Research Zoologist (Curator of Fishes), IS-0410-12

Application Deadline: 2 June 2026

Department: National Museum of Natural History

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $102,415 - $133,142 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: May 12, 2026                    CLOSING DATE: June 2, 2026POSITION TYPE: Trust FundAPPOINTMENT TYPE: IndefiniteSCHEDULE: 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 one-year 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 Research Zoologist and Curator of Fishes position in the department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes.  The purpose of this position is to perform scholarly scientific research and professional curation in the National Fish Collection. The NMNH is part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s preeminent museum and research complex. The Museum is dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery, and learning about the natural world through its unparalleled research, collections, exhibitions, and education outreach programs. The NMNH holds a collection of over 148 million specimens and objects across Botany, Entomology, Invertebrate Zoology, Vertebrate Zoology, Paleobiology, Mineral Sciences, and Anthropology. The incumbent will serve as a Research Zoologist and Curator of Fishes under the general administrative direction and professional counsel of the Department Chair. The incumbent is responsible for directing and performing independent scholarly scientific research and professional curation in the National Fish Collection. The incumbent develops and expands an internationally recognized research program, making major contributions to the field of zoology through research, integrative scientific investigation, scholarly and public presentations, publications, and recognition within the scientific community.

This entry-level position will be filled at the IS-12 level, which is comparable to the GS-12 level in the Federal Government.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Independently initiates, develops, and personally participates in integrative scientific research, fieldwork, and collection growth and maintenance within the field of Systematic Ichthyology. Research consists of systematically planned, original studies or a series of studies that address broader problems. Reg