Historian – Religious Liberty

WILLIAM FINNIE HOUSE, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA

Who We Are

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 89 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, the Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world‑class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on‑site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes.

Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

The Historian A of Religious Liberty conducts historical research into 18th‑century Religious Liberty as part of the goals of the three‑year 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. They will develop staff training programs and materials in conjunction with the Training department and develop Religious Liberty programming in conjunction with the Performing Arts department.

They 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.

• Conducts and oversees research into 18th‑century Religious Liberty for the “250 Years of American Religious Liberty” project.
• Conducts and oversees original historical research on Religious Liberty in 18th‑century Virginia in support of the major interpretive goals and educational mission of the Lilly Endowment.
• Functions 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.
• Develops staff training programs and materials in conjunction with colleagues.
• Assists in program development in conjunction with the Performing Arts department.
• Manages project deliverables, timeline and budget to ensure that the project is completed on time and on budget.
• Participates on the scholarly research board assembled for this project.
• Serves as a staff liaison and may oversee research assistants, associates, fellows, interns and volunteers, to ensure that the work meets Foundation and professional standards.
• Recommends further 18th‑century Religious Liberty research projects in response to the Foundation’s objectives and guidelines.
• Proposes appropriate research strategies, methodologies, and techniques. Provides input into the development of ongoing research projects.
• Maintains contact with researchers and scholars from outside the Foundation, who concentrate in areas of 18th‑century Religious…