Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals.

The duties of this position include, but are not
limited to, the following:

-Assists in managing and maintaining museum collections in coordination with museum staff to ensure proper procedures are followed with regard to the care, registration, and documentation of the collections. 

-Assists in managing museum collections containing music, entertainment, and popular culture objects including costumes and uniforms, paper and archival collections, sound recordings, and musical instruments in order to support a large musical instrument collection for research inquiries, music and sound recordings, and music performances that sometimes require travel.

-Performs preliminary research for exhibits, recommend objects, obtain objects, and draft labels and scripts as required. Work also includes loan coordination and exhibit installation and deinstallation.

-Works with conservation staff and assists in coordinating any treatments to make sure objects are ready for exhibit.

-Maintains collection inventories, organizes cyclical inventories, and processes collections file systems utilizing Museum Collections Information System. 

-Works with OCA staff to assist with all aspects of accessioning and cataloguing collections, adhering to museum documentation standards.

-Responds to public inquiries concerning collections and object storage and handling. Answers inquiries by telephone, letter or in person.

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 must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date.

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 at: https://www.si.edu/ohr/faq

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system.  For this position specialized experience is defined as: experience managing and preserving museum collections containing music, entertainment, and popular culture objects within a historical museum or cultural setting; using and maintaining collections information systems and databases; and performing research in support of a historical museum's collections, exhibitions, and other museum related projects.

OR

Education: 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the position.  Related degrees may include museum studies, music, music history, ethnomusicology.

OR

A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications above, all applicants must also meet the following Selective Placement Factor (SPF):

Experience managing music and popular culture related museum collections, including musical instruments.

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 of collections management policies, procedures and practices including registration and inventory maintenance, cataloging, and object care and storage in order to effectively plan and monitor management of Museum collections.

-Knowledge of how to coordinate tasks and set priorities with diverse teams and multiple points of authority.

-Knowledge of automated and manual data systems used for managing collection information.

-Ability to write and communicate effectively.

Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria: Best Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above. Better Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above. Good Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree. This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.

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.