their skillful use
  • Creative thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Willingness to work in non-climate‑controlled environments with potential exposure to dust and pests
  • Written and verbal communication skills
  • An interest in art and art conservation is highly preferred

Candidates from backgrounds underrepresented in museums and visual arts professions are encouraged to apply, eligible candidates from all backgrounds will be considered.

Compensation and housing
This is a fixed-term 10-week position between June and August 2026. The position requires staying, free of charge, in on-site housing at the Chinati Foundation for the duration of the internship. Regular work hours are 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Other weekend, holiday, and evening hours are required as needed. The compensation for this role is $15 per hour and also includes some paid time off. 

To Apply
Each applicant is required to submit a:

  • Personal Statement describing your experience, interests and professional goals and how Chinati conservation internship is a good fit for these aspirations.
  • Resume
  • One letter of recommendation

Applications will be accepted by email only. Please send application materials to jobs@chinati.org.

EOE Statement
The Chinati Foundation is a proud equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for all positions without regard to age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, pregnancy, genetic information, familial or veteran status, unemployment status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, Chinati will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. We strongly encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. 

About The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati
In 1986, the artist Donald Judd (1928–1994) established The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación Chinati in Marfa, Texas, as a site for the permanent installation of large-scale works of art. It was Judd’s goal to bring art, architecture, and land together to form a coherent whole, and for a select group of artists to present work according to their own intentions. As an artist-created and artist-centered foundation, Chinati’s mission is to care for its collection and present it to a broad public; to build community and support artists through public programs, artist residencies, educational activities, and exhibitions; and to steward the architecture and the land that Judd conceived as integral to Chinati.