Semester of Service Volunteer - Museum Collections & Public Engagement Volunteer

Applicants will be considered based on their knowledge, skills or abilities related to project needs. Specifically, applicants should: Oral communication skills for interacting with visitors and team members Organizational skills for file cleanup, metadata entry, and maintaining collection records Ability to work collaboratively as part of a cross-functional team (Curatorial, Programming, Operations) Ability to exercise creativity in generating public-engagement and social media concepts Ability to adapt communication style for different audiences (visitors, educators, general public) Ability to learn and apply new software/database tools quickly Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience & valuable career-ready skills. Students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution & participation must be with the permission of the institution at which the student is enrolled.

• This vacancy announcement will be open from 9/21/2026 to 9/25/2026 or when 25 applications have been received. The vacancy will close on whichever day the first of these conditions are met. If the application limit is reached on the same day the announcement opened, the open and close date will be the same. Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before submitting their application packages. The National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) is seeking two Semester of Service volunteers to participate in a project focused on improving access to museum collections and strengthening educational and visitor engagement. Working across NMAD's Curatorial, Programming, and Operations teams, volunteers will contribute to a defined set of project activities that support the preservation, organization, digitization, and public presentation of museum resources. Volunteers will photograph designated collection items and prepare materials for inclusion in the museum's collections database; organize and clean up designated digital collection files; assist with the preparation of educational materials; and develop ideas for social media and other public-engagement content based on NMAD exhibits and collections. Volunteers will also gain experience with the museum's Diplomacy Simulation Program and visitor-engagement practices while supporting the presentation of museum spaces. By the conclusion of the service period, volunteers will have produced tangible collection documentation, educational materials, and public-engagement content that can be used by NMAD to enhance access to its collections and connect visitors and broader audiences with the history and practice of American diplomacy. This project provides students with hands-on experience in museum collections, educational programming, communications, and public engagement while developing skills in research, organization, writing, and project execution.