Internships

paid Summer research internship in historical archaeology (Summer 2024)

The Department of Archaeology and Landscapes at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest is offering one funded research position for May 28 through July 19.  This internship is intended for early-phase graduate students and advanced undergraduates who have previous field training and are looking for more experience conducting fieldwork and supervising field school students in a research-oriented setting.

Poplar Forest is the former retreat home and working plantation of Thomas Jefferson, and is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Lynchburg, Virginia.  Over the past 35 years, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Jefferson’s time on the property and the lives of the enslaved community who lived and labored on the plantation during the 18th and 19th centuries.

This year’s fieldwork will focus on archaeological sites associated with Poplar Forest’s enslaved residents as we attempt to better understand their lives by looking at the places where they lived and worked.  Investigations will include searching for the location of structures associated with Jefferson’s retreat home and plantation as well as later residents.  This includes the opportunity to explore the archaeology of a standing brick quarter, which was built in the 1850s and continued to house African American residents in the years following emancipation.  The successful applicant will work alongside the Poplar Forest staff to assist in all phases of field excavation, including working with and teaching field school students during the six-week field school starting in June.  This will involve strenuous outdoor labor in the hot Virginia sun, so good physical health is a must.  In addition, the intern will need to be comfortable interacting with the public and explaining the archaeological process to site visitors.  While in residence, the successful applicant will also be granted access to the collections and research facilities of Poplar Forest.  This includes a collection of nearly a half million artifacts; a database system containing both archaeological artifact and context records; and a complete inventory containing over 3,000 historical documents relating to Poplar Forest.  By partnering with the Poplar Forest staff, these collections may then be drawn upon to support the student’s own research.  The intern will also have the opportunity to work alongside Poplar Forest archaeologists to help write a report on the summer’s findings.

A stipend of $3,600 will be provided for the eight-week internship, which will be held in conjunction with the field school.  The intern will be responsible for making their own housing arrangements as well as providing for their own meals and transportation.  Information regarding housing options will be made available through the Poplar Forest archaeology staff.  Successful applicants should have at least one field school, and more field experience is a definite plus.  Knowledge of historical material culture is required.

By April 1, 2024, email the following to Dr. Eric Proebsting, Director of Archaeology and Landscapes:

• Personal information: Include your full name, home address, telephone number, and email address.
• A current resume or curriculum vitae.
• A detailed one-page statement of personal and professional reasons for participating.
• The names and contact information of two references.

Selections will be made by the Poplar Forest Archaeology Department by April 8, 2024.

For more information on Poplar Forest’s ongoing archaeological research visit out Current Excavations page.  Any questions can be directed to Eric Proebsting at eric@poplarforest.org or 434-534-8102.