Updated:
2 April 2007
Internship
Registration & Orientation Guide
Welcome
interns!
|
Quick
Links
Pre-planning
Arrival
While here
Exit
Maintaining Ties
Still
have Questions?
- Send
an e-mail to: sangreym@si.edu
|
Congratulations
on your internship appointment!
We're glad you will be spending
time at the Smithsonian's National
Museum of Natural History and
hope your stay with us is beneficial.
NMNH houses by far the largest
natural history collections
in the world. While here we
encourage you to explore the
different parts of the Museum.
There are 127 million specimens
and many interesting and exciting
research projects in progress
as well as formal and informal
gatherings and groups such as
the Senate of Scientists and
Tuesday Systematics Discussion
lunch.
The
Natural History web pages, while
offering a lot of information,
can sometimes be confusing.
The details provided here are
specifically for those individuals
already selected for a internship
appointment at NMNH. Hopefully
this will help summarize what
you need to do before
you arrive; things
to remember once you get here;
and finally, how
to successful close your appointment
as well as maintain
a relationship with the Museum.
An
internship at the Smithsonian
Institution is a prearranged,
structured learning experience
scheduled within a specific
time frame. The experience must
be relevant to your academic
and professional goals, and
to the goals and activities
of the Institution. An internship
is performed under the direct
supervision of Smithsonian staff.
All
NMNH internships, regardless
of award source, are centrally
administered by Natural History's
Office of Academic Services.
Internships can be paid or unpaid.
Please
note: all Smithsonian interns
must be at least 16 years old.
PREPLANNING
Interns
should work directly with their
Smithsonian sponsor(s) to secure
prior arrangements. A couple
things to keep in mind:
Background
Check and Fingerprinting
Interns
working at Natural History come
into contact with many valuable
and scientifically important
specimens, collections and facilities.
To help ensure their safety
and security all individuals
being considered for placement
in any academic appointment
must first submit to a pre-appointment
Special Agreement Check (SAC)
and receive a favorable determination
rendered by the personnel security
office (PSO). In addition, after
passing the SAC, upon arrival
at the Museum some appointeess
may have to also complete a
National Agency Check and Inquiry
with Credit check (NACI) investigation.
All
internship positions at the
Smithsonian are now characterized
as Non-Critical Sensitive. Internship
placements require successful
adjudication of a pre-appointment
background check. Please allow
at least 4 weeks for this process
to complete BEFORE your planned
arrival. All individuals, U.S.
citizens and Internationals,
nominated for an internship
position must undergo a pre-appointment
background investigation before
an appointment can be confirmed
if:
-
Requesting an appointment
in-residence for 6 weeks or
longer
-
Meeting the 18 years or older
specifications (i.e. Minors,
those 16 & 17 year olds
are exempt)
Pre-appointment
requirements:
 1.
Declaration for Federal Employment
- OF
306. Available on-line.
This is a standard form used
for all appointments, not just
employment. Nominees
are required to complete an
OF 306 Declaration for
Federal Employment, issued by
the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM). The OF 306 is available
at the OPM web site as an on-line
fill-in form at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf.
2.
Fingerprint Chart - SF 87.
Nominees are also required to
complete an SF 87 Fingerprint
Chart (fingerprint card). The
SF 87 will be mailed directly
by the Smithsonian to individuals
nominated for an internship.
The SF 87 is not available electronically
and cannot be sent via e-mail.
Once you have completed the
both forms, please mail or hand-deliver
to:
|
Office
of Protection Services
Personnel Security Division
c/o Dwight Kersey or Ebony
Moses
Capital Gallery Building
600 Maryland Avenue SW,
Suite 4036
Washington, D. C. 20024
|
Non-local
(to DC/NY) nominees must take
the SF 87 to their local law
enforcement agency or courthouse
to obtain fingerprints. A minimal
fee is usually involved. The
nominee must then mail the completed
OF 306 and SF 87 to the Office
of Protection Services. It is
recommended that nominees return
the forms via express mail with
a tracking number to ensure
better processing.
If
you will be in Washington, D.C.
you may hand-deliver your forms
and be fingerprinted at the
Smithsonian, free of charge.
Please hand-deliver to the Smithsonian
Office of Protection Services
located at 600 Maryland Avenue,
SW Suite 4036. Office Hours
are Monday through Friday, 8:30am
to 11:45am and 1:00pm to 3:45pm.
The
Smithsonian Office of Protection
Services (OPS) contracts the
Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) to conduct all investigations.
Based upon the investigation
results, OPS determines the
nominee's suitability for a
position at the Smithsonian.
The turnaround time for investigation
results is about 10 days from
the time information is received
by OPS from the nominee.
OPS
will notify the NMNH Head of
Acaedmic Services when an investigation
is closed. They will then contact
the nominee to extend a formal
internship offer, and provide
further detail.
If
you have questions regarding
this requirement, please contact
Dwight Kersey, Personnel Security
Specialist at (202) 633-1595
or kerseyd@si.edu.
Internship
with Stipend
Before
a Smithsonian internship with
stipend can begin documents
must be submitted to the Office
of Research and Training Services
(ORTS) by your sponsoring staff
at least six (6) weeks prior
to your first day at the Museum.
Before your arrival you will
receive an official award letter
and other important information
which you must sign and mail
back to ORTS.
CONTACT
INFORMATION for ORTS:
Office
of Research and
Training Services
470 L'Enfant Plaza,
SW
Suite
7102
MRC 902
P.O. Box 37012
Washington, DC
20013-7012
phone: 202-633-7070
fax: 202-633-7069
e-mail: siofg@si.edu
Operation:
Monday - Friday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m.
International Interns
Prior
to travel (allow at least one
month) foreign interns must
check in with Smithsonian's
Office of International Relations
(OIR) to confirm visa arrangements.
The
Office of International Relations
manages and assists in the planning
of visits by foreign scholars
and dignitaries to the SI and
other institutions as appropriate.
OIR also provides passport,
visa and research permit services
and travel and shipping advice
to all individuals traveling
abroad under the auspices of
the Smithsonian.
CONTACT
INFORMATION for OIR:
Francine
Berkowitz / Ray Seefeldt
Office of International Relations
1100 Independence Avenue, SW
Quad, Room 3126
MRC 705
Washington, DC 20560
phone: 202-633-4795
fax: 202-786-2557
e-mail: fcb@si.edu
Role of the Smithsonian Advisor
The
primary role of your Smithsonian
staff sponsor is to provide
guidance on your project, as
well as offer educational advise.
Interns should maintain regular
contact with their Smithsonian
sponsor(s) to discuss the progress
of the internship and problems
related to it. Your advisor
will secure appropriate space,
equipment and services for you.
Visas
With
certain exceptions, every foreign
national who wants to come to
the U.S. must first obtain a
visa from an American embassy
or consulate. The exceptions
are 1) Canadians, and 2) people
entitled to use the Visa Waiver
Program.
All
foreigners should contact Smithsonian's
Office of International Relations
(OIR) for confirmation of visa.
Depending on individual circumstances,
OIR can provide documentation
that will enable foreign nationals
to apply for either an F-1 (student)
or a J-1 (exchange visitor)
visa. In either case, the following
information is required for
OIR to prepare the appropriate
visa certificate:
1.
Intern's Full Name
2. Date of Birth
3. Place of Birth (city and
country)
4. Citizenship (and,
if different, country of permanent
residence)
5. Complete Mailing Address
(i.e., where
to send visa certificate)
6. Highest Academic Degree Received
for
students: current academic level,
major field of study, and name
of university;
for
non-students: current occupation
and name of employer
7. internship
Start Date
8. internship End Date
9. Short (one sentence) description
of what you will do here
10. AMOUNT and SOURCE of financial
support that will be available
to defray your living expenses
while you're here.
Upon
receipt of this information,
OIR will prepare and send to
you by regular international
mail the appropriate documents.
Interns then submit the form
together with visa application,
passport, photograph, and fee
to the nearest US embassy or
consulate. The average processing
time is said to be 2-3 weeks.
Foreigners
studying in the US already have
some sort of visa and usually
don't need any additional immigration
assistance from OIR but they
should check with their school's
foreign student advisor to see
if other paperwork is needed.
Canadians do not need visas
to enter the US for any temporary
purpose. But this does not excuse
them from meeting other requirements
applicable to the immigration
category they're seeking to
use. In other words, they will
still need Form IAP-66 to enter
as an exchange visitor, Form
I-20 to enter as a student,
etc.
The Visa Waiver Program was
created in 1988 to allow citizens
of certain selected countries
to come to the US for business
or pleasure without a visa if
they won't be here more then
90 days. This program now covers
most countries in Western Europe,
plus Australia, New Zealand,
Japan and a few other places.
Documents to sign & return
prior to arrival
- Internships
with stipend only
Included
in your award packet from ORTS
will be your official award
letter and electronic funds
transfer (EFT) authorization
form. You will need to complete
these and return them to ORTS
prior to your arrival.
Housing
The
Smithsonian does not provide
housing nor does the Institution
have housing facilities and
can not formally recommend housing
locations. Interns are responsible
for securing their own housing.
To help you in your search review
links posted at the Answers
to Interns Frequently Asked
Questions - housing.
However,
ORTS maintains a listing of
housing options available in
the Washington DC area and provides
a distribution listing of housing
information. To join this listing
send an e-mail to: housing@si.edu.
Maps and information about the
Metro subway system and Washington
rail and bus system can be found
at on the web at http://www.wmata.com
Some
housing considerations:
-
Most apartments require a 30-day
notice from departing tenants.
Managers may not know if any
apartments will be available
until one month before vacancy.
- Neighborhoods can vary greatly
within just a few blocks. Be
sure to check out the security
of the neighborhood before finalizing
your decision.
- Washington DC is an expensive
city to live in and rents are
high. Interns may want to consider
living in the surrounding areas
with access to the Museum via
bus or subway.
- Some real estate agencies
provide free information about
rental properties.
- Leasing furniture for an unfurnished
apartment may be cheaper that
renting a furnished apartment.
- Parking is limited in many
areas. Ask about off-street
parking and parking regulations
in the neighborhood if a parking
space/lot is not provided.
Travel
Interns
are generally responsible for
making their own travel arrangements
to/from Washington, DC.
An
airline flight into Washington
National (Reagan) Airport then
subway or taxi to your housing
location is an easy efficient
option. Other airports in the
area include Dulles and BWI
(Baltimore Washington International).
A
train to Union Station then
taxi or subway ride to your
housing location is also a good
option. The bus will also deliver
to Union Station where you can
proceed to your housing location
via taxi or subway.
If
interested in commuting to the
Museum by bike visit: http://bikewashington.org/
If you want to clean up after
your travels, showers and lockers
are available in the NMNH East
wing.
Attire
Each
office is different so it's
best to check with your sponsoring
staff for their recommendations
and preferences. Although some
offices will have specific requirements,
dress at the Smithsonian is
generally informal. Casual clothing
that is easy to work in is often
best.
Keep
in mind that Washington summers
tend to be very hot and humid
but the collection areas are
maintained at cool temperatures
to preserve the specimens. It's
wise to include a sweater or
long sleeve shirt in your packing
even if only in-residence during
the summer months.
Arrival
Check List
|
1)
Confirm arrival and tenure
dates with your Smithsonian
advisor.
2)
At least FOUR WEEKS prior
to your arrival, complete
and return the OF 306
and SF 86 forms to clear
your background investigation.
3)
At least TWO WEEKS prior
to your arrival, have
your sponsoring staff
make an appointment for
you to check in with NMNH
Academic Services. Registration
sessions are conducted
most Mondays from 9:00
- 9:30 a.m. in the ARC.
4)
Report to the Constitution
Avenue Lobby of the Natural
History Building (10th
Street and Constitution
Avenue, NW) and have the
security office call Mary
Sangrey (202-633-4548)
who will then meet you
in the lobby, sign confirmation
for you to be issued a
temporary badge, and escort
you to the ARC for registration.
5)
Attend NMNH intern registration.
|
During
your registration
session at NMNH
you will:
Receive
authorization
and instruction
about obtaining
your Smithsonian
ID badge, its
use and restrictions.
Receive
authorization
and instruction
about obtaining
access to Smithsonian
facilities, including
issue and activation
of a proximity
card.
Complete
registration documents
including emergency
contact information.
Complete
registration documents
to secure your
Smithsonian e-mail
account and computer
network access.
Sign
copyright and
photographic release
forms.
Be
provided information
about the Museum's
intranets, safety
and security,
and computer security
awareness training.
Be
provided information
and documents
to secure your
Smithsonian library
privileges.
Be
provided information
about the Smithsonian
intranet (Prism)
and NMNH intranets
and other web
resources.
Upon
request you may
also schedule
an orientation
tour around the
Natural History
Building to see
key seminar rooms,
cafeterias, central
laboratory facilities
plus an introduction
to the collections.
|
6) Review Smithsonian's
on-line
intern orientation,
prepared by Smithsonian
Center for Education and
Museum Studies (SCEMS).
7)
For interns receiving
a stipend, make an appointment
to check in with ORTS
(phone: 202-633-7070).
|
At
ORTS you will:
Review
and sign several
important forms
associated with
your stipend payment.
Receive
information about
stipend payment
schedule.
Receive
information about
taxes.
|
8)
Meet with your sponsoring
staff.
|
Upon
arrival your advisor
will:
After
Registration and
Orientation, meet
you in the Constitution
Avenue Lobby and
show you how to
get to your office
and work space.
Introduce
you to administrative
staff.
Where
appropriate, introduce
you to key collections
management personnel
and provide an
overview of the
Department's collections
management policies.
Describe
facilities available
to you and policies
about their use
including administrative
equipment (e.g.
photocopiers)
plus research
laboratories and
equipment.
Show
you where and
how to send and
receive regular
and express mail.
Show
you where and
how to obtain
general supplies
and review the
use of Smithsonian
stationary and
mailing privileges.
Show
you your work
space, including
your computer
access and telephone
as well as how
to use Smithsonian
phone services
and discuss calling
policies.
Describe
emergency procedures
and point out
emergency exits
and evacuation
routes.
|
9)
For international interns,
make an appointment to
check with OIR.
|
ARRIVAL
INFORMATION
Where
are we?
Natural
History Building (NHB):
Taking up about two city blocks,
the Natural History building
is located at 10th Street and
Constitution Avenue, NW in Washington,
DC. Although there are many
staff entrances, when first
arriving you should go to the
entrance located on Constitution
Avenue at 10th Street.
For
a map of the National Mall,
including the National Museum
of Natural History and other
Smithsonian museums, as well
as exhibit floor maps of NMNH,
see our maps
page.
Metrorail,
Washington's subway system,
and Metrobus link the city with
nearby communities in Maryland
and Virginia. Every subway station
is equipped with an elevator
and most with escalators. Metrorail
is conveniently located near
many Smithsonian museums. The
closest Metro Station to the
National Museum of Natural History
is the Smithsonian Station (Mall
exit) on the Blue and Orange
line. For a Metrorail map and
more information, visit the
Metro Website at: http://www.wmata.com.
Museum
Support Center (MSC): The
Museum also maintains a support
facility in Suitland, Maryland
(Museum Support Center - MSC).
One of the first such facilities
in the world of its kind, the
Museum Support Center (MSC)
was dedicated in May 1983 after
two years of construction and
a decade of intensive planning.
The facility covers 4 ½
acres of land and contains over
half a million square feet of
space dedicated to the storage
and safeguarding of museum collections.
Located in Suitland, Maryland,
7 miles from the Smithsonian
Museums on the mall, this unique
zigzag shaped building incorporates
the latest in museum technology.
The
Smithsonian operates a free
hourly shuttle bus service from
the National Museum of Natural
History on the National Mall
to the Museum Support Center.
The shuttle departs from the
Mall entrance of the museum
on Madison Drive on the hour,
arriving at the Museum Support
Center 30 minutes later. The
shuttle operates during regular
business hours. More
information about getting to
MSC.
Getting
Around the Natural History Building
It's
a big building. Most of us probably
spent at least a couple hours
our first week here wandering
the halls of the Museum, completely
lost. As part of your registration
at NMNH we'll offer you a quick,
guided tour around. However,
a couple things to remember.
There are three floors in the
"Main" building and
six floors in each of the East
and West research wings plus
a basement, attic and seven
floors in the new East Court.
Third floor of the Main Building
lines up with Sixth floor of
the East and West Wing and Sixth
floor East Court (think of the
Main building as having higher
ceilings).
NMNH
Check-in
To
officially record your appointment,
all new interns at Natural History
must attend an NMNH registration
session. Sessions at Natural
History are conducted Mondays
from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. in the
ARC (Room 59B), prior appointment
is required*.
During registration new interns
will complete the necessary
documents to officially register
their appointment, secure an
e-mail account, library card
and photo ID.
When
you arrive call the Office of
Academic Services (202-633-4548).
Someone will meet you in the
Constitution Avenue Lobby and
escort you to the Academic Resources
Center (ARC) which can be found
in the Main part of the Natural
History Building, Ground Floor
just down the corridor headed
West from the Constitution Avenue
entrance.
Following
your registration in the ARC
you will, most likely, receive
your identification credentials.
All interns are required to
show a picture I.D. (driver's
license, state ID, student ID,
etc.) to receive Smithsonian
identification credentials.
International interns must show
their passport.
*
To book
a Natural History registration
appointment the intern's sponsoring
staff must send an e-mail request
to Mary Sangrey. A simple e-mail
works best with just the following
information:
-
INTERN'S FULL NAME
- INTERNSHIP START DATE:
- INTERNSHIP END DATE:
- REGISTRATION DATE:
Forms
to Complete
A
"Welcome Interns"
packet is available at Natural
History in display cases outside
the Academic Resources Center
(ARC). This packet includes
the following documents for
you to complete and return to
Mary:
*
Intern Registration Form
* Background Survey Questionnaire
* Copyright Agreement and Photographic
Release
* Office Registration Form
* E-mail Form & User Agreement
* Borrowing Registration (for
Library card)
You
will need to have available
your insurance information,
emergency contact information,
local address, and one sentence
describing your internship project.
ORTS
Check-in
- Internships
with stipend
The
Office of Research and Training
Services (ORTS) expects all
official Smithsonian interns
receiving a stipend paid through
ORTS, in residence in the Washington
area, to check in with them
upon arrival. During check-in
the intern will sign several
important forms and receive
crucial payment information.
At this time ORTS will also
provide general information
about the Smithsonian, review
the financial award package
including stipend payment schedules,
and taxes.
OIR Check-in
- All International
interns
All
non-US citizens are required
to check in with Smithsonian's
Office of International Relations
within one week of their arrival.
Remember,
you will need a social security
number to open a bank account
and to file taxes. Staff at
OIR can offer guidance on this.
Fingerprinting and Background
Investigation Clearance
All
interns are required to report
to the Personnel Security Office
for confirmation of fingerprinting
and background investigation
clearance.
Personnel
Security Office
Capital
Gallery, 4th Floor,
Room 4036
600 Maryland Avenue,
SW
Washington |
