Shareholder Development - Intern - Language, People, & Place Names (SHI)

Job Title: Language, People, and Place Names Intern

Location: Juneau, AK - Sealaska Heritage Institute

Job Summary:

Join the Culture and History Department at Sealaska Heritage Institute as Language, People, and Place Names Intern, where you will explore the rich anthropology and history of the Tlingit culture in Southeast Alaska, focusing on the Tlingit Shotridge Materials. Under the guidance of SHI linguist Will Gieger, you will assist in compiling a searchable list of Tlingit personal and place names from Louis Shotridge’s writings, gaining hands-on experience in archival research and database development. Working closely with a passionate team, you will deepen your understanding of the Tlingit clan system while developing skills in cultural preservation and linguistics.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Support the development of a searchable database, including applying machine learning tools, like named entity recognition NED, under the guidance of Dr. Monteleone.
• Conduct research into the history, anthropology, and clan system of the Tlingit culture.
• Develop a workflow for digitizing handwritten documents using AI or machine learning algorithms, while troubleshooting special character issues.
• Assist with additional tasks and initiatives within the Culture and History Department as time permits. There may be opportunities for occasional field work.
• Engage with team members in a professional and collaborative manner to achieve project goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Final Project Options:

• Exploring family history
• Mapping a family tree
• Mapping or documenting migration(s) or movements
• Documenting the research process itself, such as transcribing, converting the spellings, hurdles, achievements, and how it will be useful.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Acceding and manipulating web archives
• PDF/Word/text manipulation and some MS Access (or similar) database knowledge.
• Organization and research skills
• Proofreading skills are essential
• Able to both collaborate with a team and work independently
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Must be a Sealaska shareholder, descendant of a shareholder, or spouse of a shareholder
• Legally authorized to work in the United States
• Ability to travel as needed

Education and Experience:

• Must be 18 years old at time of hire
• Must be currently enrolled in post-secondary school/program or a recent graduate (1-2 years)
• Legally authorized to work in the United States

Preferred Skills:

• Experience or a desire to learn machine learning or AI algorithms (no coding experience needed, Python recommended)
• At least a 2.5 GPA
• Strong critical thinking and research skills
• Self-starter with ability to adapt to a fast-paced work environment

Application Process

• Complete online application at Sealaska.com/careers by January 11, 2026.
• Submit a resume and recent transcript (unofficial) with online application.
• You may be asked to provide proof of your status as a Sealaska shareholder, shareholder descendant, or shareholder spouse.
• You must successfully complete a background check prior to onboarding at Sealaska.

About Sealaska Intern Program
The Sealaska intern program exists to uplift Sealaska shareholders and their descendants pursuing post-secondary education with meaningful career experience, learning opportunities, and a supportive community. Interns explore career interests, grow professional skills, and connect with the unique and vibrant cultures of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. You will spend the summer with peers who share an Alaska Native heritage, learning from each other and building a community as you venture into your careers. Learn more at sealaska.com/careers/summer-internships.

Working Conditions:

The physical and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to perform computer-based tasks and processing for up to 8 hours, including sitting or standing, mousing, and interacting with information on a computer monitor.
• Must be able to lift and carry or otherwise move 25 pounds regularly.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Bending or standing as necessary.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee will primarily work in an office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.

This description is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. It is intended to accurately reflect the activities and requirements of the position, but duties may be added, deleted, or modified, as necessary. This description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Review the Benefits associated with this position: https://www.sealaska.com/benefits/
What To Know
Sealaska and its affiliates do not make job offers without first conducting live in-person or virtual interviews, and they do not conduct interviews by email/text. Please be sure to confirm the legitimacy of all job postings on the sealska.com careers page and https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/sealaska/CANDIDATEPORTAL careers site before sharing any of your personal information.

Hourly Rate: $24.00

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