Collections Specialist

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 Museum of African American History and Culture. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a national museum for the study and exhibition of African American history and culture.

Responsibilities

• Determine the storage of artifacts by analyzing storage requirements. Advise on storage plans and approaches.
• In preparation for storage, shipping, transportation or exhibition, disassemble, assemble, load, unload, secure, crate or cradle artifacts. Perform all types of specimen-handling operations, including those that require the operation of forklifts or similar equipment, box trucks and other vehicles or equipment.
• Monitor environmental conditions of the collections storage areas, which includes the integrated pest management (IPM) program at NMAAHC storage locations and initiate action to correct conditions detrimental to objects.
• Place and monitor remote temperature humidity monitoring systems, flood detectors, good-candle meters and UV meters.
• Act as team lead or coordinate museum technicians, interns, visitors, researchers and contractors in the collection areas and their work.
• Write condition reports. Define specifications and provide this information to unit supervisors to solicit bids from vendors.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.

Requirements

• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• U.S. citizenship

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications: 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.
• Additional Education: 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the position
• Combination of Education and Experience: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Education

This position has no basic education requirement.

Additional information

This position is included in the bargaining unit.

Current or Former Political Appointees

If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Office of Human Resources. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

• Position title;
• Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
• Agency;
• Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Note

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

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.