Internships

INTERNSHIPS

As part of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Observatory offers three-month internships to students who are interested in science (esp. astronomy), marketing or tourism.

Welcome are Australian and international postgraduate high school students as well as university undergraduate and postgraduate students who would like to include the internship as part of their studies. Working hours are Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm (days are flexible).

Internships involve no remuneration in form of a salary as it is part of the Powerhouse Museum Volunteers Program.

The working fields of an intern at Sydney Observatory include observing day and night tours, meet and greet at the cloaking desk and verifying website or related observatory data.

Due to the extended period of time an internship is much more intense than work experience – whatever your field of interest is, it allows possibilities to conduct your own special project, be it in science education, museum studies, marketing and tourism or event management.

An internship at Sydney Observatory is instructive and of great benefit to young people wanting to get an insight into the Observatory by working behind the scenes of the Museum.

Minimum requirements for all internships
• Two years of university or other tertiary education
• Aged at least 21 years
• Insurance covered by university, college or other
• Prior English study and ability to communicate clearly in English
• Any costs associated with accommodation and travel must be met by the intern
• Student of Museum Studies, Librarianship, History or Astronomy/Astrophysics

Please note that internship places are limited – thus early enquiries are more likely to be successful. For application forms and information contact Toner Stevenson at Sydney Observatory (ph: +61 2 9921 3473, e-mail: toners@phm.gov.au).

Internship positions available in 2011

Sydney Observatory is looking for Research Interns who are undertaking an internship as part of post-graduate study in History/ Museum Studies/ Science. Two days per week for 2 months or 4 weeks full time. This is to work on some fascinating projects including:
- Meteorology program development
- Collection research
- Transcriptions of letters written by early Sydney Observatory Government astronomers
- Documentation and assessment of audiovisual collection

Internship reports
The reports below give an idea of what it’s like to do an internship at Sydney Observatory. Our interns contribute to the real work of Sydney Observatory and have the satisfaction of seeing the results of their work educating and giving pleasure to our audiences.

Kelly Coughlin’s internship report
Senior at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois
Internship – January to February 2011

Danielle Bujna’s internship report
Final year undergraduate Museum Studies student at Macquarie University
Internship – November to December 2010

Jodi Heasman’s intern report
Master of Museum Studies student at the University of Sydney
Internship – August to October 2010

Julieanne Sew Hee’s internship report
Master of Museum Studies student at the University of Sydney
Internship – March to June 2010

Julieanne Sew Hee during her Sydney Observatory internship

Julieanne Sew Hee during her Sydney Observatory internship

Another way of being involved with Sydney Observatory is through the Volunteer program.