Clarification from the agency

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). More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

The Program Manager of the RO has responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the operation and administration of the program in repatriation of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony presently held in the collections of the Department of Anthropology.

In this position, you will:

• Performs program management of all aspects of administration of the Repatriation Office.
• Plans, implements, coordinates, and manages the documentation, deaccession, and repatriation of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony.
• Prioritizes inventory projects using knowledge of the Anthropology of North American Indians and familiarity with the legal issues surrounding repatriation.
• Engages and consults directly with Native American groups over issues concerning the disposition of Native American holdings.
• Sets goals and timetables and monitors progress reports on collections, ensuring reports are completed in a timely fashion and contain all relevant historical/ archaeological information and accession/catalogue data necessary.

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.
• May be required to serve an 18-month probationary period for supervisors.

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 by the closing date of the announcement. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website.

Qualifications

Experience GS-13: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as applying a variety of disciplines and skills to manage staff and evaluate programs related to repatriation of Native American collections.

Experience GS-14: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as using knowledge of North American anthropology and legal aspects of repatriation to evaluate and make recommendations related to repatriation of Native American collections. 

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants for this position may be evaluated in multiple stages. The first stage is an evaluation of your responses to the online multiple-choice questions that assess your experience, education, and/or training for the job related competencies below:

• Knowledge of and experience with the federal repatriation legislation and its implications for archaeological research and museum collections management and policy.

• Knowledge of Native American anthropology (archaeology, ethnohistory, ethnology, or biological anthropology) and collections documentation from one or more subregions (e.g., the Pacific Coast, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, or other cultural areas) of the United States.
• Knowledge of administrative procedures related to budget planning, funds management, and personnel management.
• Ability to effectively communicate in writing with tact and diplomacy to a wide range of stake holder groups to prepare reports and correspondence responding to many different requests for information.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally with tact and diplomacy to a wide range of stake holder groups.
• Ability to design, implement, monitor, and revise, as needed, priorities and procedures for the administration of a large and diverse staff of professional scientists, administrative staff, and technicians conducting varied duties.

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.