Employment
Drake Well Museum and Park in Titusville, PA, is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) in partnership with Friends of Drake Well, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit, community-based organization. Drake Well Museum and Park also administers Historic Pithole City in Pleasantville, PA, and McClintock Well #1 in Rouseville, PA. The mission of Drake Well Museum and Park is to uncover, preserve, and share Pennsylvania's rich petroleum history, connecting past to present through a diversity of perspectives and inspiring our global audience to strive for a sustainable energy future.
Drake Well Replica Operator (PT, Seasonal)
Position Title: Drake Well Replica Operator
Position Type: Part-time, hourly (15-22 hours/week), seasonal
Supervisor: Executive Director, Friends of Drake Well, Inc.
Friends of Drake Well, Inc. (FDW) is seeking an outgoing individual to train and hire in the operation and interpretation of the Drake Well replica steam engine, boiler, and engine house/derrick at Drake Well Museum and Park in Titusville, PA. The Drake Well Replica Operator is responsible for the safe and proper operation and maintenance of the Drake Well replica steam engine and boiler as well as the accurate interpretation of both the history and the technology of the equipment of the Drake Well replica for Museum visitors. Position is one of three Drake Well Operator positions at Drake Well Museum and Park. Friends of Drake Well is a non-profit organization that actively supports the administration and operation of Drake Well Museum and Park in partnership with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC).
This position reports to the FDW Executive Director in collaboration with the PHMC Facilities Operations Supervisor and Maintenance Staff at Drake Well Museum and Park.
For a complete listing of job duties and requirements, click HERE to download the full job description.
If interested in applying, please attend the information session on March 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Drake Well Museum. Applications will be available at the event. RSVP for the information session at 814-827-2797 or email drakewell@verizon.net.
David L. Weber Research Internship
David L. Weber Research Internship (part-time, seasonal) - Friends of Drake Well, Inc., is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Research Intern to join our innovative team at Drake Well Museum & Park. This graduate-level internship offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a dynamic research environment and collaborate with seasoned professionals while researching the ever-evolving petroleum industry. The internship is named after the late David Weber, a former historian and researcher at Drake Well Museum, whose research and writings helped to advance our knowledge of the early petroleum industry in Pennsylvania. The Research Intern will continue the great work started by Weber, assisting the Museum by
- Performing an archival review to identify gaps in existing research and make a list of findings
- Conducting research on topics from compiled list to flesh out historical information in archive
- Acting Editor-in-Residence for forthcoming issue of the Friends of Drake Well, Inc.’s academic publication the OilField Journal
- Presenting research by contributing an article to the OilField Journal and giving an oral presentation at a site event
- Providing support to the Curatorial and Collections Department for ongoing archival projects
Required Qualifications
- Pursing a Graduate or Ph.D. degree in the following areas: History, Public History, Museum Studies, Sociology, Archival Studies, English, Library Science, Journalism, Petroleum Engineering, Geology, Women’s Studies and other related fields involving intensive research and writing skills
- Strong analytical skills with a foundation in research methodologies
- Familiarity with data analysis tools (i.e. Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, Zoom, Dropbox, Canva)
- Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian Citation Style, and other similar writing styles are highly encouraged, but not required
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment
The internship is paid starting at $17.31/hour. Internship is held between May 2026 and August 2026.
This position is offered through Friends of Drake Well, Inc., the nonprofit community-based organization that actively supports the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in the administration of Drake Well Museum & Park in Titusville, Pennsylvania. The internship will take place at Drake Well Museum & Park.
To apply or to read further details on the position, please visit www.joinhandshake.com.