Historic Trades Intern

Due Date: Friday February 6 2026

Program runs June 1 - August 7 2026

Historic Trades at George Washingtons Mount Vernon is accepting applications for the George Washington: Entrepreneur summer internship program. With a focus on living history at both the Farm and the Gristmill & Distillery this internship provides an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students to gain in-depth knowledge about George Washington 18th-century agriculture and industry and enslavement at Mount Vernon. It also provides an opportunity to gain experience as front-line staff in the museum field.

The Farm is a working four-acre demonstration site that interprets Washingtons promotion of scientific innovation and sustainable agriculture and highlights the lives of the enslaved people who carried out Washingtons vision. The Gristmill & Distillery site (located 3 miles from the main estate) emphasizes the industrial aspects of Mount Vernon. The reconstructed Gristmill utilizes waterpower to operate millstones grinding corn and wheat. The Distillery is a fully-functional reconstruction of Washingtons whiskey distillery. Interns will work at both locations.

This program is open to undergraduate students who have completed at least one year of college by the start of the internship on June 1 2026 and will not have graduated as of June 1 2026. Applicants should be comfortable with public speaking and available during the entire ten-week internship period of June 1 - August 7 2026. Candidates with a background or a keen interest in history are preferred.

This position requires the ability to work outdoors in hot and humid weather; to wear an 18th-century costume; to do rigorous physical activity including demonstrating 18th century farming methods field work and milling; to work in a dusty environment; to lift and carry 50 pounds; to conduct hands-on activities; to speak with guests of all ages and to conduct and present and independent research project. No previous experience using 18th-century tools or methods is required.

All interns will complete a training program in interpretive methodology and historical content. Key topics include 18th-century economics and agricultural methods distilling milling and slavery. Upon completion of training interns will work as full-time Historic Trades Interpreters under the direction of the professional interpretive staff. Interns will be doing costumed living history interpretation. They will be expected to wear period clothing provided by Mount Vernon. Interns do not need to be in character.

Interns are expected to work a five-day 40-hour week that will include weekends and some addition interns will participate in department-sponsored field trips to other historic sites and museums in the region. Interns will be required to complete a research project on George Washington agriculture the enslaved community 18th-century trades or related topics. Historic Trades staff will work with colleges and universities to ensure that if applicable course credit requirements are met.

This is a paid internship. Interns will receive a stipend of $13/hour (distributed biweekly). Interns are also eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses to and from the Mount Vernon region up to $350 round-trip. As employees of Mount Vernon interns are required to adhere to Mount Vernons Employee Handbook policies. Proof of an up-to-date tetanus vaccination will be required before the first day of work.

For more information about the program please visithttps:// include with your application:

In essay format please address the following:

This document should be a maximum of two typed double-spaced pages and submitted as a separate .doc .docx or .pdf file.

Statement of Related Skills & Activities
In the same document as your applicant essay but starting on a new page please describe three specific activities or projects that are relevant to this internship. These may be academic papers you have written or presented employment or leadership positions you have held experiences at museums or living history sites work in agricultural settings public speaking travel or other experiences that will help you be a better intern.

This statement should be a maximum of one typed double-spaced page and should be submitted in the same document as your applicant essay but starting on a new page.

Chronological Resume
Please attach a brief chronological resume not to exceed two pages submitted as a .doc .docx or .pdf file.

Transcript(s)
Please attach an unofficial transcript as provided by your college or universitys registrars office. Transcripts should include declared major grades for each course and cumulative GPA. If you have attended more than one college or university provide a transcript for each. Please submit as a PDF. (Screenshots JPGs and other image files are not acceptable).

Professor Recommendation
This recommendation should be written by a professor from your majors department. He or she should elaborate on the following questions:

This recommendation should be submitted on university or college letterhead. It can be attached to the application by the applicant or emailed to in .doc or .pdf format.

Additional Recommendation
This recommendation should be written by another mentor such as your faculty advisor a professor or teacher an employer or your supervisor for a volunteer activity. Your recommender should elaborate on the following questions:

This recommendation should be submitted on the letterhead of the organization the writer comes from. It can be attached to the application by the applicant or emailed to in .doc or .pdf format.

Application Checklist:

Submission Instructions:
Online Submissions
The application and all supporting documents should be submitted through the Mount Vernon Human Resources online employment application program.
This can be found on the employment page at and by clicking the appropriate position opening. Use the Apply for this Position button at the bottom of the position description page.

Email Submissions
We do not accept applications over email. However you may submit some supporting documents by email such as transcripts and letters of recommendation. Please send these materials to: .


All parts of the application must be received by Friday February 6 2026.

For more information about the internship please email or call Sara Marie Massee at .