Museum Scientist 5, Box OCE-1606/27863

New York State Education Department; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 136,000 - 167,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Paid time off

PSLF

Job summary

The New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education seeks a Museum Scientist 5 to lead the New York State Geological Survey and the Museum’s Geology Department. You will supervise staff, secure external funding, guide research and interpretation, and shape statewide geological programs with public impact.

Reporting to the Director of Research and Collections, you will translate field discoveries into engaging exhibitions and educational initiatives for diverse audiences,

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and five years of professional experience or a doctoral degree and three years of professional experience.
• Reassignment: one year of permanent non-competitive or 55b/c service as a Museum Scientist 5.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the State Geologist of New York, leading NYSGS and the Museum’s Geology Department; supervise staff and set priorities.
• Maintain an active program of original geological research focused on New York State; provide scientific direction for work by Geology Department staff.
• Lead statewide geologic mapping programs and oversee cooperative mapping with federal and state partners.
• Publish research findings in peer‑reviewed journals and other scholarly outlets; review staff publications.
• Provide leadership for stewardship of geological collections and oversee care and use of collections; may serve as curator.
• Develop and lead competitive grants and cooperative funding initiatives for research, mapping, and education.
• Oversee administrative and programmatic operations for the Geological Survey, including budgets and procurements.
• Establish statewide and national partnerships; represent NYSM and NYSGS in meetings and forums.
• Contribute to public-facing Museum programs and interpretive work translating geology to broad audiences.

Skills

Staff leadership

Funding/grant management

Geology research

Public outreach

Strategic planning

Education

Master’s degree + 5 years professional experience

Doctoral degree + 3 years professional experience

Ph.D. in geology or related geoscience

Job description

Duties Description

The New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Office of Cultural Education (OCE) is seeking candidates for a Museum Scientist 5, SG-29 position in the New York State Museum. As the nation’s oldest and largest state museum, home to more than 20 million specimens and artifacts and to the New York State Geological Survey (NYSGS), the Museum offers an exceptional platform for scientific research, collections stewardship, statewide service, and public engagement. Reporting to the Director of Research and Collections, the State Geologist leads the NYSGS and oversees the Museum’s Geology Department, setting scientific and programmatic priorities, advancing geological research and mapping across New York, stewarding significant collections, building partnerships, and helping shape how the Museum interprets and communicates the geology and landscapes of the state for broad audiences, including children and families.

As the Museum expands its reach and advances a major period of renewal, this position offers a rare opportunity to help shape its next chapter through scientific leadership with statewide visibility and lasting public impact.

Duties

The successful candidate will provide scientific, administrative, and strategic leadership for the Geological Survey while maintaining an active program of research. The position requires an experienced scientist and manager who can lead staff, secure and administer external funding, oversee mapping and collections, develop strong professional partnerships, and communicate geology effectively to a wide range of audiences. As a senior scientist within a public museum, the State Geologist will also contribute to the Museum’s educational and interpretive mission through exhibitions, public programs, educational initiatives, and programs for children and families. The successful candidate should be able to translate geological research, collections, and discoveries into engaging and accessible experiences that deepen public understanding of New York’s geology and landscapes. Duties of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serve as the State Geologist of New York State, carrying out the statutory, scientific, advisory, educational, and public-service responsibilities of the position. Lead the New York State Geological Survey (NYSGS) and the Museum’s Geology Department; supervise professional and technical staff; serve as the Department’s principal point of contact within the Research and Collections Division; and set research, collections, and programmatic priorities;
• Maintain an active program of original geological research focused on New York State, including field, laboratory, collections-based, and collaborative investigations. Initiate new research and provide scientific direction for work conducted by Geology Department staff, including review of research goals, methods, and outcomes within established Museum priorities;
• Lead and provide scientific oversight for the NYSGS statewide geologic mapping program, including establishing priorities, directing staff assignments, and overseeing cooperative mapping and research projects with federal and State partners, including STATEMAP, the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), and related programs;
• Prepare research findings and reports for publication and broader professional dissemination, including peer-reviewed journal articles, monographs, books, and other scholarly or technical publications that advance understanding of New York State geology; and review and support the publication of work by Geological Survey staff;
• Provide leadership for the stewardship and use of the Museum’s geological collections, including developing research and collections policies, promoting collections for research, exhibitions, education, and public programs, and overseeing their care. May serve as curator of a major geological collection, with responsibility for its intellectual integrity and physical stewardship;
• Develop and lead competitive grants and cooperative funding initiatives that advance geological research, mapping, collections, education, and public programs; serve as principal investigator or project lead, as appropriate; and ensure effective stewardship of commitments, budgets, reporting, and deliverables;
• Provide administrative and programmatic oversight for the Geological Survey, including the effective use of staff and resources and the management and tracking of State, Federal, and externally funded expenditures, travel, contracts, purchases, project schedules, and other operational responsibilities necessary to advance departmental priorities and long-term goals;
• Establish and sustain statewide and national scientific and professional partnerships with federal and State agencies, colleges and universities, museums, cultural and educational institutions, and professional geoscience organizations; and represent the NYSM and NYSGS in professional meetings, conferences, committees, and collaborative forums;
• Contribute to the Museum’s public-facing, educational, and interpretive work for broad audiences, including children and families, collaborating with Museum colleagues to translate geological research, collections, and discoveries into engaging and accessible exhibitions, public programs, lectures, tours, hands‑on activities, teacher workshops, family programs, and other interpretive experiences and;
• Provide geological expertise and information to State agencies, the public, and scientific and educational partners; and contribute to Museum-wide initiatives that advance the missions and public impact of the NYSM and NYSGS.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree and five years of professional experience or a doctoral degree and three years of professional experience.

Reassignment: Candidates must have one year of permanent non-competitive or 55b/c service as a Museum Scientist 5.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in geology or a closely related geoscience field.
• A strong record of original geological research, peer-reviewed publication, and professional accomplishment in the geosciences.
• Significant experience leading and supervising professional scientists and technical staff in research, field, laboratory, mapping, collections, or comparable settings.
• Experience developing and managing competitive grants, cooperative agreements, geological mapping programs, or other complex scientific initiatives.
• Experience in the stewardship, research use, and interpretation of geological collections.
• A record of building effective partnerships and representing a scientific organization with government agencies, academic institutions, professional organizations, and other external partners.
• Ability to communicate geological research and scientific information effectively to broad public audiences, including children and families, through exhibitions, educational initiatives, public programs, or other interpretive work.
• Professional Geologist licensure in New York State, or the ability to obtain New York State licensure.

Additional Comments

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: This will be a permanent, non-competitive appointment. Promotions and transfers may change appointees’ negotiating unit. Candidates should be aware that changes in negotiating units may affect their salary, insurance, and other benefits.

This position will require 20% in-state/Statewide travel.

This position leads to a maximum salary of $151,566 based on annual performance advances new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts

Interested in a job with New York State, but don’t know where to start?

Visit these links for information on working for New York State:

• https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/
• https://www.cs.ny.gov/pio/publications/gettingajob.pdf

Holiday & Paid Time Off

• Thirteen (13) paid holidays annually.
• Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave in year one, increasing to 20+ days with additional years of service.
• Five (5) days of paid personal leave annually.
• Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave annually for PEF/CSEA and eight (8) days paid sick leave annually for M/C.
• Annual professional leave and educational leave opportunities for eligible staff.

Health Care Benefits

• Eligible employees and dependents can choose from a variety of affordable and generous health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.

Additional Benefits

• Enrollment in the New York State pension system which has earned the distinction of being one of the best-managed and best-funded plans in the nation OR Optional Retirement Defined Contribution Plan with 8% salary match (eligibility requirements apply).
• NYS Deferred Compensation and an exclusive 403(b) Optional Retirement Savings Plan.
• Paid Parental Leave for all employees and Paid Family Leave (M/C Only).
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
• Eligibility for various life insurance options.

New York State Education Department (NYSED) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NYS Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic violence victim status, gender identity, prior conviction records, prior arrests, youthful offender adjudications, or sealed records.