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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 in Collections Management Services, Museum Collections and Operations, National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), Under Secretary for Museums and Culture (USMC), Smithsonian Institution (SI).

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/20/2026 to 05/04/2026
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
Suitland, MD
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad-hoc only
Travel Required
Occasional travel - less than 10% may be required to NMAI–NY in New York City and to non‑local conferences.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26R-BY-313701-DE-NMAI
Control number
865794400

This job is open to

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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 #26R-BY-313701-MPA-NMAI More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Duties

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The primary purpose of this position is to oversee the stewardship, management, access, use, and care of the museum’s collections, as well as the staff who manage the object and archival collections. You exercise supervisory and managerial authority, develop project scopes, resources, and timelines, participate in strategic long‑term program planning, and develop collections policy, stewardship practices, and communication.

In this position, you:

  • Provide overall management and direction for the care and stewardship of the NMAI collections through department managers with subject‑matter expertise in collections management, registration, conservation, photography, and archives.

  • Contribute to, develop, write, and implement formal plans, policies, procedures, and guidelines for all facets of NMAI’s collections efforts, working closely with department heads and staff in stakeholder departments.

  • Serve as an expert resource and advisor for planning and implementing the long‑term development of the Collections Information System.

  • Support the accuracy and completeness of the collections information database through research on items in the collections and through collaboration with Native peoples in settings such as oral history, place‑name research, community archaeology, and traditional knowledge.

  • Participate with other assistant directors in NMAI’s senior management policy, planning, and operational activities. Represent the Collections and Stewardship program through active participation on NMAI committees and advisory groups.

  • Recommend courses of action regarding budget priorities, staffing needs, responsibilities, and workload distribution.

Requirements

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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

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.

Qualifications

Experience: 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 1) applying museum collections management policies and procedures; 2) developing, implementing, and updating operational and strategic plans for collections; 3) establishing criteria and written guidelines for collections stewardship; and 4) coordinating collections care, inventory control, acquisitions, loans, and conservation activities for a large and culturally significant collection representing indigenous people.


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.

Education

Education can't be substituted for experience at this grade level. 

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.

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:

  1. Ability to perform full first- and second-level supervisory duties, including assigning and reviewing work, counseling staff, evaluating performance, resolving complaints, and maintaining a safe work environment.
  2. Ability to develop, write, review, and implement guidelines, plans, policies, procedures, and ethics for all collections-related work.
  3. Knowledge of and experience with automated collections information systems to manage and steward collections and support appropriate access to collections data.
  4. Ability to conceptualize, analyze, evaluate alternatives, and develop effective solutions to complex, multidimensional problems.

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.


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Smithsonian Institution

Join the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo, in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Agency contact information

Baaba Yanney
Phone
202-633-6342
Email
YanneyB@si.edu
Address
SMITHSONIAN
Office of Human Resources
POB 37012, 600 Maryland Avenue, MRC 517
Suite 5060
Washington, Maryland 20013-7012
United States

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