ABOUT THE ROLE

The Teen Programs Intern supports the Education team in developing implementing and promoting intergenerational programming for youth and families with a special focus on the Teen Arts Group (TAG) cohort. This internship is designed to further racial equity and diversity objectives within SAM and the broader museum field by providing a paid hands-on opportunity for candidates from historically underserved communities.

This role is both developmental and collaborative. The intern will gain direct experience in program planning coordination and communication while serving as a role model and mentor for TAG participants. Alongside their supervisor the intern will also explore professional development goals and museum career pathways.

FLSA STATUS: Temporary Non-Exempt
REPORTS TO: Museum Educator for Youth Programs
COMPENSATION: $20.76 per hour
WORKPLACE TYPE: On-Site (with some flexibility for academic schedules)

WHAT YOULL DO

Youll contribute to the success of SAMs youth and family programming by:

Teen Arts Group Support 70%

• Attending and supporting weekly TAG meetings (Thursday evenings OctoberMay).

• Assisting with planning agendas preparing documents supplies and logistics for meetings and workshops.

• Tracking member attendance and supporting communications with teens parents partners and staff.

• Providing conceptual planning and logistical support for TAG projects and events (e.g. Teen Night Out final projects).

• Developing learning objectives and creating evaluative tools such as participant surveys.

Program & Administrative Support 20%

• Assisting with TAG application processes including interviews and applicant advising.

• Helping with procurement and organization of program supplies.

• Supporting communications with teaching artists curators and community partners.

• Participating in cross-departmental connections including informational interviews and enrichment sessions.

Professional Development 10%

• Completing a two-hour job shadow with frontline volunteers during open hours.

• Writing a one-page reflection blog post or interview about the internship experience.

• Engaging in SAMs broader internship enrichment opportunities.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest in education art community programs and/or museums.

• Interest in working with youth audiences particularly teens.

• Ability to prioritize tasks work independently and contribute as part of a team.

• Strong written and oral communication skills.

• Professionalism tact and integrity in representing SAM.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and general computer use.

• Ability to request and accept supervision feedback and support.

• High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Qualifications

• One year of experience with SAMs Teen Arts Group (TAG).

• Familiarity with social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

• Current college students or recent graduates preferred.

WHAT YOULL LEARN

• Program planning coordination and evaluation in a museum context.

• Creating learning objectives and evaluation tools.

• Outreach communication and engagement strategies for youth audiences.

• Exposure to cross-departmental museum functions and potential career pathways.

WORK SCHEDULE

• 10 hours per week October 2025 June 2026 (approximately 36 weeks).

• Primarily on-site with evening work required for Thursday TAG meetings and occasional weekend or event support.

• Start and end dates may be adjusted to accommodate academic schedules.

BENEFITS

• Benefits for temporary/on-call employees:

  • Accrued sick time (estimated 13.75 hours over internship duration).

  • Museum perks including two guest passes fitness center access SAM Shop and MARKET discounts

WORK CONDITIONS

• Exposure: Primarily in a climate-controlled museum environment with occasional off-site or outdoor activities.

• Stationary Work: About 80% at a desk 20% moving within galleries or program spaces. Extended standing may be required at events.

• Communication: Clear and effective communication with teens staff volunteers and the public is essential.

• Moving: Ability to move up to 20 lbs. occasionally.

• Office Work: Regular use of computers phones and office equipment.

ACCOMMODATION

The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of this position. If you would like to request an accommodation please contact emailprotected

Celebrating difference. At Seattle Art Museum our members visitors and local community come from all walks of life and so do our employees volunteers and interns. The plurality of our identities and experiences strengthens our mission: connecting art to life. Our mission and vision call us to be responsive to a multitude of cultural contexts and lived experiences and as such our Strategic Plan directly addresses the role art plays in empowering and elevating social justice movements and promoting structural change to further equity in our society. SAM is particularly dedicated to racial equity in the workplace because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to both historical and present inequities. We know that equity is not a single fixed destination its ongoing reckoning. As SAM continually strives to be a more inclusive and equitable workplace we are particularly interested in engaging with those who have been historically underrepresented in the museum field. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace and a sense of belonging for each and every employee because we know our organization is at its best when we celebrate difference.

SAM is an equal opportunity employer. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race color creed religion national origin age sex (including pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions) marital status ancestry sensory physical or mental disability genetic information military or veteran status gender identity or expression sexual orientation citizenship or immigration status or other applicable legally protected characteristic. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or additional need please let us know at The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of the role. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process please contact For candidates we ask that if possible you wait until youre invited to a screen online technical assessment or interview before requesting an accommodation.

We encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace and a sense of belonging for each and every employee because we know our organization is at its best when we include celebrate and embrace difference. We encourage you to submit an application even if your experience doesnt feel like a 100% match with the position. We know applying for a job can be intimidating and research tells us that womxn and folks of color are less likely to apply if they dont see themselves meeting or exceeding every single qualification listed. We encourage you to apply even if you feel unsure about whether you meet every requirement in this job post. You could very well be a great fit for this role or others.

Requirements for employment. In order to be employed by the Seattle Art Museum you must reside in the state of Washington. Employment at SAM is contingent upon successful clearing and maintenance of clearance in both a federal and state criminal background check.

Want to learn more If you havent already check out our Careers page for more on working at SAM.

Though wed love to be able to reply to every question that crosses our desk due to the high volume of applications we receive our HR team is unfortunately unable to offer a response to inquiries requesting search status updates inquiries about hiring timeline or requests to be put in touch with directly with the Hiring Team. If your experiences and capabilities are well suited to an open role our Recruiter or the Hiring Manager will reach out directly to schedule an interview. Thanks for your understanding!