Clarification from the agency

This Merit Promotion position is open to Current Federal Employees and Former Federal Employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply such as Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), former Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Vista volunteers; certain Military Spouses, or individuals eligible under various programs for Veterans (VRA, VEOA, 30% disabled).

• Performs scholarly, technical, and/or applied research related to the Native/Indigenous cultures, arts, and histories of the Western Hemisphere (North, Central, and South America). Performs research which may involve multiple disciplines or interdisciplinary strategies, including connecting contemporary Native/Indigenous communities and descendant populations with with historical, contemporary art, and/or archaeological museum collections and resources.
• Serves as an associate curator of a specific portion of NMAI’s collections based on the incumbent’s training, knowledge, and experience in Native/Indigenous cultures, arts, and histories of the Western Hemisphere. Performs collections identifications, collections research, and/or related collections development work for collections that are stable yet varied and where synthesis is required. There is continuing responsibility for the development and maintenance of a “balanced” collection and this may involve participation in efforts towards collections expansion.
• Performs varied work associated with exhibits or program planning and/or development, including research and preparing content, providing technical guidance, contributing expertise associated with the subject matter, latest theories and/or characteristics of the collection in the museum or other museums, and incorporation of Native/Indigenous or community viewpoints in interpretation.

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.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on the web at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

Qualifications

You must meet these Basic Education Requirements: 

Degree: museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field.

or

Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

or

Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in A above.

In addition to the Basic Requirements above you must have the following:

Experience:

GS-11

You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position and specific to the Native/Indigenous peoples of the Americas (North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean). This specialized experience is defined as assisting on exhibits, public programs, or other content venues; collections-based research; research, writing, and publications; interactions or partnerships with scholars at other institutions or Native/Indigenous community-based scholars; and acquisition of works of art.

GS-12

You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position . and specific to the Native/Indigenous peoples of the Americas (North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean). This specialized experience is defined as development of multiple exhibits, public programs, or other content venues; collections-based research and interpretation; scholarly research, writing, and publications; collaborations or partnerships with academic and cultural institutions and/or Native/Indigenous community-based scholars; and acquisition of significant works of art.

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: 

GS-11

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

GS-12

There is no education substitution.

Completion of graduate level education in the amounts shown in the table, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, is qualifying for positions at grades GS-7 through GS-11, and GS-12 research positions if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.

Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications (there is no combination at the GS-12 level). 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:

• Knowledge and training in the anthropology, ethnography, history, art history, or archaeology of Native/Indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere with emphasis on contextualizing Native/Indigenous arts and material culture.
• Knowledge of the pre-Columbian, historic, and contemporary Native/Indigenous nations of the Western Hemisphere and the cultural and political concerns and sensitivities of those peoples, including those related to current issues in the museum and research professions.
• Skill in identifying areas for potential collections development and to evaluate or propose appropriate objects or works of art for acquisition through gift and purchase.
• Ability to organize and synthesize information from research and other sources into simple, easily understood concepts and to present them clearly in writing and orally to a wide variety of individuals whether they be high level employees, representatives of other museums and galleries, private foundations or cultural institutions, scholars of all disciplines, donors and potential donors, peers, and members of the general public.
• Ability to work with and connect with Native/Indigenous populations to develop and expand service to Native/Indigenous people, including organizing and carrying out collections-based consultations or collaborative projects with Native/Indigenous community representatives or organizations.

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:

• Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments
• Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• People with Disabilities

Important Note:

The review of your resume will determine your final rating and should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.