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Summary

The Collections Processing Unit located on the Paul E. Garber Facility (PEGF) in Suitland, MD, National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall (NMB), and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (UHC) in Chantilly, VA, is part of the NASM Collections Management Department, protecting the National Collections of Aeronautics and Space Artifacts in perpetuity and guaranteeing intellectual as well as physical control over those collections. 

More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/09/2023 to 08/22/2023
Salary
$53,105 to - $102,166 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 11
Location
Suitland, MD
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel is required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
23R-SB-309067-MPA-NASM
Control number
741999000

Duties

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The Museum Specialist is responsible for determining the storage of artifacts by analyzing storage requirements. In this position, you will:

  • Serve as project manager/coordinator for assignments.
  • Advise on storage plans and approaches. 
  • Design innovative storage systems.
  • Disassemble, assemble, load, unload, secure, crate, or cradle aforementioned types of artifacts.
  • Construct cradles, dollies, and other supports necessary to ensure safe handling, movement, and storage of the artifacts.
  • Direct or coordinate museum technicians and specialists, interns, visitors, researchers and contractors in the collections areas and their work with the collection, providing them with assistance and maintaining the security for the collection at all times.

Requirements

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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.
  • This is a Drug Testing designated position.

Conditions of Employment

Candidate must obtain a Class A Commercial Driver’s License within the first nine (9) months of being hired and maintain it thereafter.

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met by the closing date of the announcement. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

Qualifications

Experience

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-5 and above): 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.

or

Education

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: 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.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-07 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-05 it must include:

  • Experience handling large (such as 20’ x 10’ in size) delicate and valuable artifacts, including proper techniques for packing, unpacking, and physically moving objects.
  • Experience cataloging, documentation, and inventory management.
  • Experience planning and executing artifact transportation locally.


To qualify for the GS-07 on Education alone, you must have at least 1 full academic year of related graduate level education or superior academic achievement.


•    **Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
•    1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
•    2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.

You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate level education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07 it must include:

  • Experience handling artifacts large (such as 20’ x 10’ in size) , including techniques for packing, unpacking, and physically moving objects in regards to understanding appropriate environmental conditions, security protocols, and preventive conservation measures to ensure the safety and preservation of the artifacts during handling
    and transportation.
  • Experience in planning and executing artifact transportation, both locally and internationally in regards to packing materials and methods, customs regulations, insurance requirements, and logistics coordination.
  • Experience using specialized handling equipment, such as crating systems, lifters, or climate-controlled containers is required.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the position. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:

  • Experience handling large (such as 20’ x 10’ in size) aerospace artifacts, including techniques for packing, unpacking, and physically moving objects in regards to understanding appropriate environmental conditions, security protocols, and preventive conservation measures to ensure the safety and preservation of the artifacts during handling and transportation.
  • Experience researching local and international regulations governing artifact transportation, including customs requirements, import/export permits, and cultural heritage protection laws.
  • Experience packing and crating artifacts for transportation, considering their fragility, size, and material composition while selecting appropriate packing materials, such as acid-free tissue paper, foam, or padding, and using proper techniques to create protective enclosures or crates.

Additional information

  • This position is included in the bargaining unit.  

Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. 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; and,
  • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

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

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in 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 museum object handling and storage standards for a widely varied aeronautical and space artifact collection.
  2. Skill in the use of stationary and power hand tools used in the preservation, storage, moving, or transporting of artifacts.
  3. Skill in operating material handling equipment, such as forklifts; scissor lifts; Aerial Work Platforms and similar equipment.
  4. Ability to use specialized computer programs to input artifact related data into the collections information database.

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

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.


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