Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals. Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #25R-TK-311961-MPA-NMNH More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

The Museum Specialist (Geology) will use their knowledge to execute a broad range of tasks associated with use, management, outreach, and physical care of collections in the museum.

In this position, you will:

• Perform assignments and collections management support duties that may include the processing and distribution of scientific collections in the Department of Paleobiology.
• Provide expertise in conservation, collections facilities and environment, storage, packing and shipping, registration, cataloging, processing loan, disposal, acquisition requests, and information management.
• Prepare paleontology collection items as traditional museum study collection items and in accordance with professional standards in museum collections.
• Perform work associated with cataloging, inventorying, and digitizing paleontology collections and creates collection item records in museum collections information systems.
• Assist visiting scientists and the general public in providing information and/or access to the collections and/or specimens.

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 by the closing date of the announcement.

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

Must be able to safely and repeatedly lift and carry 30 pounds independently and lift50 pounds with another person.

May be required to climb ladders.

May work with dry or fluid-preserved museum collections using personal protective equipment (PPE). May be required to be fitted with a respirator.

Use of a forklift, or scissor lift may be required. May be required to obtain, and maintain, appropriate license/certification.

Qualifications

Selective Placement Factor Required for this position:

• Knowledge of paleontology collections, including cataloging, documenting, organizing, and rehousing fossil specimens.

**Candidates who do not meet the Selective Placement Factors will not receive further consideration for this position.

AND

Experience for GS-09: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal Service.  

For this position, specialized experience is defined as experience working with fossil specimens, including physical care of paleontology collections, collections documentation and cataloging, working with researchers to provide collections access, and using collection information systems and databases. 

Advanced training in a vocational school, technical institute, or art institute above the high school level in one of the fields listed above is creditable as general experience on a month-for-month basis.

Or Education:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- Geology/Paleontology or a related field.

Grade 9: Two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s or equivalent degree related to this position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements.

Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. 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.

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 museum collection management policies and procedures including registration, cataloguing, loaning, permitting, curation, item identification and preservation.
• Knowledge of paleontology, including experience describing fossil specimens using paleontological terminology and systematics such as geologic time, stratigraphy, and classification systems for fossil flora and fauna.
• Knowledge of computer operation and use of a variety of database software programs involved in managing scientific collection items such as cataloging practices including entering, modifying, querying data, and producing reports.
• Ability to assist researchers with collections access, proper handling of collection items, and answer questions from the scientific community and general public about the collection.

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.