Clarification from the agency

Open to all U.S. Citizens. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles.

As a Museum Curator, your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct inventory of museum objects.
• Perform on-site inspections and evaluations of facilities housing museum collections.
• Develop agreements for the long-term curation of collections in museums or other repositories.
• Complete assessment of a collection for a collections management plan, professional accreditation, or similar evaluation, identifying best practices as well as providing recommendations for improvement.
• Document accession objects upon an evaluation of relevant factors to determine whether objects should be acquired, preserved, and managed as part of a museum collection.
• Conduct research necessary to properly catalog and document museum objects.
• Maintain museum records, including paper and digital, using professional recordkeeping and database standards to provide quality assurance/quality control of information, manage to ensure preservation and security, and organized to allow for efficient retrieval.
• Locate information in archives, libraries, other sources to document provenance and apply laws, regulations, and policy to establish title and ownership of museum objects.
• Coordinate with researchers and resource specialists to plan for the recovery of cultural artifacts and/or natural history specimens (e.g., permitting requirements, research design standards, sampling methodologies) to appropriately review and provide for new acquisitions to the institution's collections.
• Properly store museum objects in museum standard cases, including the construction of custom-made mounts, boxes, and other storage cases.
• Implement and maintain the museum environmental monitoring program.
• Conduct assessments of museum objects and storage locations to identify preservation and conservation needs; plan and/or conduct preventative conservation on museum objects.
• Safely transport museum objects ensuring that housing, handling, and inventory methods are designed and implemented to secure, preserve, and account for objects.
• Maintain a museum facility, or component spaces, making improvements to a museum facility to provide for the security, preservation, and use of collections.
• Respond to requests for information from Native American representatives.
• Coordinate scheduling of consultations, visits to collections, and repatriations/dispositions.
• Compile and review cultural affiliation documents and inventories, preparing Federal Register notices and communications.
• Oversee NAGPRA records and documentation for NAGPRA-relevant collections.
• Work with staff to ensure that NAGPRA records are complete, well-maintained, and up to date.
• Work with staff in the development, refinement, and implementation of NAGPRA policies and procedures.
• Recommend program objectives and develop policies and procedures pertaining to museum collection management.
• Develop data collection instruments, gather data, analyze data, identify problem areas, make professional decisions, and develop recommendations regarding the management of museum collections.
• Prepare budget justifications and narratives to support budget requests.
• Prepare research proposals and/or contract specifications for the acquisition, preservation, and/or use of cultural resource or natural history collections.
• Use collections management software to document accession and track cultural resources and natural history collections.
• Manage and construct databases for use in collections management of cultural resources and natural history collections.
• Use computer applications to manage and analyze information, to convey information, and to develop specialized reports and results analyses.
• Communicate effectively in writing, ensuring proper grammatical construction, format, style, tone, and factual accuracy, including persuasive and concise written instructions, reports, memoranda, or other correspondence; this includes correspondence that involves complex, controversial issues with the need to obtain buy-in and support and is accepted with minimal change.
• Collect data, develop reports, and formulate written materials suitable for senior management, interagency, publication and presentation uses (e.g., issue papers, decision memos, reports, and written communication.)
• Review policies and identify areas requiring new or revised policy and/or guidance statements in the field of museum management.
• Conduct consultations with Native American Tribes and communicate with diverse communities.
• Manage museum collections while serving on special panels, task forces, or in meetings with diverse audiences.
• Present information through various formats (examples include workshop demonstration, interactive teaching tools)
• Create a workforce culture that fosters teamwork, continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Participate on, or provide staff support for interagency teams, groups, or committees responsible for development of strategies and policies.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Resume (See "Required Documents"). Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is provided on resume.
• Eligibility and Supporting documents - You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to AND submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section.
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
• Driver's License: Selectees required to possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
• Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 05/12/2023 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position, you must possess both the Basic Education Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Education Requirement

Possess a degree in museum work or in an applicable subject matter field, OR

Possess a combination of education and experience--courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education, OR

Possess four years of experience which provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a 4-year course of study as shown above.

Minimum Qualification GS-12

Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Examples of experience may include the following: accessioning and cataloging historic objects including maintaining location records and annual inventory of objects; maintaining a computerized collections database (e.g., Department of Interior's ICMS system); conducting on-site conservation of objects; undertaking historical research on objects provenance, historic context, and value; planning museum exhibits and preparing objects for display and protecting object already in museum displays; maintaining online photo, oral history, and document databases accessible to the public; providing curated historical materials (e.g., Digital Assets Management System); providing tours and instruction on archives, oral histories, to classes and employees.

Minimum Qualification GS-13

Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Examples of experience may include the following: accessioning and cataloging historic objects including maintaining location records and annual inventory of objects; maintaining a computerized collections database (e.g., Department of Interior's ICMS system); conducting on-site conservation of objects; undertaking historical research on objects provenance, historic context, and value; planning museum exhibits and preparing objects for display and protecting objects already in museum displays; maintaining online photo, oral history, and document databases accessible to the public; providing curated historical materials (e.g., Digital Assets Management System); providing tours and instruction on archives, oral histories, to classes and employees.


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.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Attention to Detail, Decision Making, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork

• Knowledge of museum, curation, and collections management requirements under cultural resource laws to develop program strategies that will appropriately apply principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to museum collections.
• Skill in setting priorities for museum property to identify and advance goals that will result in meeting agency responsibilities.
• Skill in computer applications, including database administration and manipulation of data and advanced word processing, to create reports and other documents, spreadsheets, photo imaging, and specialized museum collections management software (ICMS).
• Ability to effectively communicate in writing sufficient to prepare a wide range of documents, plans and briefing materials for internal and external use and to prepare legislative material that will be used to provide the Service's recommendations in a clear, concise manner.
• Oral communication skills sufficient to effectively communicate with varied professional and/or general audiences, and with individuals of varied cultural backgrounds, perceptions, and needs (such as Service and staff from other Federal, state and local agencies; the public and our partners).
• Skill in developing and enhancing collaboration with strategic partner and stakeholder organizations to support outreach objectives and promote key programs.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified

The category rating process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).