Museum Curator for the National Parks Service

Job Title: Museum Curator

Job Status: Full-time

Location: New York, NY

Summary

The purpose of this position is to provide direction over extensive museum collections and carry out responsibilities in the four museum functions of collections, exhibits, research, and education.

 

Duties

  • Manages an intricate collection management program that includes sensitive and complex collections issues that may impact a wide variety of park issues.
  • Organizes the museum collections and maintains proper accountability, preservation, security and fire protection, collection storage, and research conditions.
  • Accessions and catalogs objects, verifying accuracy of information in collection records and files; responsible for annual inventory of collections; and maintains all record keeping and documentation for museum collections.
  • Maintains automated collections management data using DOI systems and standards; develops reports, provides interpretive and reference services and analyzes inventory and monitoring data, using automated systems.
  • Monitors and prepares programs for use of the collections, including research, loans, reference services, enforcement of use policy, and evaluation of collection-related research requests.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
  • You may be required to occasionally travel to other facilities and museums, as well as to training and professional meetings (1-2 days per month).
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/27/2023-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. All applicants must state either “full-time” (or “40 hours a week”) or “part-time” with the number of hours worked per week on their resume to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. You must provide transcripts if using education to qualify. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

Basic Education Requirement for 1015 series:

Possess a 4-year degree in museum work, or in an applicable subject-matter field.-OR-Have a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major in museum work.-OR-Possess four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of the 4-year course of study.

Minimum Qualification Requirement:

Select the one of the statements below that most clearly and accurately describes your highest level of experience and/or education to perform the work of this Museum Curator position at the GS-1015-11 level. Have at least one year specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-09 level in the Federal service performing the following duties: ensure museum collections are stored, exhibited, handled, inventoried and monitored according to policy; maintain records and documentation for museum collections; ensure collections transactions meet legal, ethical, and collections management policy; and evaluate program needs and make recommendations on priorities, cost estimates, and budget requirements.

You must include hours per week worked.-OR-Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. orequivalent doctoral degree in museum work or an applicable subject-matter field.-OR-Have a combination of education and experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position as described above. To calculate your combined amount, first determine the amount of your specialized experience as a percentage of the requirement listed in A above; then determine the amount of your graduate education in excess of two full years (normally 36semester hours) as a percentage of the requirement listed in B above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

Volunteer 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.CTAP/ICTAP – Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection.

Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP or 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible.

If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).EducationTo qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.Additional informationA selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR

  • 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands:

The work requires mental alertness, better than average manual dexterity, and mobility. Although primarily sedentary, inspections and operations evaluations involve activities demanding a certain amount of exertion such as walking, climbing, crawling, lifting of heavy objects, bending, stooping, and reaching. Working with collections can involve prolonged exposure to hazardous materials and equipment. Working with lighting systems, environmental control systems, and alarm systems can involve exposure to electrical current and the use of power tools with physical hazards. The work entails the ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

Working Conditions:

Most of the work is performed in an office and storage or laboratory facility. Frequent visits are made to the library, visitor center, and other museums in the park. The incumbent makes occasional field trips to the backcountry. Some travel to other facilities and museums, as well as to training and professional meetings is required.The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

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