Museum Specialist

About the Role

This position sits within the Office of Collections Management in the Office of Collections at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, part of the Smithsonian Institution. The role focuses on supporting exhibition-related collections work, ensuring objects are prepared, documented, transported, and installed safely and accurately across museum locations.

What You Will Do

• Support collections work tied to exhibition projects, including helping shape project budgets and securing needed resources such as supplies and contractor assistance.
• Move between museum locations to retrieve exhibit objects and record object data in the Museum Computer Information System and other project tracking tools.
• Help assess objects in advance of exhibition work and recommend practical solutions for safe handling, housing, packing, movement, and transport.
• Make sure objects are secured properly and that databases and project stakeholders are updated throughout the exhibition process.
• Coordinate loan-related work and manage logistics connected with exhibit installation and de-installation.
• Carry out collections management duties across exhibition projects both independently and as part of a team.
• Work closely with curators, collections staff, conservators, catalogers, photographers, exhibition services personnel, and project managers to develop and install exhibitions.

Working Conditions

The work can at times be physically demanding. Some tasks may require lifting large, heavy objects of up to 50 lbs.

Eligibility and Employment Conditions

• Applicants must already hold career or career-conditional status, or otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for that status.
• Men born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• For promotion consideration, candidates must satisfy the required one-year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level within 30 days of the closing date.
• This position is part of a bargaining unit.

Qualifications

To qualify, candidates should have experience in museum operations or the management of collections or similar valuable objects. Relevant background may include collections management, registration, cataloging, research, preservation, restoration, or conservation. Subject-area expertise may also be relevant, such as aeronautics, anthropology, art, geology, history, natural science, technology, biology, or zoology.

For GS-9 level consideration, applicants need one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-7 in federal service. This experience should include assisting with exhibition projects and documentation, helping with object handling and storage, coordinating photography and exhibit logistics, and using collections procedures to safeguard objects during packing, movement, and transport.

For GS-11 level consideration, applicants need one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-9 in federal service. This should include preparing museum objects for exhibitions, managing object records in a Computer Information System or similar database, handling object movement and storage, coordinating object photography for exhibits, and advising on collections procedures and logistics.

Both paid and unpaid experience may count, including volunteer work with service programs or community and professional organizations. Part-time and unpaid experience will be considered when calculating total experience, and applicants should specify weekly hours worked.

Applicants are expected to submit a resume of no more than two pages that clearly shows how their background matches the job duties and specialized experience. The resume should be written in the applicant’s own words and should not repeat language from the vacancy notice.

Education

No specific educational degree is required for this role.

Additional Information

Recruitment incentives may be available, but any award depends on available approval and resources. If an incentive is offered, a service agreement may be required in return for remaining in federal service for a specified period. Incentives are not guaranteed.

Applications may be considered for multiple vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution, and submitting an application allows your information to be shared with relevant hiring officials for similar opportunities within the listed location.

Candidates should be committed to improving the effectiveness of the federal government, supportive of the ideals of the American republic, and dedicated to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.

The Smithsonian provides a benefits package that may include vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, health and life insurance, accident insurance, flexible spending accounts, long-term care coverage, and retirement options.