Exhibits Specialist (Cost Estimate)

Smithsonian Institution; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Smithsonian Institution is seeking a qualified professional to join Smithsonian Institution Exhibits (SIE) within the Office of the Under Secretary for Museums & Culture. The role focuses on planning, designing, and producing museum exhibits, with emphasis on cost management and coordinating across a cross-functional team of designers, engineers, and project managers.

Applicants should demonstrate experience in exhibit production and installation, budgeting, scheduling, and procurement

Qualifications

• Major study: illustrative design, commercial art, fine arts, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, or related fields.
• Advanced vocational training at a technical institute above high school level counts as general experience.
• Experience: one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, including cost management, leading a cross-function team, project scope, schedules, costs, forecasting, risk analysis.

Skills

Cross-functional teamwork

Cost estimation

Education

Illustrative design / related fields study

Job description

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 Smithsonian Institution Exhibits (SIE), Office of the Under Secretary for Museums & Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). SIE is the SI-wide resource for exhibit planning, design and production. SIE provides expertise and support to all public-facing exhibit functions within SI museums, research centers and offices.

Basic Qualifications

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- illustrative design, commercial art, fine arts, industrial design, architecture, drafting, interior design, or other fields related to the position.

Advanced training in a vocational school, technical institute, or art institute above the high school level in one of the fields listed above is creditable as general experience on a month-for-month basis.

OR

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in the actual type of work for which application is made. Unpaid experience is creditable, provided the work done was of a quality level and demonstrated the ability required for the position. This includes work in the appropriate field, e.g., design, modelmaking, art, taxidermy, or restoration.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

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 performing cost management and estimating, leading a cross-function team to develop project scope, schedules, and costs using forecasting, scheduling techniques and risk analysis; and using concepts and principles of Museum Exhibit Production and Installation industry and procurement strategies.
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 aneffort to streamline our hiring process, SI employees whose current position of record is in the same job series (1010) 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).