The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history within the Department of Paleontology for this position.
Experience related to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include collections management, registration, cataloging, research, preservation, restoration, or conservation of collections of museum material, or other experience related to the position to be filled. Most positions require a particular subject-matter specialization, e.g., aeronautics, anthropology, art, geology, history, natural science, technology, biology, or zoology. In addition to the basic qualification requirement above: Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of full-time experience at the GS-12 grade level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system that is close or similar to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. For this position specialized experience is defined as overseeing and performing work in paleontological collections management in a museum or public science center including planning, care and preservation of fossil organism and sediment collections, enhancing access, and oversight of collection digitization projects and loans, registration and collection documentation. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
The Supervisory Museum Specialist (Geology) will oversee all aspects of paleontological collections by developing and maintaining an overall vision for the care, management, and improvement of this vast/complex/diverse collection. In this position, you will: Supervise the work of Collections Management staff; oversee contractors, volunteers and interns on collections improvement projects. Manage and direct one of the world's leading paleontological collections, consisting of over 42 million objects, including improvement projects for the geological collections. Ensure museum specialists are available to enable and facilitate visitor access to collections and collections information on various levels. Coordinate all transactions including all acquisitions, loans, exchanges, transfers, and disposals. Participate with scientific staff in planning the Department's exhibit/outreach program by providing specimens, maps, or scientific information.