Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all U.S. Citizens

This position is located in the Curator Division, Records Management and Archives Branch (RMAB). The RMAB preserves and safeguards the AOC archival collection, which consists of the historically valuable drawings and textual records (paper, electronic and other formats) that document the administrative history of the AOC and the history of the Capitol Complex. The RMAB also provides records management services for the agency including but not limited to maintaining the AOC records schedules and providing guidance on appropriately applying the records policies and the records retention and disposition authorities

MAJOR DUTIES:

Archival Description

• Helps maintain and update the archival finding aids and descriptive tools. Migrates legacy archival finding aids and other descriptive tools to electronic formats. Incorporates archival description and metadata best practices.
• Contributes to identifying knowledge gaps to create new or expand finding aids. Helps develop and recommend changes in internal description procedures and data quality controls. Provides technical support for team members.
• Participates in the planning and development of the archival description work plan and priorities. Compiles metrics for reporting purposes. Keeps the supervisor advised of progress, trends and issues.
• Categorizes records to the correct record group, series and subseries. Conducts research to determine the provenance for ambiguous and disorganized record collections. Helps identify needed changes and updates to record series and record groups.

Reference and Research Services

• Utilizes the AOC archival collection and finding aids to provide comprehensive reference services and research assistance for AOC leadership, employees and contractors in support of official agency business, the daily operations of Capitol buildings and grounds and the management of construction, renovation and conservation projects.
• Continuously expands expertise in the collection and the history of the AOC, the Capitol Complex and affiliated subjects. Conducts oral histories. Supports the historical research needs of other Congressional entities, such as the Office of the Senate Curator, the House Office of Art and Archives, the Library of Congress (LOC) and the U.S. Capitol Historical Society Fellows.
• Provides research for the Curator Division, Communications and Congressional Relations or other AOC offices related to the history of Capitol Hill, the AOC and/or AOC-affiliated historical figures, especially in response to public inquiries.
• Explains the administrative background of the AOC and interrelation of primary and secondary sources. Identifies and suggests other archival collections for further consultation, such as the LOC, the National Park Service (NPS) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
• Applies reference and access policies and procedures, including safeguards to protect privacy, procurement and other controlled unclassified information (CUI).

Archival Projects

• Performs detailed and complex archival projects, such as archival arrangement and holdings maintenance, according to archival principles and best practices to increase accessibility, improve storage conditions and ensure safe handling of the AOC archival collection. Helps maintain and update collection management tools.
• Evaluates records to identify preservation concerns and conducts basic preservation projects. This may include but is not limited to conversion to digital formats, to prevent, minimize and remediate deterioration, damage and loss of information.
• Assists in identifying, prioritizing archival, and preservation projects. Assists with records management projects to identify, screen, sample and accession archival records. Helps identify transfer gaps.
• Assists with monitoring environmental conditions and applying integrated pest management (IPM) controls.

Administrative

• Supports the procurement activities for the Division. Serves as a purchase cardholder and Contractor Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). Reconciles purchase card statements and tracks outstanding obligations. Resolves discrepancies with vendors.
• Conducts research, keeps abreast of policies, procedures and best practices to efficiently carryout functions, and recommends changes in the Division’s procurement procedures and controls.
• Helps track the budget and assure the availability of funds. Uses financial management systems.
• Maintains records for official recordkeeping and audit purposes. Maintains training and certifications required to perform duties.

Physical Requirement

• Must be physically able to perform the duties of this position which requires the archivist to maneuver ladders to lift boxes of records up to 14 feet above the floor and weighing up to 50 pounds. Must also be able to work for long periods of time in archival environments that range from 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be able to pass a drug test.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

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Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards

1. Specialized Experience

Experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, candidates must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service.  Specialized experience is defined as having experience: assisting in managing an archive of historical materials to include accessioning, arrangement, description, disposition, preservation, and providing reference and research.

Evaluation of Experience: Professional experience for this position must have been in archival science, or in a directly related field of work such as history that involved the collection, appraisal, analysis, or synthesis of information having historical or archival values. The following are illustrative of kinds of experience that may be accepted as meeting the professional experience requirements: (1) experience as an archivist in Federal, state, religious institution, business, or other archives, or in manuscript depositories, and (2) experience of an archival nature that involved research in archival science, or in a directly related field such as history, government, economics, political science, international relations, or international law.

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2. Graduate Education Two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Masters’ degree in archival science, history, American civilization, economics, political science, public administration, or government.

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3. Combination of Graduate Education and Professional Experience Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience.

How you will be evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:

-Archival Description

-Archival and Preservation Projects

-Reference and Research

-Communication

Your responses to the self assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or disqualification for further consideration.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
To preview questions please click here.