Education Specialist bei Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution · Washington, Vereinigte Staaten Von Amerika · Onsite
- Professional
- Optionales Büro in Washington
OPEN DATE: 09/12/2025
CLOSING DATE: 10/10/2025
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanant/Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-Sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Open to all qualified applicants
Non-Sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Open to all qualified applicants
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
The Smithsonian Institution, Undersecretary for Science & Research, National Air and Space Museum (NASM), collects, preserves, studies, and exhibits artifacts, archival materials and works of art related to the history, culture and science of aviation and spaceflight and the study of the universe. Its research and outreach activities serve all audiences, within and beyond its walls. The Museum commemorates the past and is committed to educating and inspiring people to foster appreciation for the importance of flight to humanity. NASM is administered as one Museum with multiple locations: The National Mall building, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia and the Garber Facility in Suitland, Maryland. NASM provides access to the nation’s aviation and space flight history to an average of 7-9 million on-site visitors from around the world each year, making it one of the most visited museums in the world. In addition, NASM draws tens of millions of virtual visitors to its website and broadcast, digital applications and webcast educational programming. The incumbent serves as an Education Program Specialist, IS-1720-09, within NASM’s Bezos Learning Center (BLC) where they are responsible for supporting the development of educational programming, content, and applying systematic professional processes to ensure programming is meeting intended objectives. The position performs the following major duties.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Education and Programming – 50%
- Devises and researches the applicability of new learning techniques and technologies to advance the dissemination of institutional resources both in physical or digital environments.
- Applies insight and understanding into instructional design methods, educational technology training, design and development, and various learning styles to facilitate educational programming within the institution in non-formal settings.
- Incorporates museum educational programs, resources, and materials with established educational principles, practices, and methods sufficient to measure and assess the proficiency in which participants retain the information.
- Works with the museum’s Business and Operations Team to make purchases related to the development and implementation of BLC initiatives.
- Develops and delivers educational activities targeting BLC audiences. All stages of development, including assistance with conceptualizing programs and activities, assistance with design, development, piloting, and implementation are the responsibility of the incumbent.
- Provides reporting concerning project status, detailing successes, failures, or approvals required, tracks progress in relation to agreed timeframes and notifies leadership of project lag and source.
- Develops strategies to engage diverse audiences through digital platforms. This may include creating interactive content and educational resources, or increasing accessibility of NASM content, and supporting pan-institutional collaboration.
Technical Competence & Innovation – 25%
- Proposes innovative strategies for developing and adapting educational programs to further the mission of the department, which lead to adapting legacy educational materials with new and modern approaches to learning. • Researches and suggests new and innovative technologies that amplify the BLC’s ability to meaningfully engage audiences. Once approved, implements technology appropriately.
- Accesses the digital infrastructure of the BLC to broaden audience reach and impact through virtual programs and products that engage learners who are not visiting the Museum’s physical locations.
- Provides technical assistance for digital projects, including troubleshooting issues with digital tools and platforms. Collaborates with IT staff to ensure the smooth operation of digital systems.
- Possesses technical understanding in academic learning environments, structures, curriculum, and teaching standards used to provide instruction for various learning styles and age groups.
Technical Documentation 25%
- Prepares drafts and mock-ups of informational products that take the form of digital presentations, informational materials (e.g. brochures, learning guides), strategic messaging campaigns, and other products that facilitate outreach to raise the awareness of visitors or other individuals with a relationship with the institution concerning events or programming for the BLC.
- Supports developing procedures, resources, and tools to efficiently gather feedback, recommendations, and levels of engagement for BLC programming and organizes this information into useful information to provide guidance concerning the program.
- Evaluates BLC work efforts in educational programming and identifies techniques to align educational goals with educational concepts that improve the delivery, distribution, and applicability of programming. Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 3-5 years of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience required for this position is as follows:
- Practical knowledge, in the development and administration of educational materials used to provide curated learning programs.
- Knowledge, in providing technical assistance as it relates to applying educational concepts, techniques, and methods for students at different grade levels and learning styles.
- Skill, utilizing various learning instruments, participant data, and their appropriate application to learning objectives, sufficient to identify appropriate materials to present and disseminate educational resources.
- Skill, applying educational competencies to the development of learning materials, modules, and resources that are used to supplement programming.
- Ability, to work in a team-based environment collectively supporting academic enrichment activities that engage various educational entities on behalf of the institution.
- Ability to collaborate on all aspects of program development and implementation to produce programs that serve K-12 and life-long audiences.
- Ability, to research and identify relevant information, facts, and resources to support educational programming for the Bezos Learning Center.
- Ability, to present information in a clear and concise manner to individuals with limited or developing knowledge or understanding of the topic.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with NASM staff, other Smithsonian units, other museums, and community organizations.
- Ability to order equipment and supplies and track the orders; Ability to organize information and processes.
- Technical experience
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 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 [email protected]. 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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. 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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo
