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Museum Curator

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), Operations Directorate (OPS), Office of Art in Embassies (ART). The Office plays a vital role in our nation’s public diplomacy through a culturally expansive mission of temporary exhibitions of visual fine art, permanent collections of Contemporary Art, artist programming, and publications.  

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/25/2023 to 10/06/2023
Salary
$132,368 to - $172,075 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
Arlington, VA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional domestic travel. International travel may be required periodically.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Announcement number
HRSC/OBO-2023-0084
Control number
750864800

Duties

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  • Develops and directs a range of temporary visual arts exhibitions, permanent collections of Contemporary Art and documentation of projects through publication or videography and outreach programs.
  • Researches, develops, and proposes exhibition topics demonstrating an awareness of feasibility issues (e.g. loans, budget, safety and conservation of objects and publications); executes exhibition plans within strict timelines.
  • Represents the office in meetings, travels domestically internationally to lecture on exhibitions and cultural diplomacy, and participates in professional conventions, and panel discussions with field experts and the general public.
  • Identifies works of contemporary art, negotiates the loans/commissions/sales, and oversees all stages of the process through the actual installation of art and/or production of the publication or video.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • U.S. Citizenship is required.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application.

Applicants must have ONE of the required basic entry qualification requirements described below:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Have an undergraduate or higher level degree from an accredited college or university museum work; OR in an applicable subject-matter field;

OR

Have 4 years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown above;

OR

Have a combination of education and experience where my coursework was equivalent to a major, as shown above, PLUS appropriate experience OR additional education.

Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

IN ADDITION to meeting one of the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, the applicant MUST have 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience curating culturally significant, contemporary visual fine art exhibitions at an American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited museum or contemporary art gallery representing international artists.
  • Experience managing logistical aspects of art collections, including determining client preferences, identifying artists, developing exhibit budgets, negotiating loan terms, designing installation layouts and installing artwork.
  • Experience fostering relationships with leading contemporary visual artists exhibited in domestic and international museums or galleries to borrow artworks.

Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
  • If eligible, telework and/or remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. 

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job.  Note:  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned to one of three quality categories:

  1. Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
  2. Well Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the position.
  3. Highly Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.

Highly Qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.  The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Knowledge of curatorial assignments that involve museum programs and installations.
  • Ability to develop and manage art collections and exhibits.
  • Ability to communicate in writing.
  • Ability to use the methods and techniques for the physical management and movement of collections and exhibits.
  • Ability to interact with a variety of individuals at all levels inside and outside of the organization.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the Highly Qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. This position is considered scientific/professional. Other 10-point preference eligible and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible applicants within the category in which they qualify.  View information on veterans' preference on OPM’s Fed Hire Vets website.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never been a Federal employee, you are not CTAP or ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category for this position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement to receive consideration for selection priority. 


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