Summary
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located within the Office of Collections, Division of Public History, National Museum of American History (NMAH). NMAH is home to more than 1.8 million objects and more than three shelf-miles of archival collections, preserving and sharing the greatest single collection of American history in the world.
Duties
The Supervisory Museum Specialist (Offsite) manages a staff of Museum Specialists performing collections management functions within the Office of Collections. Responsibilities range from supervisory, to project management, to leading and participating in a range of collections care initiatives. In this position, you will: Coordinate collections-related functional activities across NMAH collections projects to ensure efficient planning, execution, and integration of project objectives. Lead the collections management work in the Collections Management Office in support of collections care, storage, display, access, and preservation. Supervise staff assigned to the Collections Management Office, providing leadership, direction, and oversight to ensure the successful accomplishment of program objectives.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information. Physical Requirements: Incumbent will be required to wear personal protective equipment, including steel toe safety shoes, when moving heavy objects, ear and eye protection, and gloves for lifting heavy objects. Incumbent must be able to lift objects weighing up to 40 lbs. on a regular basis, unassisted. Incumbent will be required to operate manual, automated, and mobile equipment to move objects and crates; this includes equipment ranging from dollies to lifts. Incumbent must be able to work at heights of up to 6 feet from the floor from a ladder, personnel lift, or secure shelving. Must be able to walk, stand, bend, and reach for long periods of time, and work in constricted spaces. Work Environment: Must be able to work in a range of weather conditions outdoors in all seasons, encountering rain and snow, and a wide range of temperatures, 30 to 90 degrees F. Other Requirements: Valid states driver's license required to drive Smithsonian van. Employee will be required to take Forklift training. Employee will be required to obtain and maintain FAC-COR Level I Certification. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.
How you will be evaluated
Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria: Knowledge of museum collections management functions, standards, and practices (including collections preservation, storage, collections documentation, and registration) and the use of museum collection information systems in order to oversee the physical movement and preservation of museum collection objects. Knowledge of the practices and methods used in moving museum artifacts including object care, object handling, movement, installation/deinstallation, staging, and tracking in order to coordinate transfer of museum objects within the Institution, as well as coordinate transfers to external museums and organizations. Skill in oral communication sufficient to make effective oral presentations and lead meetings. Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed. You may preview questions for this vacancy.