Education Specialist - Museum jobs in District of Columbia

OPEN DATE: March 18, 2024
CLOSING DATE: April 1, 2024
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

TO APPLY: https://trustcareers.si.edu/en/postings/2303e2f7-ac80-4ca2-9f32-dc550bc1e4db/applications/new

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 and 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 as low risk.
• 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.

OVERVIEWThis position is located within the Education Department in the Education and Visitor Experience

Directorate, National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Smithsonian Institution (SI) and reports to a Deputy Director position, who reports to an Associate Director position. The mission of NASM is to commemorate, educate and inspire. Learning at the National Air and Space Museum sparks curiosity and empowers learners to imagine the possibilities of our future. The museum collects, preserves and displays aeronautical and spaceflight artifacts of historical significance.

The purpose of this position is to oversee the Museum’s gallery programming. The foundational elements of this effort include the Explainer Program and the Discovery Stations. The Explainer Program hires high school and college students to help visitors better understand the Museum’s artifacts and exhibitions through direct interaction and hands-on activities on the Museum floor. Discovery Stations are themed carts and materials used by the Explainers in their work to connect audiences with artifacts, STEAM principles, and stories about science, technology, and innovation.

Responsibilities associated with the Explainers Program include directing the programming and leading the team managing the Museum’s Explainers at both the National Mall building in Washington, DC and Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. The Discovery Stations are used by the Explainers and a corps of Volunteers to engage audiences on the Museum floor. The employee is responsible for planning and organizing the work with staff, coordinating with Education leadership, and ensuring all components of the program are successful as defined by the program’s objectives and goals.

Position requires ability to experiment with new learning techniques and technologies, and to seize new opportunities for enhancing learning. It requires advanced knowledge of instructional design, educational technology, training design and development, adult learning and education in museums or other non-formal settings. Requires skill in working with school structures, curriculum, teaching standards and classroom principles. Requires the ability to apply educational principles, practices and methods to develop and implement museum education programs for culturally diverse audiences.

The employee is responsible for planning and organizing the work, directing and coordinating with staff and management, and conducting all phases of projects, and frequently involves the definitive interpretation of regulations, laws, and study procedures, and the initial application of new methods. Completed projects, evaluations, reports, or recommendations are reviewed by the supervisor for compatibility with organizational goals, guidelines, effectiveness in achieving intended objectives.

Guidelines consist of Federal administration policies, laws, and regulation, as well as the overall policies and procedures of NASM and the Smithsonian Institution for conducting interactive programming. The educational principles and practices that apply to the development of the educational museum programs for diverse audiences, with national education standards, also providing as guidance.

Guidelines do not go into detail as to the methods used to accomplish the work; therefore, the employee must use judgment and initiative to refine or develop more specific guidelines such as implementing policy and/or regulations, methods, techniques, and procedures for the measurement and improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of NASM virtual and hybrid programs. Completed projects, evaluations, reports, or recommendations are reviewed by the supervisor for compatibility with organizational goals, guidelines, effectiveness in achieving intended objectives.

The incumbent’s work involves gathering information, identifying and analyzing issues, and developing recommendations to resolve substantive problems of effectiveness and efficiency of NASM programs. Assignments require the incumbent to apply qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques that frequently require modification to fit a wider range of variables, and issues that are not always resolved by direct analysis. Incumbent manages both staff and volunteers and addresses management and staffing issues, providing guidance to a diverse staff of educators, program managers, museum specialists, part time intermittent staff, and interns in different aspects of the Museum.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Education Program Operations

• Oversees and supports Explainer Coordinators, who recruit, hire, train, manage, and evaluate the Museum’s Explainer Corps.
• Works collaboratively with this team and leadership to ensure Explainers are appropriately trained, supervised, and mentored in their work to enable them to properly execute Discovery Station presentations and demonstrations, as well as support other NASM programming, including reserved programs, field trips, and large-scale Museum programs. Also train Explainers to professionally represent the Smithsonian and the Museum in all their interactions.
• Works with staff to ensure smooth and safe operations of the Discovery Stations and that all stations are in proper working order.
• Manages education funds by overseeing that the program’s budget is accurately developed, expenses are tracked properly, and staff is supported on procurement issues.
• Works in concert with directorate leadership and the Advancement office to develop donor proposals and reports.

Education Program Development

• Regularly reviews Explainer programming to ensure fidelity in the program, working with coordinators to ensure they are regularly and methodically reviewing Explainer work and mentoring as appropriate.
• Maintains program relevance and develops new stations and programs by working with coordinators to research content and evaluate effectiveness, ensuring all content is appropriate and accurate and that the objectives and plans are within the strategic goals of the department and NASM at physical locations and online.
• Reviews signage, curriculum, publications, programs, and materials.
• Provides content as needed when implementing gallery programs.

Supervision

• Plans, organizes, directs, supervises, and manages the personnel and activities of an education team.
• Oversees and coordinates complex, long-term projects.
• Plans and carries out the full range of supervisory and managerial authorities related to assignment of work, coordination with other programs, management advisory services, technical work direction, evaluation of subordinates, recommending selections for vacant positions, resolving complaints, proposing disciplinary actions, determining or approving training needs, approving expenditures of funds, recommending awards and bonuses and determining means to improve productivity.
• Exercises delegated managerial authority to set annual and multi-year plans and schedules for projects accomplished in-house and by contract.
• Determines goals and objectives for the team, where emphasis should be placed and how best to use resources including realignments to address shortfalls or to satisfy priority needs.

Performs other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree or higher is required.
• Minimum of two years of consistent supervisory experience. Can be a combination of paid staff, volunteers, fellows and or interns.
• Ability to design and guide a significant segment of NASM’s core mission to educate the public about its research findings.
• Knowledge on how to set plans and work to be accomplished by subordinates. Sets and adjusts short-term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work. Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments and the capabilities of employees.
• Skill in evaluating work performance of subordinates. Gives advice, counsel and instruction to employees on both technical and administrative matters. Interviews candidates and recommends appointment, promotion or reassignment to fill vacancies. Hears and resolves simple complaints from employees and effects minor disciplinary measures. Identifies developmental needs of employees and makes arrangements for coaching and classes. Knowledge of ways to improve delivery or to increase the quality of the work directed. Develops performance standards. Directs one or more contract resources as provided.
• Skill in overseeing that educational materials are accurate and consistent, to plan and coordinate the work directed with that of others outside the unit and to resolve differences of opinion among managers, educators, contractors and program participants.
• Knowledge on how to coordinate and integrate a number of major curriculum assignments, software-based projects and space and flight-knowledge-rich program segments, comparable in difficulty to the GS-11 level.
• Skills in leading the delivery of materials and services to the public, with knowledge on how to evaluate those materials and services, to develop enhancements, corrections and new offerings in delivery to audiences.
• Knowledge of federal purchasing procedures and skills as a contracting office technical representative.
• Skill in budget management for both federal and trust accounts, including experience in budget projections and tracking.
• Skill in supervising staff, and in planning, coordinating, and monitoring work assignments of others; evaluate work performance and provide feedback to others on their performance; ensure that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.
• Skill in oral and written communication in order to manage and coordinate programs, collaborate with a wide variety of individuals at all levels, and prepare and present briefings and reports.

Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package. Any false statement in your application may result in your application being rejected and may also result in termination after employment begins. The Smithsonian Institution values and seeks a diverse workforce. Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Relocation expenses are not paid.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact NASM-HR@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: www.si.edu/oeema.

About Smithsonian Institution

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. There are 6,000 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 137 million.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $94,199.00 - $145,617.00 per year

Physical setting:

• Office

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person