Head of Invention Education, IS-1701-12
Apply NowCompany: U.S Government
Location: Washington, DC 20011
Description:
Head of Invention Education, IS-1701-12
Application Deadline: 31 March 2025
Department: National Museum of American History
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Director, Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention & Innovation
Compensation: $101,401 - $133,826 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: March 24, 2025
CLOSING DATE: March 31, 2025
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk
Example: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Open to SI Only**This position is being recruited at the grade 12 with promotion potential up to grade 13. The incumbent may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level upon satisfactory completion of qualifications/performance and at the management's discretion. Meeting these requirements does not entitle the incumbent to advancement.
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
OVERVIEW
This position is located in the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, Division of Public History, National Museum of American History (NMAH), Undersecretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). The Lemelson Center's mission is to promote public understanding of the history and role of invention and innovation in society.
The position develops the Lemelson Center's education philosophy and directs the Center's educational outreach programs. Responsibilities include developing and producing Lemelson Center educational programs, serving as the lead education representative for Lemelson Center and other NMAH exhibition projects, developing interactive exhibit components and educational products, managing budgets, and supervising personnel associated with those activities. The position directs the operation of Spark!Lab, the Lemelson Center's hands-on invention learning space aimed at families with children at NMAH, as well as the Spark!Lab Network, a consortium of Spark!Lab installations at external museums, libraries, and cultural institutions across the US and select foreign countries.
This position has promotion potential to the IS-1701-13 grade level. This position requires occasional work on evenings, weekends, or holidays in accordance with Smithsonian Institution policy. This position also requires national and international travel.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess 1-3 years of related experience (described below).
Experience required for this position is as follows:
In addition to meeting the qualification requirement above, a minimum of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in any field of study is preferred.
Applicants whose education was 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 rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.
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.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact NMAHApplications@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: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.
Application Deadline: 31 March 2025
Department: National Museum of American History
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Director, Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention & Innovation
Compensation: $101,401 - $133,826 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: March 24, 2025
CLOSING DATE: March 31, 2025
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk
Example: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Open to SI Only**This position is being recruited at the grade 12 with promotion potential up to grade 13. The incumbent may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level upon satisfactory completion of qualifications/performance and at the management's discretion. Meeting these requirements does not entitle the incumbent to advancement.
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
This position is located in the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, Division of Public History, National Museum of American History (NMAH), Undersecretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). The Lemelson Center's mission is to promote public understanding of the history and role of invention and innovation in society.
The position develops the Lemelson Center's education philosophy and directs the Center's educational outreach programs. Responsibilities include developing and producing Lemelson Center educational programs, serving as the lead education representative for Lemelson Center and other NMAH exhibition projects, developing interactive exhibit components and educational products, managing budgets, and supervising personnel associated with those activities. The position directs the operation of Spark!Lab, the Lemelson Center's hands-on invention learning space aimed at families with children at NMAH, as well as the Spark!Lab Network, a consortium of Spark!Lab installations at external museums, libraries, and cultural institutions across the US and select foreign countries.
This position has promotion potential to the IS-1701-13 grade level. This position requires occasional work on evenings, weekends, or holidays in accordance with Smithsonian Institution policy. This position also requires national and international travel.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develops hands-on and digital educational activities, exhibit components, and instructional materials on historical and contemporary topics related to invention and the creative process designed to reach diverse audiences which may include both informal and formal settings.
- Recommends a conceptual framework for exhibit components, hands-on activities, public programs, and instructional materials that reflect the needs of the visitor.
- Manages research for front-end and formative evaluation which informs the design of exhibition elements, hands-on and digital activities, and educational programming. Conducts summative evaluations to measure the efficacy of exhibition elements, educational activities, and public programs.
- In consultation with the Spark!Lab Manager, oversees NMAH Spark!Lab's daily operations, including its staffing by Spark!Lab facilitators and museum volunteers, and coordinates as necessary with other functions of the museum (e.g., Visitor Services, Volunteer Program).
- Collaborates with subordinate staff to manage various aspects of Spark!Lab Network administration, including member recruitment, new site openings, training, invoicing, shipping materials, and communications.
- Monitors all external Spark!Lab installations to ensure that they comply with licensing agreements and ensures that all sites operate effectively by resolving questions, issues, or conflicts as they arise.
- Produces educational programs for museum visitors, school groups, and the general public. Programs may include themed family days, large festivals, or evening programs at NMAH or pop-up Spark!Lab activities at external sites.
- Develops presentations and workshops for museum staff and educators, highlighting the role of invention and innovation in American history and sharing educational theories and best practices concerning STEM and invention education.
- Manages budgets and supervises personnel associated with the Lemelson Center's educational activities. Oversees the establishment of goals, articulation of priorities, development of schedules and checklists, and the assignment of tasks for subordinate staff. Monitors activities within NMAH Spark!Lab and across the Spark!Lab Network to ensure that desired goals, quality standards, and deadlines are achieved.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess 1-3 years of related experience (described below).
Experience required for this position is as follows:
- Professional knowledge of learning theory (e.g., Maslow's hierarchy, visual-auditory-kinesthetic learning styles), education practice, and audience behavior to inform the educational work in a museum and interactive learning setting.
- Skill to communicate effectively in oral and written form in order to coordinate activities with both internal museum colleagues and external collaborators.
- Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships and partnerships with program participants and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of educational programming.
- Knowledge of a variety of quantitative and qualitative analytical methods to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of programs to foster continuous improvement.
- Knowledge of historical methodology as it applies to the interpretation of scientific, technological, social and/or cultural history to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the educational content.
- Knowledge of elementary and secondary curriculum planning as it applies to the development of school programs and products to ensure that educational products serve the needs of K- 12 educators.
In addition to meeting the qualification requirement above, a minimum of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in any field of study is preferred.
Applicants whose education was 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 rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.
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.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact NMAHApplications@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: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.