Historic Preservation Intern

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Historic Preservation Intern for Summer 2026 to support both office and field cultural resources projects based out of our Amherst, MA office. The Historic Preservation Intern will support a diversity of field-based and office-based projects and will work with talented, multidisciplinary teams of cultural resources professionals. Established in 1981, SWCA has a long-standing presence in the United States and is known for sound science and creative solutions.

Your role as a Historic Preservation Intern will be assisting with architectural history research and reporting, including historic resource surveys, historic tax credit application support, archival research and title searches, and architectural descriptions. You should be able to work outside and independently, to conduct intermittent single-day site visits, surveys, and archive research​. 

This internship will occur during summer 2026 (early June to mid-August). Earlier start dates or later end dates will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are encouraged. 

This is a paid, up to 40-hour per week internship. Intern hours could vary depending on the amount of client work available.  An intern based out of Amherst, MA will be paid $19.00 per hour.   For this internship, we will be considering candidates who are based within driving distance of Amherst, MA.

Please submit a letter of interest and resume to be considered for this position.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

What you will accomplish

• Exposure to a variety of architectural historian tasks, including reports, research, and fieldwork.
• Hands-on experience conducting historic resource surveys, including photography of building, preparation of inventory forms, and eligibility assessments.
• Understanding of the significance criteria for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
• Introduction to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and related State legislation.
• Experience with federal and state historic tax credit applications for the rehabilitation of historic properties.
• Exposure to a nationally recognized cultural compliance consulting firm and a local team of cultural resource professionals.

Experience and qualifications for success

Required

• Major or minor in Architectural History, Historic Preservation, Anthropology, or related field.
• Completion of at least 3 credits of architectural history courses, archaeology courses, or the equivalent.
• Current enrollment in a community college, college, or university, pursuing a certificate of proficiency, an associate's degree, or a bachelor’s degree with a focus on Architectural History or Historic Preservation.  Individuals who completed a bachelor's degree within 12 months of May 1, 2026 will also be considered.
• Applicants who are pursuing a Master's degree will also be considered. Ph.D. candidates are not eligible through this program.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite software.
• Must have strong communication and interpersonal skills, and excellent attention to detail.
• Must have the ability and a willingness to learn new skills, and be comfortable working on assigned projects with moderate to low supervision.

Important for Field-Based roles

• Travel to the field 10-20% of the time.
• Ability to travel to a location, walk and conduct fieldwork for long hours, sometimes in inclement weather.
• Ability to work outside in all weather conditions, effectively execute tasks, and conform to shifting priorities and demands.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Why Work at SWCA:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services.  Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response. 

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges (above) on all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.  An intern based in Amherst, MA will be paid $19.00 per hour.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.  At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

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