Historian – Religious Liberty

WILLIAM FINNIE HOUSE
506

E. Francis Street
Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA

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 by 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 a 301‑acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 reconstructed to look how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive research. 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.

The Historian A of Religious Liberty conducts historical research into 18th‑century Religious Liberty as part of the Lilly Endowment “250 Years of American Religious Liberty” project. This role is responsible for developing a comprehensive, multi‑chapter research report on 18th‑century Religious Liberty in Virginia and its wider impact on the development of the United States. The historian will develop staff training programs and materials in conjunction with the Training department and develop Religious Liberty programming in collaboration with the Performing Arts department.

The historian will also present findings at conferences and academic engagements throughout the course of the project.

This is a full‑time, three‑year grant‑funded position. The role is time‑limited and expected to conclude at the end of the grant term unless additional funding is secured.

• Conduct and oversee research into 18th‑century Religious Liberty for the “250 Years of American Religious Liberty” project.
• Conduct original historical research on Religious Liberty in 18th‑century Virginia to support the interpretive goals and educational mission of the Lilly Endowment.
• Serve as project lead for a comprehensive, multi‑chapter research report on 18th‑century Religious Liberty in Virginia and its wider impact on the development of the United States.
• Develop staff training programs and materials with colleagues.
• Assist in program development with the Performing Arts department.
• Manage project deliverables, timeline, and budget to ensure completion on time and within budget.
• Participate on the scholarly research board assembled for this project.
• Serve as a staff liaison and may oversee research assistants, associates, fellows, interns, and volunteers to ensure work meets Foundation and professional standards.
• Recommend further 18th‑century Religious Liberty research projects in response to the Foundation’s objectives and guidelines.
• Propose appropriate research strategies, methodologies, and techniques and provide input into ongoing research projects.
• Maintain contact with researchers and scholars outside the Foundation who specialize in 18th‑century Religious Liberty in Virginia.
• Keep abreast of recent historical literature and interpretive best practices, maintain awareness of state‑of‑the‑art research and emerging religious liberty arguments, and infuse programming with current scholarship.
• Present findings to internal and external audiences at conferences, academic engagements, lectures, and audiovisual presentations throughout the project.
• Represent the Division on assigned committees, providing input based on 18th‑century Religious Liberty reading and research.
• Perform 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.

• Bachelor’s degree in history or a related field and 3–5 years of related professional experience; OR Master’s degree in…