Jobs and Careers
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Data Management Specialist, IS-1001-09
Smithsonian InstitutionWashington, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 22 May 2026
💰 $91,815/yr($70,623/yr – $91,815/yr)
About the role
Data Management Specialist, IS-1001-09
Application Deadline: 10 June 2026
Department: National Museum of Natural History
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Research Geologist
Compensation: $70,623 - $91,815 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: May 27, 2026
CLOSING DATE: June 10, 2026 (This job will close once 150 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date).
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary, NTE 4 years
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-Sensitive (NS)/ Low 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 Data Management Specialist position in the Department of Paleobiology.
The incumbent serves as a Data Management Specialist for fossil collections, collaborating closely with department and museum staff to plan, develop, and implement data driven collections initiatives. The purpose of this position is to support collections digitization, facilitate data management, and implement information technology for the benefit of departmental research, collections stewardship, and public outreach.
The incumbent supports NMNH’s goals of enhancing collections discoverability and expanding institutional capacity in digitization, data management, and imaging practices. The position promotes best practices within the assigned department, advances both collections stewardship and scientific research through effective coordination of data-oriented activities, and facilitates improved access, preservation, and use of collections data and digital assets.
The incumbent supports NMNH’s goals of enhancing collections discoverability and expanding institutional capacity in digitization, data management, and imaging practices. The position promotes best practices within the assigned department, advances both collections stewardship and scientific research through effective coordination of data-oriented activities, and facilitates improved access, preservation, and use of collections data and digital assets.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Participates in digitization projects for natural history collections by coordinating with stakeholders and team collaborators and contributing to project planning, workflow development, evaluation, and implementation and by performing data capture, transcription, data processing, and data migration activities, ensuring accuracy and consistency of provided information or information derived from primary sources such as object labels, field books,
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