Museum Curator (Art)

Summary 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 the Curatorial Department of National Museum of African Art (NMAFA), Under Secretary for Museum and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). Responsibilities Museum Curator (Art) lead the development and execution of the Collections Development Strategy and works with the Acquisitions Committee to improve and expand the overall quality of the collections that advance NMAFA's mission. In this position, you will: Maintain contact with artists, galleries, other curators and collectors using a broad knowledge of African Art and Culture to plan and execute the collections development strategy. Coordinate efforts of curators and staff in the conception, development and implementation of projects including exhibitions, publications and scholarly public programming. Re-evaluate the museological practices of the Museum in all aspects (knowledge production, collections acquisitions and management, interpretation, programming). Supervise a diverse curatorial staff, contractors, Interns, and Fellows. Requirements Conditions of Employment Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation May need to complete a Probationary Period Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service. Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website. Qualifications Basic Education Requirement: Degree: museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field. or Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. or Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in A above. In addition to the Basic Education Requirement above: Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as developing and executing an exhibition from concept to opening; establishing a Collections Development Strategy or participating in a team that developed and executed such a strategy; working with artists, gallerists and other curators and collectors of African art in the context of a museum; and participating with a team or directly managing art acquisitions and related funds. 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. Education This position has a positive education requirement. Unofficial transcripts are required. Additional Information This position is not included in the bargaining unit. Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.

Created: 2026-03-25