Museum Specialist (Natural Science/Provenance Research), IS-1016-11

Application Deadline: 28 May 2025

Department: National Museum of Natural History

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $84,601 - $109,975 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: May 15, 2025                    CLOSING DATE: May 29, 2025               POSITION TYPE: Trust FundAPPOINTMENT TYPE:  Temporary, Not-to-Exceed 3 YearsSCHEDULE: Full TimeDUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC 
 Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants
 
What are Trust Fund Positions?Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).  Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States.  Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 

OVERVIEW

Come join a dedicated and creative team at an exceptional time for the Smithsonian, an institution with a bold vision for the future: to build a better tomorrow for all. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is part of the Smithsonian’s unique complex and is one of the most visited museums in the United States.  Its mission is to promote understanding of the natural world and our place in it. NMNH has a collection of 148 million specimens and artifacts. Each one reflects a moment in space and time and in these moments, we find Earth’s story.

The National Museum of Natural History is seeking an experienced candidate to fill the Museum Specialist (Natural Science) position responsible for independently conducting research on the provenance of museum objects, coordinate the provenance research for the NMNH and coordinate the Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Program at the NMNH. The incumbent documents provenance research based on the museum’s policies and procedures This position will report to the Supervisory Registrar in the Office of the Associate Director for Science and Chief Scientist.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 Conducts in-depth reviews of museum collections, which may include human remains, biological, geological, cultural, archaeological or ethnographic objects present in the collections of the National Museum of Natural History that are deemed to be of highest priority for research. Updates collections management records (paper and digital) with the provenance research completed on a variety of collections, per museum policy and procedures.

Researches provenance of the collection or items in question to evaluate the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of collections item(s) using museum records including, but not limited to, departmental ledger books (anthropology, mammals or other ledgers), accession and loan files, catalogue cards, and the collections database (EMu), SI archival collections, including fieldnotes and correspondence, relevant literature, and oral histories and other non-traditional lines of evidence obtained from within or outside of the Smithsonian. Supports staff in completing provenance research. Independently completes written research reports on the provenance and legal status of the collection by conducting guided scholarly research (library, archival, physical examination of works, and conducting in