Clarification from the agency

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO ALL CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES. This is a temporary and intermittent role, Not to Exceed 1 Year with work scheduled around the needs of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden exhibition installation calendar.

This Exhibition Specialist position is located in the Office of Exhibits, Design and Special Projects. The department is responsible for planning, design, and installation of exhibitions in the Museum’s public spaces, including the Plaza and Sculpture Garden, while also creating architectural models, construction plans, contracts, and schedules; managing exhibition construction projects, providing design services and installation for lighting exhibitions, audio-visual installations, and multi-media site-specific installations for public areas of the museum.

In this position, you will:

• Works with designers, conservators, and other museum specialists to ensure appropriate use of available techniques and methods that offer object safety while maintaining quality and cost effectiveness.
• Assists in fabricating exhibit components and/or interactive prototypes and exhibition object mounts.
• Cleans exhibition casework, vitrines, and components in galleries.

This is a temporary and intermittent role, Not to Exceed 1 Year with work scheduled around the needs of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden exhibition installation calendar.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• Complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer

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

Physical Demands - The incumbent needs manual dexterity to operate hand and power tools. They must have the physical agility to climb ladders or scaffolds and to work in a variety of positions. Sometimes work is required in cramped areas, on temporary platforms, and overhead. They must have the ability to do lifting in excess of 50lbs.

Work Environment - Work is generally performed in gallery exhibition areas, outdoor areas, or in a workshop setting. The incumbent is exposed to noise and dust from power equipment and personal protective equipment is required. 

Qualifications

ATTENTION: Due to the large number of qualified applicants for positions of this type, this job announcement will close at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on either:  (A) The closing date listed above or (B) The date that 100 applications are received; whichever occurs first.  If the announcement closes on the date that 100 applications are received, all applications submitted by 11:59pm that day will be given consideration, including those in excess of 100.

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 grade level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position Specialized experience is defined as handling and/or installing modern and contemporary artwork; fabricating exhibit components for exhibition installations; and conducting routine maintenance on casework, vitrines, and interactive exhibition elements.

Or Education: 1 full year of graduate level education; or superior academic achievement

Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications; for example, a half year of experience and a half year of education in the field may be qualifying.

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.

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 and the ability to handle, pack, unpack, and install fragile artworks of various sizes and mediums including methods and techniques commonly utilized in museum practice.
2. Ability to use fabrication methods, techniques, materials and knowledge of the characteristics of the items and artifacts to be displayed.
3. Knowledge of exhibits maintenance, fire/safety procedures, security, and facilities management procedures as they pertain to the production and installation of exhibits.

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 detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.