Museum Specialist

National Park Service; Van Buren (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

National Park Service in Missouri seeks a Museum Specialist for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways to serve as a collections manager for a park collection of about 54,409 objects across disciplines including archaeology, ethnology, history, natural resources, and archives. The role also encompasses research, exhibits, and education/interpretation.

The position emphasizes preservation, cataloging, and data management, with work in office and laboratory settings, plus occasional travel to other

Qualifications

• Preservation and care of museum collections and related facilities.
• Knowledge of cataloging, record keeping and data management for collections accountability.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preservation and care of museum collections and the historic structures of the park.
• Performs research to identify museum objects and requests, identifies needs for restoration and writes funding proposals.
• Maintains museum protection standards including environmental, fire, security monitoring, and pest management.
• Maintains liaison with related groups, agencies and the public, and supports outreach and interpretation.

Job description

This listing is a summary. Click 'Apply for this job' to view the complete posting and apply on USAJobs.gov.

Open: September 8, 2026 — Closes: September 14, 2026

Summary

This position serves as a Museum Specialist for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The position functions as a collections manager for a park collection which consists of almost 54,409 objects, housed in park buildings and covering a number of disciplines including archeology, ethnology, history, natural resources, and archives. The employee also has responsibilities in the areas of research, exhibits, and education/interpretation.

Major Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Assist in the preservation and care of museum collections and the historic structures of the park. Performs research to identify museum objects, responds to related research requests, identifies needs for restoration and preservation of objects, and writes related project proposals to obtain funding for identified long-term conservation needs. Maintains museum protection standards including environmental, fire, and security monitoring systems, and integrated pest management, applied in museum settings. Knowledge of methods used in museum cataloging, record keeping and data management for collections accountability and documentation. Maintains liaison and effective working relations with related groups and individuals, agencies and the public. Physical Demands: The work requires mental alertness, better than average manual dexterity, and mobility. Although primarily sedentary, inspections and operations evaluation involve activities demanding a certain amount of exertion such as walking, climbing, crawling, lifting of heavy objects, bending, stooping, and reaching. Working with collections can involve prolonged exposure to hazardous materials and equipment. Work Environment: Most of the work is performed in an office and storage or laboratory facility. Frequent visits are made to the library, visitor centers and other museum areas in the park, some of which are housed in historic structures that are not ADA accessible. Some travel to other facilities and museums, as well as, to training and professional meetings is required. Area Information: Ozark National Scenic Riverways is located in the heart of the Ozark Highlands of Missouri, in the southeastern portion of the state on the Current and Jack's Fork Rivers. The park features 134 miles of crystal clear, spring-fed rivers that are flanked by scenic bluffs, low mountains, and numerous springs and caves. Recreational opportunities abound and include kayaking, "tubing", fishing, hunting, and swimming. Hiking and mountain biking trails are plentiful in the area. The duty station for this position is at Park Headquarters in Van Buren, Missouri. Limited shopping, medical, and dental is available. For more shopping, medical, dental, and entertainment Popular Bluff and West Plains, Missouri are approximately 40 miles from Van Buren. Summers are warm and humid and winters are normally mild. Major attractions are located in St. Louis, Springfield, and Memphis two and half to three hours away. Additional information can be found at: www.nps.gov/ozar