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).

• Sets clear goals and objectives and develops an overall evaluation plan for on-going assessment of teacher needs. Creates and maintains a short and long-term calendar of teacher programs. Develops and administers evaluation instruments. Summarizes data and creates reports to guide future program planning. Directs the work of outside evaluators when funding permits.  Ensures programs and publications engage the users and accomplish learning goals.  Conducts on-going research to ensure all programs and publications support the National Standards for Learning.
• Performs subject-area research and works with curatorial staff to ensure content accuracy; develops educational activities based on the knowledge of the content and best museum teaching practices; and conducts formative evaluation to ensure that new activities are engaging and accomplish the learning objectives.
• Establishes and maintains strategic partnerships with NYC-area community, education and cultural organizations and local and national Native communities to enrich the program offerings and attract new audiences. Conveys Native American cultural and historical information in writing to a variety of audiences, gained through work experience.  These audiences include Native Americans, state, and local school offices, other museums, k -12 students, K-12 teachers, and the general public. This includes experience communicating in writing for web-based educational platforms. 
• Research contacts include Tribal experts and other Native educators, local school curriculum specialists, Native artists, local and national teacher organizations and teachers/educators who may have unique needs and interests that they wish to have the workshops address. Orally conveys Native American cultural and historical information to a variety of audiences, including Native American communities and educational institutions, state and local school offices, and other museums, K-12 grade range students, K-12 teachers, and the 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.

Conditions of Employment

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS:

For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination requirements and its impact on your application, click on Smithsonian Institution’s Frequently Asked Questions. 

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 OPM Website.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position Specialized experience is defined as experience planning portions of, and participating in presenting teacher workshops on Native American culture and history

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: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

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 planning, developing, coordinating, and delivering workshops for teachers gained through professional experience.
2. Knowledge of education theory, formal and informal educational techniques, teaching practices and evaluation methods related to learning that takes place in museums gained through educational experience.
3. Communicate effectively in writing by conveying Native American cultural and historical information to a variety of audiences, gained through experience.
4. Communicate effectively orally by conveying Native American cultural and historical information to a variety of audiences, gained through experience.

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated. 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:

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

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.