Historian A

About the role

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is seeking a Historian to lead research projects and contribute to the Foundation's interpretive program. The ideal candidate will have a post-graduate degree with academic specialization in Early American History, American Studies, or a related field, and 3 years of research experience in a museum or academically related position.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a leader of a research team or teams working on major projects as assigned by the Director of Historical Research.
• Conducts and oversees research in response to questions raised by interpretive and research personnel and in support major interpretive goals and educational mission of the Foundation.
• Presents findings in reports, memos, lectures, conference papers, articles, book chapters, monographs, and professional blogs or other appropriate venues to support the educational mission of the Foundation.
• Serves as a staff liaison to and supervises the work done on projects by research assistants, associates, fellows, interns and volunteers, ensuring that the work meets Foundation and professional standards.
• Recommends research projects in response to the Foundation’s objectives and guidelines.
• Maintains contact with researchers and scholars from outside the Foundation, who concentrate in areas of specialization.
• Responds to queries for information, critiques work, keeps abreast of recent historical literature and interpretive best practices, maintains awareness of state-of-the-art research and emerging historical arguments, and seeks opportunities to infuse programming with current historical scholarship.
• Serves as a liaison between program development teams, site managers, and individual interpreters to ensure proposals, programs, characters, scenes, tours, and other programming reflect current historical knowledge and interpretive best practices.
• Works with colleagues in Research, Training, and Program Design in developing and teaching courses in assigned areas.
• Presents lectures, audio-visual presentations, tours, and other programs to internal and external audiences.
• Represents the Division on assigned committees, providing input based on historical reading and research.
• Reviews materials published by CWF, such as books and teachers' guides, and other print and digital materials to ensure soundness of historical claims.

Qualifications

• Competencies usually acquired through a post-graduate degree with academic specialization in Early American History, American Studies, or a related field, and 3 years research experience in a museum or an academically related position.
• Preferred Qualifications: A doctorate or terminal degree with academic specialization in History, American Studies, or a related field, demonstrating significant experience in conducting advanced/scholarly historical research in a museum or in an academically related position, plus one year experience teaching as instructor of record at the collegiate or secondary level.