Museum Specialist (General)

About the role

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the National Air & Space Museum/Collections Processing Unit (CPU).

The Collections Processing Unit is responsible for protecting the National Collections of Aeronautics and Space Artifacts in perpetuity and guaranteeing intellectual and physical control over those collections.

What you will do

• The Museum Specialist (General) serves to carry out collections management activities, including developing and implementing procedures to be followed by staff, interns and volunteers involved in packing, handling, moving, transporting and storing of objects and work within the unit.
• In this position, you will: Determine the storage of artifacts by analyzing storage requirements.
• Advise on storage plans and approaches.
• Designs innovative storage systems.
• Assemble, disassemble, load, unload, secure, crate, or cradle aforementioned types of artifacts.
• These tasks require the incumbent to construct cradles, dollies, and other supports necessary to ensure safe handling, movement, and storage of the artifacts.
• Perform various types of specimen-handling operations, including those that require the operation of forklifts or similar equipment, box trucks, tractor trailers and other vehicles or equipment.
• Direct or coordinate museum technicians and specialists, interns, visitors, researchers and contractors in the collections areas and their work with the collection, providing them with assistance and maintaining the security for the collection at all times.
• Collaborate/Consult with the Registrar, curatorial units and Conservator may research, document, catalog, inventory and write condition reports on accessioned artifacts and propagating them to The Museum System.
• Occasionally serves as project manager/coordinator for assignments.

Requirements

• Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
• For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.
• Must obtain/maintain a Class A commercial driver's license within 9 months of hire.

Education

Education can be substituted in lieu of specialized experience for this position only at the GS-07 and GS-09 grade levels. (unofficial transcripts must be submitted at the time of application).

How you will be evaluated

Applicants for this position may be evaluated in multiple stages. The first stage is an evaluation of your responses to the online multiple-choice questions that assess your experience, education, and/or training for the job related competencies below: Knowledge of museum object handling and storage standards for a widely varied aeronautical and space artifact collection.

Skill in the use of stationary and power hand tools used in the preservation, storage, moving, or transporting of artifacts. Skill in operating material handling equipment, such as forklifts; scissor lifts; Aerial Work Platforms and similar equipment.

Knowledge of accepted museum collections management methodology and practices related to small, medium, and large aeronautical and space related artifacts. Ability to use specialized computer programs to input artifact related data into the collections information database.

Ability to communicate in writing for the purpose of writing and documenting physical descriptions of artifacts or digital material in accordance with procedures and established standards and communicating with staff within and outside the unit.

Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria: Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above. Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above.

Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree. This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.

A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied.

Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher.

Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position. 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 sufficient 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.

Documents you must provide

• Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder.
• Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), and hours worked per week, for each employment period.
• It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted.
• Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position.
• For assistance with creating a resume, please click USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
• Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran.
• Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter.
• Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify.
• If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
• Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.

Benefits

The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options. Please see Benefits at *** for a complete description.

Flexible Spending Accounts - *** Health Insurance - *** Leave - *** Life Insurance - *** Long Term Care Insurance - *** Retirement Program - ***

What to expect next

At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt.

The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process.

You may also check your application status by logging into *** and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing ***; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed. Additional Information: Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at ***

The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but recruitment incentives may be authorized. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer. Additional information can be found on our website at (***).

Additional information

This position is included in the bargaining unit. Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability.

If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI).

By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.