Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Fort Union Trading Post was the most important fur trading post on the upper Missouri from 1828 to 1867. At this post, the Assiniboine, Crow, Cree, Ojibway, Blackfeet, Hidatsa, and other tribes traded buffalo robes and other furs for trade goods such as beads, guns, blankets, knives, cookware, and cloth. Situated along the Missouri River, the park straddles the Montana/North Dakota state line. At an elevation of 1,900 feet, the park is located on the southern edge of the glaciated subsection of the vast Missouri Plateau. This area, a segment of the Badlands Vegetation Zone, includes mixed-grass prairie, coulees, deciduous groves, and river bottoms that encompass mixed grasses, riparian, and Rocky Mountain plant species. The present vegetation is a mixture of native plant communities and remnant or invasive exotics.
Your main curatorial responsibilities will be: curating a complete series of archaeological artifacts; identifying and sorting specimens by object type and conservation needs; measuring, weighing and labeling specimens; entering specimen data and description in catalog database; selecting and photographing representative specimens; performing stabilization treatment and creating preservation storage supports. You will also: research one artifact series (e.g. ceramic containers, artifacts of bone)and create an flash presentation or podcast interpreting the selected artifact series, for inclusion on the park web page. EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: You will visit collections at Knife River Indian Villages NHS. Theodore Roosevelt NP is 60 miles from Fort Union Trading Post NHS.
Requirements
Drivers License
Required Skills:
US citizenship; valid driver`s license; ability and willingness to undergo a required criminal history background check; computer literacy with word processing, databases and spreadsheets; knowledge of basic archaeological principles and methods; college upper-class level writing, grammar and spelling skills.
Desired Skills:
Strong interest in history, archaeology or anthropology.
Training:
Basic artifact handling and documentation; stabilization of archeological speicmens; online courses in care of archeological collections and fundamentals of interpretation.
Housing
Location:
Onsite
Description:
Park housing is located in a rustic setting approximately 10 minutes from the visitor center on a short footpath or by car.
Details:
Intern housing will be provided via seasonal housing, on-site trailer, owned bunkhouse, etc.
Transportation
Personal Vehicle:
Recommended: Rides to stores may be obtained by other means but may be limited by small staff size or experience has shown that isolated conditions result in a negative experience for interns with no transportation. Intern reimbursement generally does not exceed the budgeted amount.
Universally Accessible:
Yes
Date Flexibility:
Flexible 3-4 weeks Start or end date is flexible within 3-4 weeks

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