Job description
The Boston History Institute invites applications for a full-time Historian & Research Specialist. In this role, you will lead rigorous historical inquiry, shape interpretable narratives, and contribute to immersive exhibits and public programs.
As a key member of the research and curatorial team, you will collaborate with historians, archivists, educators, and external partners to develop compelling content for on-site exhibits, online resources, and community programming.
Responsibility
- Lead original historical research projects and publish findings in journals or institute reports.
- Collaborate with curators, educators, and archivists to plan and implement rotating and permanent exhibits.
- Develop interpretive content for interpretive panels, labels, online resources, and digital media.
- Oversee archival collections, cataloging, metadata standards, and preservation best practices.
- Deliver lectures, tours, public programs, and outreach events to diverse audiences.
- Assist with grant writing, fundraising proposals, and budget management for research activities.
- Mentor graduate students, interns, and junior researchers, fostering inclusive and rigorous scholarship.
Qualification
- Master's degree in History, Public History, Museum Studies, or a closely related field; PhD preferred.
- 3–5 years of history research, museum, or archival experience, with demonstrated project outcomes.
- Strong ability to analyze primary sources and synthesize historiography into accessible narratives.
- Experience with digital history tools, archival databases, or GIS is desirable.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, with public-speaking and classroom/guest-lecture experience.
- Ability to collaborate across departments and manage multiple projects with tight timelines.
- Grant-writing or fundraising experience is a plus; proficiency in organizing exhibitions and programs.
- Fluency in English; additional languages are a plus.