Employment Opportunities

Looking to join the American Battlefield Trust team? Explore our open full-time positions and part-time internship opportunities below. Find out more about the benefits and highlights of working at the Trust on our career page.

Open Positions at the American Battlefield Trust

• Development Assistant (Washington, DC)
• Virginia Land Preservation Project Manager
• Internships

At the American Battlefield Trust, we build parks and tell stories — the narrative threads that make up the rich tapestry of our nation. Our culture calls for hardworking, entrepreneurial individuals that take calculated, intelligent risks and are always looking for opportunities to learn and improve. Our staff is united by a commitment to excellence and a passion for keeping American history alive.

Since 1987, the Trust has saved more than 60,000 acres of hallowed battlefield land from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War. We have reached millions of students and other life-long learners through our education programs. As our nation heads toward the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, we are looking to grow even more and build upon our previous successes.

The American Battlefield Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Development Assistant

The American Battlefield Trust, the nation’s premier historic land preservation nonprofit, seeks a Development Assistant to support donor engagement and serve as a key administrative partner to the Development Department. This role plays a vital part in ensuring donors receive exceptional service and thoughtful stewardship, while also supporting internal gift processing and departmental operations.

• Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid Office, with an expectation of onsite work and up to two days per week of remote work in this role)
• Job Classification: Full-Time; Exempt
• Department: Development
• Reports To: Database manager
• Salary Range: $42,000 - 48,000 annual starting salary, depending on experience
• Benefits: vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, 403(b) retirement plan, employer-paid health, dental and vision insurance, employer-paid life and AD&D insurance, employer-paid disability insurance, paid parental leave, FSA, onsite gym at Washington, DC office 

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Donor Support & Contact Center Oversight

• Serve as a primary point of contact for donors via phone and email, providing high-quality customer service and resolving complex or escalated inquiries.
• Oversee contact center services provided by the external gift processing vendor, including participating in weekly status meetings, providing training, and developing instructional documentation.
• Manage the main public email inbox and online contact forms, responding to donor and community inquiries and routing messages to appropriate staff as needed.

Gift Processing & Data Management

• Process and record gifts received at the headquarters via check, stock, or electronic Donor Advised Fund transfers, preparing data for upload into the fundraising database (EveryAction).
• Track and coordinate expected gifts by working with staff across the organization to confirm gift purpose, timing, and other key details.
• Create, update, and maintain donor records in EveryAction, supporting overall data quality and accuracy through routine quality assurance.

Donor Acknowledgement & Stewardship

• Generate high-touch acknowledgment letters each week for major donors, using templates or drafting customized language as appropriate.
• Draft and maintain standardized acknowledgment letter templates for direct mail and other fundraising appeals.
• Assist, as needed, with printing and mailing donor acknowledgments and stewardship materials.
• Manage a small in-office inventory of donor premiums.

Development Department Support

• Provide general administrative support to the Development team, including submitting invoices, processing expense reports, researching database issues, assisting with meeting agendas, and creating Board of Trustees materials using provided fundraising data.
• Serve as a liaison to other departments, participate in cross-departmental meetings, and prepare meeting notes for staff distribution.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university preferred
• 1-3+ years of experience in membership fundraising strongly preferred; candidates with relevant experience in customer service, sales, or other professional fields will be considered. Prior nonprofit experience is a plus.
• Strong interest in donor communications and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service via phone and email.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a collegial, high-performing Development team.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and time management; ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proactive, resourceful self-starter with strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
• Professional, polished demeanor with a strong work ethic and sense of initiative.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM/database systems; experience with EveryAction is preferred but not required.

To apply for the position, please send your resume, cover letter, salary requirements, and references to developmentresumes@battlefields.org.  No calls, please.  Salary is commensurate with experience, and we offer excellent benefits.

Virginia Land Preservation Project Manager 

Would you like the opportunity to make a permanent and lasting impact to the preservation of uniquely important landscapes where the most consequential events in American history occurred? The Virginia Land Preservation Project Manager position at the American Battlefield Trust (the “Trust”), the nation’s largest non-profit battlefield preservation organization, offers the chance for a motivated individual to save extraordinary historic sites for present and future generations.  The Trust has protected over 60,000 acres of important Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield land in 25 states. Through its land preservation and history education efforts, the Trust creates and expands battlefield parks that, as outdoor classrooms, tell the story of America’s unique history.

In order to accomplish its important mission, the Trust seeks a Project Manager in the Land Preservation Department to advance our goal to save critical battlefield land at significant Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The Virginia Land Preservation Project Manager will work closely with landowners, partner organizations, government agencies, and other Trust staff to complete land preservation projects, including conservation easements and fee simple transactions to protect battlefield land in perpetuity before it is lost. 

• Location: Remote based in Richmond, Virginia area; other remote work locations in Virginia or hybrid option in Washington, DC office may also be considered
• Job Classification: Full-Time; Exempt
• Department: Land Preservation
• Salary Range: $70,000 – 120,000 annual starting salary, depending on experience
• Benefits: vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, 403(b) retirement plan, employer-paid health, dental and vision insurance, employer-paid life and AD&D insurance, employer-paid disability insurance, paid parental leave, FSA, onsite gym at Washington, DC office 

General Scope of the Position

The Virginia Land Preservation Project Manager will be responsible for accomplishing land preservation transactions across the Commonwealth of Virginia, from initial landowner outreach, due diligence, closing, and post-closing activities.  The Virginia Land Preservation Project Manager will also be responsible for coordinating with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources on its requirements for conservation easements as required for grant funding both fee simple and conservation easement projects and other shared preservation efforts.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. Landowner and Partner Organization Outreach

• Conduct initial outreach to landowners to introduce the Trust and its preservation interest and build lasting working relationships
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with partners, including battlefield friends’ groups; local, state, and National Park Service personnel; key local and state officials; and government agency staff

2. Preservation Transaction Structuring and Negotiation

• Present preservation options and structures to landowners, including fee simple acquisitions, life estates transactions, conservation easements, bargain sales, etc.   
• Negotiate and structure preservation agreements, including fee simple purchase agreements containing purchase price, feasibility study periods, holdover arrangements, and other terms and conditions, and conservation easements containing provisions to protect the property in perpetuity

3. Funding, Due Diligence and Closings

• Work with the Trust’s government grant managers to pursue government grant funding for projects
• Work with the Trust’s development team to assist in private fundraising
• Engage contractors to complete all necessary due diligence and feasibility analysis, including appraisals, title reviews, boundary surveys, and environmental assessments
• Conduct substantive reviews of all due diligence reports, identifying any potential issues and developing approaches for issue resolution
• Manage real estate transaction closings, including document review, coordination with landowners, settlement companies and attorneys
• Prepare post-closing documentation, including conservation easements and stewardship arrangements

4. Stewardship and Restoration Coordination

• Work with the Trust’s Land Stewardship Manager to oversee ongoing land stewardship efforts for Trust-owned properties
• Explore opportunities to transfer preserved properties post-closing to partner entities for long-term stewardship and interpretation

5. Virginia Department of Historic Resources Coordination

• Oversee efforts to work with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources staff on the drafting, approval, and recordation of conservation easements on battlefield properties
• Manage additional coordination with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources on projects advancing shared battlefield preservation interest

Required Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• B.A./B.S. degree is required; J.D. or MBA is preferred
• At least five (5) to ten (10) years of relevant experience in real estate transactions, project management, or related work
• Ability to establish excellent working relationships, be detail-oriented, and meet project deadlines
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Experience working with Microsoft Office Suite
• Willingness to travel
• Interest in land conservation and American history preservation is essential 

To apply for the position, please send resume, cover letter, salary requirements, and references to LPresumes@battlefields.org.

Internships

The American Battlefield Trust provides students interested in history and conservation with outstanding opportunities to work on meaningful projects and gain perspective on the dynamics of an efficient, top-rated nonprofit organization.

The Trust offers paid part-time internships in our Washington, D.C. office, up to 29 hours per week, as needed throughout the year. Interns will be paid, at minimum, the Washington, DC, minimum wage, which is currently $17.95/hour. Successful candidates may be able to arrange for varied tenures, depending on availability. While we strive to accommodate the schedules of qualified candidates, the selection process is competitive, and organizational staffing needs are consideration criteria.

We are currently accepting applications for the following department(s). Click the links below for additional details, or see the department descriptions below for more information:

• Development
• Digital - Spring/Summer 2026
• History & Education - Spring/Summer 2026
• Policy & Communications

Successful candidates will be contacted by a staff member directly. As part of the selection process, candidates may be asked to participate in an interview, either in person or over the phone. We regret that due to the volume of submissions, we may not be able to respond personally to all applicants. No calls, please.

Candidates must specify the department (first and second choices are welcome) for which they wish to be considered. Application packages containing a cover letter, resume and two writing samples (no more than five pages; excerpts welcome). Please submit applications specifically for Development to developmentresumes@battlefields.org; applications for the Digital Department to digitalresumes@battlefields.org; applications for the History & Education Programs to eduinterns@battlefields.org; applications for Land Preservation to LPresumes@battlefields.org; applications for Policy and Communications to policyresumes@battlefields.orgor:

American Battlefield Trust
ATTN: Intern Coordinator
1030 15th Street NW, Suite 900 East
Washington, D.C. 20005

Internship applicants can expect the following per department or initiative:

Development

Interns will learn the mechanics of the nonprofit industry, including event planning, prospect research and donor and member cultivation and management. Our current opportunity is for a start date of July 2024.

Education

These internships entail a wide variety of Civil War and Revolutionary War research, writing, content creation, and image or video editing in support of our education programs on our website, at American Battlefield Trust events, and in print. These are just some of the opportunities available to you as an intern for the American Battlefield Trust Education Department. For motivated History and Education majors, who are looking to hone and develop their public history and program management skills, this internship is for you.

Video Production

The Education team also offers internships specific to video editing. Assistance with filming in the field may also be included, depending on the intern’s location and length of the internship. Responsibilities include color correction, sound mixing, illustrating with images and B-Roll, and adding Trust branding; researching Civil War, Revolutionary War and War of 1812 topics in order to best find the best possible imagery to illustrate our programming; and building pages on the Trust website for videos to live.

Policy and Communications

Interns assist with multimedia advocacy and outreach efforts; planning, preparing for and executing select special events; drafting and distributing news releases; and supporting a wide variety of government and public relations initiatives throughout the year.

Land Preservation

Interns will perform key administrative tasks regarding land transactions. These tasks may include organizing digital and physical files, researching land transaction records, and assisting with grant applications. These internships are ideal for detail-oriented students interested in real estate or data management. Internships will have hybrid or in-office work schedules, to be determined in consultation with successful candidates.

Digital Media

Interns assist with social media, marketing, digital video editing, and web publishing to help 19th-century history meet 21st-century technology.
 

More opportunities

If you’re interested in bringing your experience and passion to the Trust, but we don’t have the right position available right now, please email our HR Manager at rmaris@battlefields.org with your resume and contact information, and we’ll reach out if we ever have an opportunity that we think might be a good fit.