Museum Specialist (Art)

National Gallery of Art; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC seeks an Administrative Specialist within the Department of Exhibitions to provide essential clerical and exhibition support. You will manage data in the collection system, create loan and exhibition records, and train staff in TMS usage, ensuring accuracy and adherence to gallery standards in all documentation.

Responsibilities include coordinating loan communications, supporting exhibition production, archiving files, and assisting in text

Qualifications

• Specialized Experience Statement: at least one year, equivalent to GS-07, in administrative/operational support for exhibition planning, collections management, cataloguing, or research for art museum/culture organization.
• 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's/advanced degree in related fields (art, history, museum studies, etc.).
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels.

Responsibilities

• Enter and maintain current exhibition object, donor, and lender data in the Gallery's collection management system (TMS).
• Create exhibition and loan records and track data; generate checklists and reports.
• Serve as authority on TMS use and train others in data entry.
• Support loan-related correspondence from request to final completion; process letters and translate as needed; document loan conditions.
• Provide general administrative support for exhibition production and departmental activities; schedule meetings; archive exhibition files; arrange travel and expense reports.
• Support project management by tracking deadlines, tasks, and loan statuses in project management software; collaborate on multiple teams.
• Assist in preparation and proofreading of texts for object labels, wall texts, brochures, and catalogs.

Skills

Data entry

Exhibition data management

Liaison/communication

Education

Master's degree or graduate degree in art, history, museum studies or related field

Tools

TMS (The Museum System)

Job description

Summary

The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through our doors each year, with even more online, making us one of the most visited art museums in the world. Our renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.

Duties

The position is located in the Department of Exhibitions. The incumbent reports directly to the assigned Exhibition Officer and provides primary clerical and administrative support for exhibition administration, performing a variety of duties of an administrative nature for the department, and assisting other Gallery departments with various aspects of exhibition administration.

Duties for this position include

• Obtains, enters and maintains current art exhibition object, donor and lender data in the Gallery's collection management system.
• Creates exhibition and loan records and tracks object and loan data ensuring adherence to Gallery style and format and accuracy at all stages. Generates checklists and reports.
• Serves as authority on use of TMS for exhibition object data management and trains others in exhibition-related data entry.
• Supports management of art loan-related correspondence from initial loan request through final loan completion. Processes outgoing loan letters, produces loan agreements, processes incoming responses, including making translations of foreign correspondence, and documenting and disseminating loan conditions and contractual requirements in digital, written, and verbal formats, e.g., email, reports, Teams posts, digital file shares. Responsible for accurate documentation, adherence to Gallery brand, and compliance with museum practices and industry standards for art loans management. Acts as liaison and contact for internal and external stakeholders for exhibition-related information and information systems.
• Provides general administrative support for exhibition production and departmental activities, including scheduling meetings; creating, maintaining, and archiving accurate and organized exhibition files, making travel arrangements and processing travel expense reports, performing research of a general or exhibition-specific nature.
• Supports effective exhibition project management by establishing and tracking deadlines, tasks, and loan statuses in project management software. Collaborates as member of multiple simultaneous exhibition project teams.
• Assists in preparation and/or proofreading of texts such as object labels, wall texts, brochures, promotional materials, and catalogues.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit appropriate documentation prior to the closing date. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant experience as it relates to this job announcement. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your 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). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience Statement: Candidates must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in responsibility to the GS-07 level in the Federal service or private sector performing administrative/operational support for exhibition planning, collections management, cataloguing, or research for an art museum/culture organization.

OR

2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related fields of study including art, history, museum studies, scientific subjects, or other courses related to the position to be filled.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable.

OPM Qualifications Standard

Individual Occupational Requirements: Museum Specialist and Technician Series 1016

Other Relevant Eligibility Criteria

None

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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.

Education

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

The National Gallery of Art foster a fair workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The EEO policy is found at: https://www.nga.gov/employment-opportunities/equal-employment-opportunity

More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.

This position is included in the bargaining unit.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/reasonable-accommodation

Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans

Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility

Requirements Visit The Following Websites

• Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A
• Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
• Other Special Appointment Authorities

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: The National Gallery of Art provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact person listed in this announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

The Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

• 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
• Retirement Program - https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.