Digital Imaging Specialist

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 The National Museum of African Art (NMAfA), Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI).

Duties

The Digital Imaging Specialist leads the integration of digital imaging operations within digital collections workflows. This position applies advanced professional expertise in cultural heritage imaging, workflow analysis, metadata coordination, quality assurance, digital asset lifecycle management, and enterprise systems integration. The specialist develops and implements sustainable, scalable workflows that enhance operational consistency, improve efficiency, support access and preservation objectives, and strengthen the long-term stewardship of digital collections. In this position, you will: Serve as the Museum lead technical specialist for planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating digital imaging activities in support of collections, archives, and public access. Provide specialized professional digital imaging services for museum and archival collections that require individualized technical approaches based on format, condition, preservation needs, intended use, and institutional standards. Analyze, develop, document, implement, and improve digital imaging processes that support efficient digital collections workflows throughout the Museum. Serve as the Museum lead point of contact for digital imaging workflows, technical documentation, digital asset lifecycle management, and related operational issues affecting collections stewardship. Develop and deliver technical guidance, training, and user-oriented documentation supporting consistent implementation of digital imaging and digital collections workflows throughout the Museum. Requirements

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-11 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating digital imaging activities across their lifecycle in support of collections, archives, exhibitions, institutional records, publications, conservation, scholarly research, community consultation, and public access. 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. 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) 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).

How You Will Be Evaluated

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: Knowledge of the theories, methods, and standard practices governing digital photography, digital asset management and preservation, and workflow analysis as applied within a museum environment. Knowledge of museum collections management systems, enterprise digital asset management platforms, archival information systems, and associated digital imaging technologies and techniques that improve digital imaging and digital collections workflows supporting Museum operations. Knowledge to evaluate operational requirements, develop practical workflow solutions, interpret professional standards, and integrate digital imaging activities with Museum and Smithsonian systems. Knowledge of museum operational functions and collaborative practices sufficient to work effectively with curatorial, archival, registration, conservation, collections management, information technology, and administrative stakeholders in developing and implementing integrated digital collections workflows. Knowledge of professional standards governing cultural heritage imaging, sufficient to evaluate image quality, establish technical requirements, and ensure compliance with institutional and professional imaging standards. 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. You may preview questions for this vacancy. Benefits

The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options. Please see Benefits at https://www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description. Flexible Spending Accounts - https://www.fsafeds.com/ Health Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp Leave - http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp Life Insurance - http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp Long Term Care Insurance - http://www.ltcfeds.com Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/ Other Information

This position is 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.