Clarification from the agency

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO ALL CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES.

Plans and manages all essential aspects of complex exhibition projects and other public spaces from approved concept, design and development, gallery preparation, fabrication, installation, operations, and project closeout.

Prepares and manages exhibition project plans including a narrative summary, statement of purpose, budget, scope, schedule, team, objectives/goals, interpretive approach, target audience, significant milestones and deliverables summary, and quality controls.

Manages project delivery, monitors progress, and provides corrective strategies and actions to keep projects on track, on time, and on budget.

Leads exhibit development project teams and is the primary project liaison to contractors, other NPM departments, NPM Director, as well as other SI units and external stakeholders, coordinating all needed activities and processes required for project delivery.

Calls and chairs project team and special meetings; attends and organizes meetings with other Institutional offices and potential donors to explain exhibit plans, research, and design; disseminates results/decisions and maintains a record of all communication.

Serves as the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) for exhibition related contracts in accordance with Smithsonian and NPM procedures and standards.

Conducts market research, prepares, but does not approve, contract procurement documents, solicits proposals, selects contractors/vendors, and manages multiple contracts simultaneously. Exhibit contracts range in dollar amount and Contract Managers (COTR’s) must take SI in house training on the procurement process.

Coordinates the work of curators, philatelists, historians, designers, writers, educators, administrators, contractors, conservators, collections managers, etc. to ensure selection, availability, readiness, and procurement of exhibit assets including graphics material (photos, charts, maps, illustrations, etc.), collection objects, loaned artifacts, non-collection objects, artworks, or other exhibit props; audio visual material, and other exhibition media to enhance story lines.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• Complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer

Conditions of Employment

You must be fully vaccinated for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized or FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine.

OR

Have an approved Reasonable Accommodation granting an exemption from vaccine requirements. Please see additional information regarding reasonable accommodations below.  

The Smithsonian Institution has a mandate requiring all employees (federal and trust), affiliated staff (including volunteers, interns, and fellows), and the contractors who work with us to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee’s duty location or work arrangement (e.g., onsite, telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the Smithsonian Institution, if after November 22. The Smithsonian Institution will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exemption from this requirement. This requirement applies to employees, affiliated staff, contractors who are working on-site, and those teleworking in whole or in part. Limited exemptions to the Smithsonian Institution’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate will be considered on a case-by-case basis for selected candidates who inform the Smithsonian that they cannot be vaccinated because of a disability, including certain medical conditions the Center for Disease Control (CDC) considers contraindications to the vaccine, or because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. Additional information and instructions regarding Smithsonian’s COVID-19 mandate will be provided at the time of selection.   

Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the grade 09 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position Specialized experience is defined as experience on a team planning and developing exhibits for a museum, cultural or historical organization. This experience includes collaborating on exhibit projects at various phases including at least two of the following areas: design/development, gallery preparation, fabrication/installation.  Experience includes assisting with the acquisition of exhibit assets including at least three of the following: graphics material; collection objects; non-collection objects; loaned artifacts; artworks; exhibit props; audio-visual material; or other exhibit media that enhanced exhibit story lines.                                               

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: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related to illustrative design, commercial art, fine arts, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, or other fields related to the position.  Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications; for example, a half year of experience and a half year of education in the field may be qualifying.

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 essential aspects of planning and project management of exhibition projects.
2. Ability to prepare and manage detailed project plans for exhibits.
3. Ability to lead an exhibit development project team.
4. Ability to manage exhibit design and production contracts.
5. Ability to facilitate the work of a variety of stakeholders involved in the exhibit development process to ensure the successful implementation of exhibit projects.

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.