Museum Specialist (History)
What you'd do
This position is located in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), Rubenstein National Institute for Holocaust Documentation, Collections Services Division, Conservation Branch, David and Fela Shapell Collections, Conservation, and Research Center, Bowie, MD. In this position, the Museum Specialist (Conservation Specialist) will provide support to the professional staff of the Conservation Branch assisting in conservation and preservation activities for the collections.
Major duties
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a federally chartered, nonpartisan institution that was created by the US Congress to serve as America's national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and an educational institution dedicated to the history and lessons of the Holocaust. The Museum seeks to educate Americans from all 50 states and all walks of life as well as international audiences. The Museum has three areas of expertise: Holocaust remembrance, Holocaust scholarship and education, and genocide prevention. In carrying out its important memorial and educational mission, the Museum is guided by its institutional values for our workplace: Honor the memory of the victims; carry out our work with dignity, humility, integrity and respect for others; and strive for excellence through teamwork, rigor, and a culture of continuous learning. Consistent respect for others is the foundation for trust, collegiality and inclusion. Duties include: Assists the conservators by assessing conditions and developing preservation plans for the collection items, including carrying out conservation treatments in conjunction with photographic and written documentation. Designs and fabricates custom enclosures in consultation with the appropriate conservator for collection materials; makes recommendations for appropriate housing materials and techniques. Participates in the installation, de-installation, maintenance, and preservation of artifacts for exhibition. Carries out Exhibition Collections Care [ECC] according to the procedures developed by conservators to protect and care for artifacts on display. Ensures artifacts are mounted, supported, and handled according to Museum standards, and ensures that the necessary tools and equipment are available and ready when needed for major EEC treatment and care projects. Carries out photographic documentation and other imaging of artifacts identified for conservation treatment, in coordination with conservators. Participates in environmental monitoring program (monitoring temperature, relative humidity, and light) in areas containing collection materials including placement and collection of remote environmental data loggers and input of data into a computerized monitoring program. Participates in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) activities including accompanying the IPM contractor to monitor pest incursions in collection areas. Responds to reports of the presence of pests or bugs, and reports findings.
What you need to qualify
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards. 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. Basic Requirement: Specialized Experience: You qualify for the GS-9 grade level if you possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-7 (or equivalent) grade level in the federal government. Specialized Experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience for this position is assessing the condition, performing minor conservation treatment, and completing preventive care for items in the Museum's collection; conducting photographic documentation and technical imaging artifacts; maintaining hardcopy and electronic conservation records for collection items in the Museum; assisting with the creation and implementation of documents to enforce the Museum's procedures and practices. OR Education: 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or master's or equivalent graduate degree related to the position OR Combination of education and experience as listed above. Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. NOTE: All current or former Federal employees must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure (1 or 2), and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). ***Failure to submit required documentation will result in an ineligible rating.
Before you apply
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