Historian

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life.

The Foundation also owns and operates two world‑class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Conducts historical research independently and as part of a research team, designed to shape the Foundation’s interpretive program. Helps train interpretive staff and responds to questions regarding historic subject matter. Liaison with other departments on specialist subjects, and may propose and design strategies for research projects.

• Serves as a leader of a research team or teams working on major projects as assigned by the Director of Historical Research.
• Conducts and oversees research in response to questions raised by interpretive and research personnel and in support major interpretive goals and educational mission of the Foundation.
• Presents findings in reports, memos, lectures, conference papers, articles, book chapters, monographs, and professional blogs or other appropriate venues to support the educational mission of the Foundation.
• Ensures that projects are completed on time and within budget.
• Serves as a staff liaison to and supervises the work done on projects by research assistants, associates, fellows, interns and volunteers, ensuring that the work meets Foundation and professional standards.
• Recommends research projects in response to the Foundation’s objectives and guidelines.
• Maintains contact with researchers and scholars from outside the Foundation, who concentrate in areas of specialization.
• Responds to queries for information, critiques work, keeps abreast of recent historical literature and interpretive best practices, maintains awareness of state‑of‑the‑art research and emerging historical arguments, and seeks opportunities to infuse programming with current historical scholarship.
• Reviews and consults with program development teams, site managers, and individual interpreters to ensure proposals, programs, characters, scenes, tours, and other programming reflect current historical knowledge and interpretive best practices.
• Works with colleagues in Research, Training, and Program Design in developing and teaching courses in assigned areas.
• Presents lectures, audio‑visual presentations, tours, and other programs to internal and external audiences.
• Represents the Division on assigned committees, providing input based on historical reading and research.
• Reviews materials published by CWF, such as books and teachers’ guides, and other print and digital materials to ensure soundness of historical claims.
• Performs other related tasks as required.

This job description reflects the general responsibilities of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Duties and responsibilities may evolve over time based on operational needs.

• Competencies usually acquired through a post‑graduate degree with academic specialization in Early American History, American Studies, or a related field, and 3 years research experience in a museum or an academically related position.
• Traditional academic…