The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Office of the Deputy Director, Education Department. The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a national museum for the study and exhibition of African American history and culture.
Education Required: 1. Degree: that included or was supplemented by major study in education or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position. or 2. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in education, or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position, plus appropriate experience or additional course work that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study described above. In addition to the basic qualification requirement above: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience recruiting, managing, training and coordinating volunteers and docent tour guides, designing, implementing and evaluating educational programs. 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: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree 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. 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.
The Education Program Specialist is responsible for recruiting/placement, managing, training, and coordination of volunteer docents and interpretive guides to facilitate superior visitor experiences of the permanent collection and exhibitions both in person and online. In this position, you will: be responsible for the maintenance and updating of the museum’s Docent Volunteer Program. be responsible to Smithsonian Institution in establishing and implementing NMAAHC-specific volunteer policies. be responsible for managing an annual budget to ensure financial resources are efficiently allocated to support volunteer initiatives and program development. oversee the development of the museum’s public tour offerings, which demands a deep understanding of museum education, African American History, and the teaching of history to adults. facilitate staff’s volunteer needs and train staff on volunteer procedures.