What are the responsibilities and job description for the Museum Technician (History) position at National Park Service?
Summary
You will serve as a museum technician located at a museum facility in a National Park Service organization. The purpose of the position is to perform uncomplicated tasks in one or more of the functional areas of the museum specialty
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Duties
Major duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
Pullman National Historical Park is located in Chicago, IL. This park, established in 2015, tells the story of 19th and 20th century industrial society and labor history. There is an emphasis on the 1894 Pullman Strike and Boycott and the 1937 efforts unionization efforts of the African American Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters with the company. The site also preserves the innovative 1890 urban planning that continues to influence community development today. The NPS owns and manages a historic Administration building that serves as the Visitor Center and park offices. The park works with park partners and residents to maintain and share the historic community. World class cultural, recreational, medical, and educational opportunities are available in the region. Public transportation by both bus and train is available to the park. No government housing is available, but there is a diverse range of housing opportunity available within the commuting area.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-04/08/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40 hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized Experience is experience related to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include collections management, registration, cataloging, research, preservation, restoration, or conservation of collections of museum material, or other experience related to anthropology, art, geology, history, or natural science. Experience may have been gained in a museum, college, or university, antique shop, commercial art gallery, or other setting involving work with collections of valuable objects or specimens requiring specialized care and handling. You must include start and end dates and hours per week worked on your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four (4) years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in the areas of art, history, museum studies, scientific subjects or other courses related the position. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to one year of specialized experience. For example, six (6) months of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement), and three years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education), which includes at least 12 semester hours or related coursework as specified in B above (50% of the related coursework required). The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include start and end dates and hours per week worked on your resume and must include transcripts.
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.
Education
To 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 information
A 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.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.
The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.
Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.
Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., boxes and collection items up to 50 pounds) must be lifted or moved on a frequent basis.
Working Conditions: Most of the work is performed in a museum environment of exhibit and storage areas, workroom/laboratory, and offices. Occasional work with materials which are dusty or stored with protective chemicals may require the use of dust masks, gloves, or other protective devices. The incumbent may occasionally perform field work in adverse weather conditions.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will serve as a museum technician located at a museum facility in a National Park Service organization. The purpose of the position is to perform uncomplicated tasks in one or more of the functional areas of the museum specialty
Help
Duties
Major duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Creates and manages museum records that prove ownership, describe materials in the collection, document loans, locate objects, and ensures that museum collections are physically and intellectually available for collection management, interpretation, exhibition, and research.
- Provides daily and cyclical cleaning and monitoring of artifacts, examining and monitoring environmental conditions. Implements a preventive conservation program based on an understanding of good collections management techniques, the museum environment, and basic materials science.
- Uses computers and digital cameras and digital photography and collection management software to create high-quality web-ready catalog records.
- Organizes museum records, identifies and labels artifacts, and supports the accession review team in evaluating objects for the collection
- Serves as a team member on curatorial projects (such as conducting 100% baseline inventories of park museum collections; the elimination of cataloging backlogs; organization of photograph and archival collections; creation of missing documentation for accession, loan, and deaccession files; photo documentation of collections; and the reorganization of storage areas).
Pullman National Historical Park is located in Chicago, IL. This park, established in 2015, tells the story of 19th and 20th century industrial society and labor history. There is an emphasis on the 1894 Pullman Strike and Boycott and the 1937 efforts unionization efforts of the African American Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters with the company. The site also preserves the innovative 1890 urban planning that continues to influence community development today. The NPS owns and manages a historic Administration building that serves as the Visitor Center and park offices. The park works with park partners and residents to maintain and share the historic community. World class cultural, recreational, medical, and educational opportunities are available in the region. Public transportation by both bus and train is available to the park. No government housing is available, but there is a diverse range of housing opportunity available within the commuting area.
Help
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship required.
- Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
- Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
- Direct Deposit: You will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
- Driver's License: You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
- Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
- Age: Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-04/08/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40 hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized Experience is experience related to the operation or management of a museum or similar collection of valuable objects. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include collections management, registration, cataloging, research, preservation, restoration, or conservation of collections of museum material, or other experience related to anthropology, art, geology, history, or natural science. Experience may have been gained in a museum, college, or university, antique shop, commercial art gallery, or other setting involving work with collections of valuable objects or specimens requiring specialized care and handling. You must include start and end dates and hours per week worked on your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four (4) years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in the areas of art, history, museum studies, scientific subjects or other courses related the position. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to one year of specialized experience. For example, six (6) months of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement), and three years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education), which includes at least 12 semester hours or related coursework as specified in B above (50% of the related coursework required). The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include start and end dates and hours per week worked on your resume and must include transcripts.
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.
Education
To 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 information
A 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.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.
The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.
Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.
Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., boxes and collection items up to 50 pounds) must be lifted or moved on a frequent basis.
Working Conditions: Most of the work is performed in a museum environment of exhibit and storage areas, workroom/laboratory, and offices. Occasional work with materials which are dusty or stored with protective chemicals may require the use of dust masks, gloves, or other protective devices. The incumbent may occasionally perform field work in adverse weather conditions.
Read more
- Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
