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Director, Reference and Research Services Division (Supervisory Librarian)

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

Summary

This position is located in the Reference and Research Services Division, David M. Rubenstein National Institute for Holocaust Documentation (Rubenstein Institute) of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). This position is duty stationed in Bowie, Maryland.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/20/2026 to 06/03/2026
Salary
$169,279 - $197,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Bowie, MD
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
HMM-3663-2026-0002
Control number
869982300

Duties

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The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a federally chartered, nonpartisan institution that was created by the US Congress to serve as America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and an educational institution dedicated to the history and lessons of the Holocaust. The Museum seeks to educate Americans from all 50 states and all walks of life as well as international audiences. The Museum has three areas of expertise: Holocaust remembrance, Holocaust scholarship and education, and genocide prevention.

In carrying out its important memorial and educational mission, the Museum is guided by its institutional values for our workplace: Honor the memory of the victims; carry out our work with dignity, humility, integrity and respect for others; and strive for excellence through teamwork, rigor, and a culture of continuous learning. Consistent respect for others is the foundation for trust, collegiality and inclusion.

Duties include: 

Defines and implements the Reference and Research Services Division's mission in support of the overall institutional mission, continually integrating and aligning the Reference and Research Services program with the mission and programs of the Museum.  

Performs program planning and provides direction; develops and establishes Reference and Research Services guidelines, procedures, and programs for evaluation and ongoing development of the Rubenstein Institute’s Reference Services related to archival and library holdings.  

Develops and implements the library (published) collection development guidelines and oversees library collection development activities.  

Supports institutional collecting goals by addressing recommendations from Museum stakeholders, dealing with vendors, engaging with donors and researchers, and coordinating print and electronic acquisitions activities within the division and with other Museum offices.

Establishes and enforces policies to ensure equitable patron access to collections and the safety and security of visitors, patrons, and staff.

Oversees coordination with other program areas to ensure that reference  and research services support the Museum's educational, research, memorial and exhibition aims and programming.

Plans, executes, and directs management studies of resources and services, overall operations of the division, and oversees records and statistics to support, assess, and enhance reference and specialized research operations and services to patrons.

Manages two team leads, one for the library staff and one for research services staff, including the participation of interns and volunteers in the division’s activities. 

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

On-line resumes must be submitted by 11:59pm EST of the closing date.

You must be a suitable for Federal employment.

You must be a U.S. citizen.

You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable (www.sss.gov).

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date.

A one year supervisory probationary period may be required.

Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

The USHMM is an equal opportunity employer.

This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.  If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

As a condition of employment, all new hires must agree to direct deposit of their salary checks. Employees will have up to two (2) pay periods from the date they enter on duty to arrange for their direct deposit transaction.

This is a Federal agency.  Former employees who received a voluntary separation incentive (“buyout”) must repay the full amount of it if reemployed under any type of appointment or under a personal service contract within five years after separation with a buyout.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards. 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.


Basic Requirement:

A. Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate study in library science in an accredited college or university, in addition to completion of all work required for a bachelor's degree;

OR

B. A total of at least 5 years of a combination of college-level education, training, and experience. To qualify on this basis, the applicant must establish conclusively that the education, training, and experience provided a knowledge and understanding of the theories, principles, and techniques of professional librarianship; a knowledge of literature resources; and the knowledge and abilities essential for providing effective library and information services.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, the applicant must meet the following:

Specialized Experience:

Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience for GS-15 includes one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-14, which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is planning, coordinating, implementing, and overseeing all library related activities; networking with other institutions with similar missions on a national and international level; overseeing the coordination with other program areas to ensure that reference and research services support the Museum's educational, research, and exhibition aims; preparing budget estimates for programs and special projects; planning organizational structure and staffing needs related to the accomplishment of the Museum’s mission.

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). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
***Failure to submit required documentation will result in an ineligible rating**

**Transcripts are required to verify basic education requirement**

Education

Education requirement for this position is listed under the Qualification Section. 

If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration.

Additional information

A complete application consists of the following:

Resume showing relevant experience. Your resume must clearly demonstrate, in two pages or less, how your skills and experiences align with the "Qualifications" section and support your questionnaire responses. If the resume exceeds two pages, only the first two will be reviewed.  You must include information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including: job title, duration of employment (mm/dd/yy – mm/dd/yy), hours per week, duties and accomplishments, salary, and your education. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position(s). Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire.

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service or other valid proof of eligibility (i.e., statement of service that shows service dates AND character of service). If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference see Vet Guide

Active Duty Service Members-- You must submit a statement of discharge/certification of release or an official written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days from the date the announcement closes. Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm the discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not be considered for this job opportunity under Veteran Preference procedures. To gain access to your DD-214 online please visit Military Service Record

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation (transcripts if applicable) to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire that you completed as part of the application. However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the occupational questions, or your score will be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for a structured  interview.

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (ex: resume and supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and the results of the online assessments required for this position. Be sure your resume includes enough detail to support your qualifications.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):  Change Management, Conflict Management, Developing Others, History and Archaeology, Influencing/Negotiating, Information Technology Research and Development, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Problem Solving, Strategic Thinking, Technical Competence, Written Communications

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment that measures critical general competencies needed to perform the job.

Optional Essay Questions
Applicants may choose to respond to four short essay questions (200 words max each) to help us better understand your alignment with the agency's mission. These responses are optional and will not affect the applicant's eligibility.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

THE UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM is America's national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history, and serves as this country's memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust. The Museum's primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum is located within walking distance of the Metro and Mass Transit and offers its employees Metro Transit Subsidy, flexible work schedules, complimentary passes to the Museum as well as access to Museum sponsored events and activities. Employees receive a 20% discount at the Museum Shop and Café, and are allowed access to some of the cultural tourist attractions/events for free or at a discounted rate. To find out more information about the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, visit our website at USHMM.ORG

Agency contact information

Chanel Cabiness
Phone
202-488-0400
Email
careers@ushmm.org
Address
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, S.W.
Attn: Division of Human Resources
Washington, District of Columbia 20024
United States

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