Museum Specialist (Geology)

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history, which tells the history of the planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another.

Duties

The Museum Specialist (Geology) will utilize the Paleo Preparation Laboratory and Fossil Lab to provide technical assistance to the labs in research through the preparation of fossil vertebrate, invertebrate, and palaeobotanical specimens for research. In this position, you will: Prepare, repair, and conserve fossil specimens for study, exhibition, and incorporation into the National collections, utilizing manual and mechanical tools, chemical preparation techniques, and archival media. Manage and oversee a diverse volunteer corps in a fossil preparation lab. Ensure compliance of Health & Safety protocols for the lab and volunteers. Repair and conserve the collection specimens as directed. Speak to the public about fossil preparation projects, identify potential fossil specimens, provide tours, locate particular specimens or collections for visiting researchers. Requirements

Conditions of Employment Incumbent will be required to work regular weekends and/or holidays and may work evenings or special events as needed. 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

Basic Qualifications: 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. In addition to the basic qualification requirement above: Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of full-time experience at the GS-07 grade level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system that is close or similar to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. For this position specialized experience is defined as providing technical assistance to a paleobiology preparation lab through the preparation of fossil vertebrate, invertebrate, palaeobotanical, and microfossil specimens for research; imaging (e.g., 2D and 3D); replication of fossils; repairing and conserving fossil collections; basic collections management; volunteer engagement; along with public outreach, tours. 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: Two full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the position 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. 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. If you are found qualified for this position and meet or exceed a predefined rating threshold from your questionnaire responses, you may be contacted by email to complete or submit additional assessments such as work samples, short essays, or other appropriate assessments within approximately one week of the job announcement closing. If you do not meet the rating threshold to move to the next evaluation stage, you will be notified promptly by email.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described 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: MANDATORY SELECTIVE FACTOR: Knowledge of various fossil preparation, molding, and casting techniques on a variety of types of fossils and matrices. 1. Knowledge of fossil preparation and replication techniques, including investigating new methods for preparation, molding and casting, and imaging of fossil specimens. 2. Ability to assist, guide and advise staff, contractors, interns, fellows, and volunteers, and to identify and develop projects for a Paleobiology Preparation Labs. 3. Knowledge of fossil conservation, repair, and archival housing techniques 4. Ability to interact with a diversity of individuals and groups, including visitors, volunteer preparators, avocational paleontologists, students, and colleagues from both internal and external institutions. BASIS OF RATING: Your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. 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. 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. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority: Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments Hiring Authorities for Veterans People with Disabilities Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. Your resume should provide sufficient 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 Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package. 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.