Docent Intern Jobs in Ridgewood, NJ (NOW HIRING)

The Whitney’s Academic Year Internship program offers a semester-long paid internship for undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in an accredited academic program. The program includes training, direct work experience, professional development, and a weekly speaker series.  
The Whitney’s Fall internship program is a full-time, paid, nine-week session primarily for undergraduate students. The internship is hybrid, with some onsite work. For Fall 2026, interns commit between 16–21 hours per week over 10–12 weeks for a total of 176 hours. The program will begin on September 15, 2026, and end on December 5, 2026 (this may vary depending on schedule). Participants must be available Monday through Friday for nine consecutive weeks, five days per week. Interns are assigned to a specific department at the Museum for the duration of the internship. 
For more information, including information on eligibility requirements, please visit our internships page.  
The application window for our Fall 2026 Ostrover Family Academic Internship is now open through August 14. Please note that all candidates will be considered on a rolling basis, and as such, some opportunities may close before the deadline
The Whitney seeks an Education - Interpretation and Educational Content intern for the Fall 2026 semester.
Education: Interpretation and Education Content
The Interpretation and Education Content team’s role is to ensure that audiences have the context they need to understand the art on view, and to find it meaningful and engaging. We produce exhibition graphics, video and audio, as well as Access materials including ASL videos, caption transcripts and verbal descriptions. We also train Docents, Museum Educators, and Teaching Fellows in the best ways to develop tours and interpret exhibitions for a live audience.
Role Descriptions:

• Help with preparation and production of upcoming exhibition content for multimedia guide and extended object labels 
• Assist with research, production, and archiving of exhibition files and interpretive materials and content for onsite and online access 
• Prepare and archive audio stops and digital content assets such as extended object labels and section texts 
• Conduct research on current and upcoming exhibitions, the Whitney Education department history, and other research projects 
• Assist with quality assurance for the multimedia guide for the Whitney’s exhibitons 
• Assist with audio and video content production
• Ensure consistency across platforms for organizing schedules 
• Participate in in-gallery observations and evaluation of the way interpretive materials are being used and how visitors engage with tours and discussions 
• Participate in docent and educator tour observation and feedback 
• Assist with arranging and producing audio and video interviews with exhibiting artists 
• Help with initiating multimedia interpretive projects for upcoming exhibitions 
• Write blogposts about Education programs 

Skills & Qualifications

• Some art history background
• Attention to detail
•  Ideally has experience with digital equipment such as audio recorders and digital cameras
• Strong interest and skill level in research and writing 
• Ideally has familiarity with WordPress or similar, Excel, Microsoft Office, and Google Suite

Training to be provided:

• Training in research and archiving methods, writing and editing, scheduling and organization software, producing interpretive materials, using digital equipment and software for audio and video production

Outcomes

• Research, writing, archiving digital skills; learn about how to produce interpretive materials, guides, and other educational content for a museum
• Familiarity with pedagogical approaches and best practices for visitor-centered engagement

Compensation
Interns will be paid a stipend of $3000.
Generous support for Ostrover Family Academic Year Interns is provided by Julie and Doug Ostrover.
 

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role. 

About the Whitney:
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.
EEO Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law.  The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

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