The curatorial division of European and American Art is responsible for the Gallery’s care, study, display, and expansion of a world-class collection of paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from Europe, America, and other parts of the world, from the medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th-century, and 19th-century periods. The Senior Curator of European and American Art is one of four senior curators reporting to the Chief Curatorial and Conservation Officer.
Summary
The curatorial division of European and American Art is responsible for the Gallery’s care, study, display, and expansion of a world-class collection of paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from Europe, America, and other parts of the world, from the medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th-century, and 19th-century periods. The Senior Curator of European and American Art is one of four senior curators reporting to the Chief Curatorial and Conservation Officer.
Shape the museum’s pre-1900 European and American paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts program in ways that expand the contours of historical European and American art and its relevance to contemporary audiences.
Plan future growth and contributes to the division’s goals and strategies in areas of collection management and expansion, donor development, research, exhibitions, installations, loans, and interpretive programs.
Work collaboratively with curators across the Gallery to conceive and implement plans for new installations and displays of the permanent collection.
Embrace innovative approaches to the fields of European and American art, as well as to DEAI principles as they impact scholarship, collections development, staff management, and audience engagement.
Propose, organize, and review proposals by others for major and minor exhibitions of pre-1900 European and American art both from the Gallery’s holdings and from other institutions and private collections.
Share or delegate collection management responsibilities for the department that aligns with own expertise.
Expand and deepen the Gallery’s collections through the acquisition of works of art of the highest quality and relevance to the Gallery’s mission and collecting policies.
Perform and oversee advanced scholarly research on European and American art in the collection, on prospective acquisitions, in areas of special expertise, and for inclusion or examination in exhibitions, scholarly journals, Gallery publications, lectures, and symposia.
Collaborate with colleagues across the gallery to develop effective means of sharing scholarly information with diverse Gallery audiences; writes or reviews texts for the website, brochures, leaflets, and other Gallery publications or scholarly studies.
Manage personnel and resources; responsible for developing and managing budgets and the allocation of space, time, staff, and equipment.
Perform the full range of supervisory responsibilities for subordinates directly supervised and serves as second-level supervisor for employees who report to the division’s department heads.
Participate in Gallery-wide activities and meetings related to curatorial or administrative matters of concern to the curatorial and conservation divisions or to the Gallery at large.
This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.
Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.
VACCINE REQUIREMENT:
To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to E.O. 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
Qualifications
Candidates must meet the Qualification Standards Handbook requirements for the SL-1015-00. Specialized experience is at least one year of experience (combined), equivalent in responsibility to the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service, serving as a senior curator, responsible for the overall management, safekeeping, and integrity of Western art before 1900, with a record of achievement in art museum management, art acquisitions, collection care and development, research, publications, exhibitions, interpretation, and programs, together with the breadth of curatorial experience to create dialogues with other media and the curiosity to forge connections across collections areas who specializes in one or more of the disciplines represented by the five curatorial departments that make up the division of European and American Art (American and British, Northern European, French, Italian and Spanish paintings, and Sculpture and Decorative Arts, before 1900), for a major organization or institution.
All applicants must have 1 year of experience. Experience is directly related to the duties and responsibilities of this position, referenced in the technical qualifications, that equipped the candidate with the scope and level of knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work. This level of responsibility is typically found at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the Federal Government. Eligibility will be based upon a clear showing that the applicant has had professional training and experience of the scope, level and quality sufficient to carry out the responsibilities of the position effectively. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): Address each of the following MTQ's separately. MTQ Statements must provide specific examples that address relevant experience, accomplishments and evidence that you possess demonstrated superior technical and senior professional qualifications. Please note that the MTQs must be addressed individually and in narrative form. (Please see 'Required Documentation' section for more information)
(Maximum of 2 pages per MTQ):
1. Demonstrated experience and knowledge of art historical scholarly research methods.
Expert knowledge and experience in building and managing an art collection.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the curation of artifacts and/or archival materials, experience in budget and staff management, strategic planning, and project management of collaborative and complex curatorial projects and initiatives. Demonstrated knowledge and experience collaborating with non-curatorial staff in exhibit design which may include visual information specialists, educators, interpreters, exhibit technicians, or exhibit specialists; managing a museum program that includes historic artifacts, textiles, documents, photographs, or historic objects; overseeing development and installation of exhibits, strategic planning and prioritizing of content and creation.
Demonstrated experience and the ability to provide accurate and informative responses to inquiries from outside scholars, colleagues, and the public concerning works in the collection or requests for expert opinions.
Note: Your experience must be detailed in your resume and MTQ responses to receive full credit.
Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position.
Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.
Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration under merit promotion procedures.
CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
EDUCATION:Are you using education to qualify?
Basic 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.
Additional information
• The National Gallery of Art fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
• Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
• AN EXTERNAL SELECTED CANDIDATE MUST BE FINGERPRINTED AND RECEIVE A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, RESULTING IN A SATISFACTORY SUITABILITY DETERMINATION BEFORE BEING HIRED FOR THIS POSITION.
• All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applications will be evaluated against the resume and mandatory qualifications requirements. The candidate's total background, including experience, education, awards, self-development and training will be reviewed in determining the degree to which he/she possesses each of the qualification requirements. You will not be considered for this position if you fail to submit qualification statements specifically addressing each mandatory technical qualifications requirement. Please do not say "see resume." Failure to meet any one of the mandatory qualifications requirements will eliminate a candidate from further consideration. A preliminary review will be made by NGA Human Resources. Candidates will be evaluated for this position by a screening panel composed of a diverse mix of senior level executives and/or equivalent selected for organizational and/or functional backgrounds relevant to this position. The panel discusses each application and reaches consensus as to the Best Qualified, Well Qualified, Qualified or Not Qualified candidates. Only the individuals in the Best Qualified category will be referred to the hiring official for interview.
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit.
Some documents may not apply to all applicants. If you are unsure, click the link for each document type to read more.
ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.
Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you should list the full name and address of the each employer.
Your experience listing should show the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
It is important that your resume is complete and thorough. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.
If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy:Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.
Current and former Federal employees: Most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action).
To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!
Full position title;
appointment type;
occupational series;
pay plan, grade, and step;
tenure code; and
service computation date (SCD).
Displaced Federal employees: To be considered CTAP/ICTAP eligible, you must submit documentation verifying your involuntary separation and CTAP/ICTAP status. Please see the OPM Guide to Career Transition for more information.
Persons with Disabilities: Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits is required.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page.
You must have a USAJOBS account and be logged in.
You must have a completed resume. (You may use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS)
You must respond to all applicant assessment questions, carefully following all instructions provided.
You will be able to upload additional supporting documentation, which may include, but not limited to transcripts, notification of personnel actions (SF-50), certifications and verification of veterans status (SF-15, DD-214)
The complete application package, including any additional supporting documents required for this position is due in the National Gallery of Art Personnel Office on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
NOTE: Applicants who cannot apply on-line must request a hard copy application packet from the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement. Resumes and/or supporting documentation alone will not be considered without the inclusion of a hard copy application packet. The complete package is due no later than 5:30 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time on the closing date of this announcement.
The National Gallery of Art receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS.
National Gallery of Art
4th and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, District of Columbia 20565
United States
Next steps
After each step in the recruitment process, your status will be updated in our application tracking system. Once this happens, if you have elected to receive e-mail updates, you will be notified through your USAJOBS registered e-mail address. If you have not elected e-mail updates, you can review your current application status in USAJOBS at any time. Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job--this will ensure we are able to contact you as quickly as possible.
In addition to changing your status online, we will send you e-mail notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or not eligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.
We expect to make a selection within 30 to 90 days of the closing date of this announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit.
Some documents may not apply to all applicants. If you are unsure, click the link for each document type to read more.
ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.
Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you should list the full name and address of the each employer.
Your experience listing should show the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
It is important that your resume is complete and thorough. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.
If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy:Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.
Current and former Federal employees: Most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action).
To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!
Full position title;
appointment type;
occupational series;
pay plan, grade, and step;
tenure code; and
service computation date (SCD).
Displaced Federal employees: To be considered CTAP/ICTAP eligible, you must submit documentation verifying your involuntary separation and CTAP/ICTAP status. Please see the OPM Guide to Career Transition for more information.
Persons with Disabilities: Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits is required.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page.
You must have a USAJOBS account and be logged in.
You must have a completed resume. (You may use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS)
You must respond to all applicant assessment questions, carefully following all instructions provided.
You will be able to upload additional supporting documentation, which may include, but not limited to transcripts, notification of personnel actions (SF-50), certifications and verification of veterans status (SF-15, DD-214)
The complete application package, including any additional supporting documents required for this position is due in the National Gallery of Art Personnel Office on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time.
NOTE: Applicants who cannot apply on-line must request a hard copy application packet from the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement. Resumes and/or supporting documentation alone will not be considered without the inclusion of a hard copy application packet. The complete package is due no later than 5:30 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time on the closing date of this announcement.
The National Gallery of Art receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS.
National Gallery of Art
4th and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, District of Columbia 20565
United States
Next steps
After each step in the recruitment process, your status will be updated in our application tracking system. Once this happens, if you have elected to receive e-mail updates, you will be notified through your USAJOBS registered e-mail address. If you have not elected e-mail updates, you can review your current application status in USAJOBS at any time. Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job--this will ensure we are able to contact you as quickly as possible.
In addition to changing your status online, we will send you e-mail notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or not eligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.
We expect to make a selection within 30 to 90 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
