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Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in Registrar’s Office, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI) and serves as the Associate Registrar, Exhibitions & Loans.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/12/2026 to 01/16/2026
Salary
$85,447 to - $111,087 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Based on SI Policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12 - Full Performance
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26R-JW-313335-MPA-SAAM
Control number
853992400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current Smithsonian Institution Internal Employees/Agency Employees Only may apply including current Smithsonian Institution employees with Federal career/career-conditional status or eligibility. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Duties

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The Associate Registrar, Exhibitions & Loans oversees the museum’s robust traveling exhibition program and manages all registration aspects of SAAM’s temporary exhibition program at both SAAM and its Renwick Gallery.

In this position, you will:

  • Develop and implement guidelines for shipment, storage and handling of incoming exhibition loans; and negotiates both domestic and international agreements that involve a variety of potentially sensitive issues. 

  • Coordinate the schedule of multi-departmental activities to prepare exhibitions for tour, and schedules tour venues according to the preparation schedule.

  • Under the direction of the Head Registrar, oversee subordinate staff to include exercising authority to approve the allocation and distribution of funds in the organization's budget.
  • Develop long-range exhibition schedules, taking into consideration special conservation problems, short-term storage, and shipping and packing requirements.

  • Maintain all aspects of condition reporting and object movement for incoming and outgoing exhibitions and loans.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Requires career/career-conditional status or eligibility.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

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

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as experience with incoming loans, travelling exhibitions, supervising employees, planning and scheduling temporary exhibitions; and including artwork security and insurance. 

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

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.

Or Education: Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements.

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.

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.

In an effort to streamline our hiring process, SI employees whose current position of record is in the same job series (1001) and who are in a (Federal competitive or excepted service appointment) (Trust) as this advertised position, are not required to submit a transcript with your application package. However, if selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your transcript before your start date in the position.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying).

Additional information

This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 incoming loans for arrangements, agreements, and negotiations.
  2. Knowledge of travelling exhibitions to manage travel exhibition programs preparing exhibitions for tour, and schedules tour venues according to the preparation schedules.
  3. Ability to supervise by demonstrated experience overseeing staff.
  4. Knowledge of planning and scheduling for shipping and packaging requirements.
  5. Knowledge of artwork security and insurance for object movement.

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.


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