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Supervisory Museum Specialist (Art)(Head of Photo Conservation)

National Gallery of Art

Summary

The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Nearly four million people come through our doors each year—with millions more online—making us one of the most visited art museums in the world. Our renowned collection includes nearly 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. 

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/11/2025 to 12/25/2025
Salary
$167,603 to - $195,200 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Subject to agency policy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 10% or less.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
NGA-26-006-MP
Control number
852097500

Duties

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  • Leads photograph conservation staff with empathy and fosters an atmosphere of open exchange and collaboration. Encourages creativity and innovation.

  • Projects and oversees budget for photograph conservation.

  • Conducts research on photographic techniques, artistic processes and conservation methods, and shares findings through publications and lectures.

  • Represents the National Gallery in academic and professional matters related to photograph conservation.

  • Drafts long-range treatment and preservation plans for the Gallery's photograph collections. 

  • Documents and treats photographs in the collection, maintaining the highest standards

  • Develops treatments and research projects in consultation with senior curatorial staff and chief of conservation.

  • Mentors and trains interns and fellows. 

  • Creates accessible public programs on photographic processes and photograph preservation 

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Must possess and maintain a Delegated Examining (DE) certification.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Individual Occupational Requirement

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-5 and above): Experience related to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include collections management, registration, cataloging, research, preservation, restoration, or conservation of collections of museum material, or other experience related to the position to be filled. Most positions require a particular subject-matter specialization, e.g., aeronautics, anthropology, art, geology, history, natural science, technology, biology, or zoology.

Specialized Experience Statement: Candidates must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in responsibility to the federal GS-14 level, managing a photograph conservation lab for a museum with a collection of 10,000 or more photographs, to include responsibility for all of:

-Budgeting
-Personnel administration
-Conservation treatment

Education

The National Gallery of Art fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

Additional information

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses to the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): 

  • Photographic Conservation – Knowledge of common photograph conservation techniques and procedures.
  • Conservation Research – Ability to conduct high-quality, publishable research.
  • Supervision – Ability to supervise others in a museum setting.
  • Communication – Ability to communicate information to others both in writing and verbally.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

All qualified Non-Competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. 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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