Summer Developer Intern Smithsonian

Institution Office of Visitor Services

The internship is located in the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Visitor Services. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex, consisting currently of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities. The Office of Visitor Services (OVS) is the principal office at the Smithsonian responsible for understanding, designing, and improving all stages of a visitor’s journey, from planning, to visit and post-visit touch points. The Office enables the Smithsonian’s mission through its activities as the primary point of contact for Smithsonian visitors. In addition, OVS provides internal services to Smithsonian staff who serve visitors, including over 6,000 volunteers.

OVS designs and administers services and systems that visitors use regularly to plan and carry out visits, as well as systems that enable Smithsonian staff to better aid on-site visitors. OVS administers the Smithsonian Information Center, the outdoor kiosks adjacent to all Smithsonian museums and galleries, web applications, and selected publications. OVS oversees a comprehensive visitor feedback system that includes the general Smithsonian email address, a telephone call center, comment cards, and surveys. The incumbent will help OVS explore and adopt a new web-chat service for visitors.

Learning Objectives

This internship is located with the Office of Visitor Services, within the office of the Director. The Intern will experience a service culture that is swift, comprehensive, and effective for Visitor Services. The Intern will assist with the following core IT-related projects to help OVS fulfill its mission:

o Test and prepare for launch a new visit planning web application
o Design and develop test plans based upon functional and design specifications
o Participate in functional reviews, test specification, documentation, and code reviews
o Create and maintain automated and manual test suites with a heavy emphasis on GUI test automation
o Participate actively in functional, system, and regression testing activities
o Analyze and report bugs and work with software engineers to resolve them
o Provide short-term help in the design, branding, and customization of division intranet to make it more professional and sophisticated in appearance and function using Microsoft Sharepoint 2010
o Remapping and archiving folders on a shared drive

The Intern will learn to act as a liaison between the Office of the Director, OVS staff, and
Smithsonian units (i.e., museums). OVS interfaces with the majority of Smithsonian units, including
Education, Public Affairs, Special Events, Facilities Management, Security, Information Technology,
Exhibitions, Administration, and partner organizations, including the retail-oriented Smithsonian
Enterprises.

• Strengthen public speaking in a professional environment
• Strengthen professional writing and presentations using such digital tools as Prezi, Keynote,
etc.
• Collaborate with teams to determine, design, and implement solutions
• Seek constructive criticism on professional performance as relates to learning objectives

• Gain an understanding of effective goal-setting techniques, including creating action plans

that will help reach set goals
• Understand core competencies and discipline-specific competencies used in museum management
• Understand how to decide which IT systems are to be used to advance organization’s goals; for instance understands how MS Excel and SPSS are to be used for predictive analytics or other statistical decision making as they impact setting policy that affects millions of visitors to museums each year.

The following person would benefit the

most from this learning experience:

Graduate students seeking a graduate degree in Arts Management, Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Public Policy, or equivalent discipline

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be enrolled as a graduate student or equivalent, in a degree-granting program at an
accredited institution.
• A final summary report is required upon completion of the internship.

Selection Criteria

• At least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, as verified by the submission of academic transcripts
• Substantial course work in a technology-related field (minimum of 2 courses)
• One year prior course work completed or equivalent number of academic hours
• Demonstrated interest or experience in museums, galleries, and other cultural or educational
non-profits
• Demonstrated writing skills, attention to detail, and knowledge of computer programs

• Maintain professional attitude, demeanor, and relationship with Smithsonian leadership, co-workers, and staff at all times

• Ability to prioritize workloads, handle multiple tasks in order to meet deadlines, and work
independently

Term

10 weeks, 20 hours per week, commencing on Monday, June 2, 2014, and ending on Friday, August 8,
2014. Rolling deadline: Interviews will be held to select the best candidate for the internship on
or around May 19, 2014, or until the position is filled.

Stipend

A stipend is awarded to the student to help defray living costs while in residence. Stipend
payments are distributed two times a month through a direct deposit.

Location

The internship is located in Washington, D.C. Interns must be available for the entire time
on-site, 20 hours per week.

Housing and Transportation

Interns are responsible for securing their own housing. A listing of area housing can be furnished to awarded recipients upon request. A list of awardees and contact information will be distributed to each participant, and interns may choose to arrange for housing together. Please note that many university campuses rent out their dorm housing to interns during the summer.
No parking for interns is available at the Smithsonian. Public transportation—rail and bus—is located very close to the internship site.

How to Apply

To apply, you can use the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA) available through the Office of Fellowships and Internships (OFI) webpage.

Apply Through: SOLAA

Submission Requirements

• Resume
• A cover letter detailing your interest and qualifications for the internship
• A copy of your school transcripts (unofficial transcripts are accepted)

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions or are interested in applying for an internship position with the Office of Visitor Services at the Smithsonian, please contact:

Wendy Lim
Acting Special Assistant to the Director Phone: 202-633-5258
Email: LimW@si.edu