Education Specialist - Archives of American Art

Position Overview

The Smithsonian Institution's Archives of American Art, located in Washington, DC, is seeking an Education Specialist to support Reference Services within the Office of the Under Secretary for Museums and Culture. This temporary trust fund position is full-time and lasts up to two years. The Archives holds over 30 million items documenting American art history, emphasizing accessibility and digitization.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in designing and executing education programs for diverse learners, focusing mainly on professional development for undergraduate faculty. Collaborate across departments and with leadership to ensure program alignment and integration of digital and onsite learning.
• Engage in planning education topics, partnership identification, and outreach initiatives including participant recruitment and audience interaction. Support the development of goals, metrics, and evaluation frameworks.
• Ensure all education activities follow organizational policies and best practices.
• Collaborate with internal staff and external groups such as K–16 educators and nonprofits to deliver and evaluate educational content, including working on interdisciplinary teams.
• Deliver instructional sessions and workshops tailored to K–16 educators and undergraduate faculty, incorporating effective instructional design and maintaining awareness of educational trends and technologies.
• Maintain and nurture relationships with educators and partner institutions to enhance program outreach and effectiveness.
• Support administrative components including grant and budget management, expenditure tracking, procurement documentation, and assisting contract oversight.

Qualifications and Skills

• Strong foundation in educational program development, instructional design, and learning theory within archival, museum, or library contexts.
• Experience creating and delivering education programs for K–16 levels and undergraduate faculty.
• Familiarity with in-person and digital education methods, evaluation techniques, and education technologies.
• Knowledge of community outreach and partnership strategies relevant to educational and cultural institutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills suitable for diverse audiences and collaborative environments.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, showing initiative and adaptability.
• Must pass pre-employment background checks and probation, and maintain a bank account for direct deposit.

Additional Information

• Open to all qualified applicants eligible to work in the United States, though proof of eligibility is not required to apply.
• Trust Fund employees are not federal government employees and have a distinct benefits program including health insurance, retirement plans, and other perks.
• The position requires compliance with Smithsonian policies and procedures and is non-sensitive/low risk.
• Relocation expenses will not be reimbursed.
• The Smithsonian values diversity and provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this role is $85,447 to $111,087.