Wanted: Smithsonian 'Beer Historian' (And yes, it's a paying job)

WASHINGTON - Listen up, beer geeks. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History just added your dream job, so put down that pint and dust off your resume.

The museum wants a "professional historian/scholar" for a three-year stint. The job pays $64,650 a year with benefits, and is funded by the Brewers Association, a story in the Washington CityPaper says. According to the official job description, this person will "conduct archival and field research for a new initiative on American brewing history, with special enphasis on the craft industry."

Translation: you get paid to drink beer and report back (that's our translation, but probably not the museum's).

The museum's curator told the CityPaper they want someone who can focus on research, documentation and collection of America's brewing history.

Unless you're living under a rock, you know that craft beer is booming in the U.S. The Brewers Association said in March that the number of craft breweries operating across the nation grew by 15 percent last year alone.

Here's the full job description:

The Smithsonian Food History project at the National Museum of American History, in Washington, DC, is seeking a professional historian / scholar to conduct archival and field research for a new initiative on American brewing history, with special emphasis on the craft industry. The position is located in the Division of Work and Industry and will be a three-year appointment. The successful candidate will have proven experience in scholarly research, organizing and conducting oral history interviews, writing for both scholarly and general audiences, and knowledge of material culture and archival materials. The candidate will work with members of the curatorial staff on collections work and develop content for a wide variety of programs and applications, including digital formats. Candidates with an advanced degree in American business, brewing, food, cultural, or similar specialization within history are encouraged to apply. Must be able to travel, work independently as well as within a team environment, to meet deadlines, and to communicate effectively with co-workers and the public.

Interested and qualified applicants should send a CV, cover letter and names of three references to NMAHApplications@si.edu.

Better hurry, though. The deadline for applications is August 10.