Museum Specialist (IS-1016-09)

Description

OPEN DATE : October 23, 2024

CLOSING DATE : November 6, 2024

POSITION TYPE : Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE : Temporary Not to Exceed Two (2) Years

SCHEDULE : Full Time

DUTY LOCATION : Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk : Non-sensitive (NS) / Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts.

Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side.

Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit / Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit / Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

This position is located organizationally in the Content and Interpretation Department, National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL), Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI).

SI is a diverse museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. NMAL connects with audiences both online and in-person as a national museum dedicated to enriching the appreciation of America’s Latino heritage and empowering Latino American communities in their sense of inclusion within the national culture.

This position supports a grant funded project on Latinos, Religion, and Culture in a paraprofessional capacity.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs object-based research for museum exhibitions related to Latino history and culture under curatorial guidance.
• Conducts research on topics, themes and objects related to Latinx history and culture for SI, outside museums, universities, libraries and other cultural and educational organizations.
• Compiles background material for exhibitions related to Latino history and culture, including research for information to be included in labels or public presentations.
• Supports the process of acquisitions of objects by identifying and researching potential acquisitions, communicating with artists, vendors and donors, preparing templates for acquisitions reports.
• Assembles, organizes and catalogues documentation on Latino objects and materials for curatorial and registrar files.
• Collaborates with conservation staff and contractors on the maintenance and preservation of collection objects.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and / or 3-5 years of related experience (described below);

or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience required for this position is as follows :

• Ability to speak, read and write fluently in Spanish in order perform research, writing and other duties associated with assisting with exhibitions, collections management, acquisitions, and direct communications with Spanish speaking religious communities.
• Knowledge in the field of Latino art and / or history as it relates to Religion and Culture to identify collections items such as artworks and historical artifacts.
• Knowledge of museum practices, procedures, and methods related to acquisitions, cataloguing, and exhibition research to identify Latino collections for acquisition and exhibition development
• Ability to communicate in writing in order to disseminate accurate information regarding collections to museum curators and staff, the general public and vendors

Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.

S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year);

and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next : Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job.

After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact Carol Youmans, youmansc@si.

edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures .

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer . We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs.

See Smithsonian EEO program information : https : / / www.si.edu / oeesd .

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities.

There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.