The Henry Ford is a nonprofit organization, an internationally recognized cultural destination, and a one-of-a-kind workplace. Our team is inspired daily by one another as well as the authentic stories of innovation that we share across our four venues.
The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative (FFEI) Internship Program is a cohort program that offers professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities. We invite candidates from diverse backgrounds who are curious about careers in the museum field to become part of our legacy and carry it forward.
Interested candidates will submit a brief statement of purpose (250-500 words) outlining:
- Why they are interested in this internship
- How this opportunity aligns with their academic, personal, or career goals
- The skills, experiences, or perspectives they would bring to the team
- What they hope to learn and accomplish during the internship
The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative Internship Program Overview and Time Commitment
The FFEI Internship Program’s mission is to offer opportunities in museum work to emerging professionals who identify with historically marginalized groups and to invite our interns to think outside the box and explore their careers in new ways.
Participants will engage in the program through various bi-weekly professional development workshops hosted on our Dearborn campus. Bi-weekly workshop attendance and participation are mandatory. Applicants should work with their leadership to ensure proper attendance. Workshops typically occur on Wednesdays during the work week. As part of your employment, we also have our interns participate in an end of cohort survey.
Note: All candidates interested in FFEI Internship roles must have full Wednesday (9am-5pm) availability due to bi-weekly workshop programmatic requirements of the internship.
The 15-week Winter 2027 internship runs January 25–May 7, 2027. Attendance at orientation on January 25 is mandatory.
The Archives Intern – Oral History and Memoir Project will collaborate with the Reference Services team on an institutional oral history and memoir project celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Edison Institute. Projects will include descriptive work, content review, and file management. The intern will work under the mentorship and guidance of a project lead throughout the internship.
Essential Responsibilities
- Review existing content and write concise biographical and descriptive summaries based on source materials
- Organize and upload digital files to the archival repository
- Create and update catalog records in Axiell EMu, the collections management system
- Follow project guidelines for file naming, description, and record keeping
- Meet regularly with the project lead to review work, ask questions, and track progress
- Participate in required internship orientation and professional development activities
Qualifications
- Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a college or university program in History, English, Information Science, Museum Studies, or a related field
- Working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
- Ability to learn and navigate DALNET DSpace and Axiell EMu
- Availability on Wednesdays for required internship programming
Special Skills
- Careful attention to detail when reviewing source materials and entering information
- Ability to write clear summaries of source materials
- Ability to organize digital files and manage information consistently
- Ability to manage assigned work independently and seek guidance when needed
- Interest in oral history, archives, collections, or institutional history
- Familiarity with DALNET DSpace or Axiell EMu is helpful but not required
Physical/Mental/Environmental
- Physical: Work is primarily performed at a computer and involves reading, typing, and organizing digital files. Other physical requirements are minimal or not applicable
- Mental: Requires sustained reading, writing, attention to detail, organization, and the ability to interpret and summarize historical source materials
- Environment: Work is primarily performed in an office or archival setting on The Henry Ford’s Dearborn campus
Internship Program Compensation
Interns are paid under the following paygrades:
- First year intern in school (undergraduate or trade): $17.00
- First year intern with completed degree (undergraduate or trade): $18.00
- Graduate school and postgraduates: $20.00