Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current and former Federal employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply; such as applicants with a disability, former Peace Corps volunteers, certain military spouses, veterans seeking a VRA/VEOA appointment, or veterans who have been separated from armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active service.

• Coordinates collection management functions that include accession number requests, photography orders, requests for the movement of objects, and the retrieval and return of artworks to storage.
• Processes collection catalog records including data entry; supports acquisition process by preparing and editing acquisition reports; uses collection database to track artworks for photography, conservation and exhibition; and manages procurement and travel.
• Oversees collection storage, developing and implementing collection space plans and participates in periodic inventories.
• Utilizes specialized knowledge of collections to guide and assist researchers and answer inquiries.
• Communicates with vendors, contractors, staff, researchers, and general public.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• May need to complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

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.

Qualifications

Experience:  All applicants must meet the Selective Factor and the Specialized Experience requirements in order to be minimally qualified for this position. Your application must show written evidence of both requirements:  

Selective Factor Requirement:

Experience in collections management principles, procedures, and methods used in the handling, storage, physical care, and preservation, including the attendant recordkeeping to ensure the safety and accessibility of original photographic collection objects, gained by working as a curatorial assistant, museum specialist, or collections specialist in a museum, archival collection or similar facility consisting primarily of photographs and works of art on paper.

Specialized Experience Requirement: GS-09

In addition to meeting the Selective Factor above, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. For this position specialized experience is defined as assisting with the organization and maintenance of collections in a museum or cultural institution; maintaining catalog records including data entry; and providing administrative support.

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.

Or Education: Master's or equivalent degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B or J.D., if related

For positions at GS-4 and above, related course work is required. Related fields of study include art, history, museum studies, scientific subjects, or other courses related to the position to be filled.

Or a Combination: 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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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:

1. Knowledge of collections management principles, procedures, and methods used in the handling, storage, care, and preservation of museum or archival collections, including the attendant recordkeeping to ensure the safety and accessibility of photographic collection objects.
2. Skill in using office computer software programs for word processing, collections information retrieval, and procurement to enter records, manage collections databases, process financial paperwork, and manage staff travel documents.
3. Ability to organize and manage projects to support initiatives such as collection inventories, expansion and reorganization of art or artifact storage, and collection digitization.
4. Knowledge of American political and cultural history to assure accuracy of collection cataloging records and to respond to public inquiries/provide reference services.
5. Ability to communicate orally to respond to inquiries and disseminate accurate information regarding collections to staff, researchers, donors, vendors, and the general public.
6. Ability to communicate in writing to respond to inquiries and disseminate accurate information regarding collections to staff, researchers, donors, vendors, and the general public.

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.