The Getty Post-Baccalaureate Conservation Internships aim to increase the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds preparing to enroll in graduate degree programs related to museum conservation.
An advanced degree is essential to a conservation career and few programs exist. Applicants often boost their credentials by completing prerequisite courses and undertaking up to thousands of hours of conservation training, usually unpaid. Graduate program administrators say these realities have limited opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Launched in 2020 as a pilot program, the Getty Post-Baccalaureate Internships are the first nationwide effort to provide yearlong financial support and hands-on conservation experience to underrepresented post-baccalaureates who are preparing to apply to conservation graduate programs.
Eligibility
While these internships are intended for students from backgrounds underrepresented in the conservation field, Getty encourages eligible candidates from all backgrounds to apply for consideration. Getty is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected trait under the law. Candidates will have the opportunity to demonstrate their interest in museum conservation and how they might add new and underrepresented perspectives, which can include – among other things – socio-economic status, cultural background, physical or other disability, geographical origin, and/or any other life experiences.
Candidates must:
-Be a United States citizen or permanent resident eligible to work in the United States (permanent residents are non-citizens authorized to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis, also known as “green card” holders). Those with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) status valid through the internship period are also eligible.
-Be committed to a career in conservation and possess a strong desire to attend graduate school to further that goal.
-Be able to demonstrate previous experience in conservation.
Terms of the Grant
All positions are full-time for 12 months from September 7, 2027 — August 25, 2028. Interns are placed at conservation studios and labs at the Getty Center or Getty Villa for their first six months, and then at a local Los Angeles museum or within a different Getty department for the second six months.
Grant Amount
The grant amount is $45,500 for 12 months plus $1,500 towards relocation expenses to Los Angeles. The internship includes an additional $4,000 towards educational reimbursements, certificate courses in conservation, domestic conservation conference attendance, or other professional-development opportunities related to the internship. Housing is not provided. Interns are eligible to enroll in Getty’s healthcare plan at a subsidized cost. Please note that grant funds may be subject to federal and state taxes and deductions.
Prerequisite Course for Graduate School
During spring 2028, interns may enroll in a prerequisite course (chemistry, art history, studio art, and/or foreign language) at a local community college to help fulfill the requirements for their graduate school applications. In addition to support from their supervisors, interns will also have the support of an academic advisor
Collaborating Institutions
Internships are offered at the conservation studios and labs at the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Malibu, along with local Los Angeles museums. For the 2027-2028 internship year, placements are being offered at the following Getty departments and institutions:
- Getty Conservation Institute Collections Department and Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Getty Conservation Institute Science Department and The Huntington
- Getty Research Institute Conservation and Preservation Department and the Autry Museum of the American West
- J. Paul Getty Museum Antiquities Conservation Department and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library
