Conservator (Paintings)
What you'd do
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in Curatorial Office, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), Undersecretary for Museums and Culture. SAAM shares the stories of our nation through American art and craft to inspire reflection, spark dialogue, and build connections. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.
Major duties
The Conservator will monitor the condition of and treat works of art in the SAAM collection as well as educate the public on the importance of conservation. In this position, you will: Perform independent technical examinations of works of art submitted to the lab to determine their condition, including the kind and extent of deterioration and treatment needed. Perform extremely delicate treatments and operations on fragile artworks. Investigate and monitor potential hazards in museum spaces resulting from unfavorable environmental conditions, human neglect, or carelessness. Provide expertise on climate control, light intensity, storage, and handling. Provide information and advice to the public while performing treatments. Partner with other organizations in organizing programs and educational opportunities. Demonstrate conservation techniques for interactive kiosks and on-line videos.
What you need to qualify
Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as performing paintings conservation; performing conservation assessments, examinations, material identifications, and documentation; performing conservation treatment, care, and environmental monitoring; and performing public outreach, programming, and professional engagement. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual 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). 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. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Or Education: Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the position may be substituted to meet the experience requirements. Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
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