Visual Information Specialist (IS-1084-07) at Smithsonian Institution

POSITION SENSITIVITY: Non Sensitive/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

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). 

About the National Museum of Asian Art 

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is committed to preserving, exhibiting, researching, and interpreting art in ways that deepen the public and scholarly understandings of Asia and the world. NMAA opened in 1923 as America’s first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. The museum now stewards one of the world’s most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present, from China, Japan, Korea, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the pre-Islamic Near East, and the Islamic world (inclusive of Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa). The museum also stewards an important collection of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American art. 

Today, NMAA is emerging as a leading national and global resource for understanding the arts, cultures, and societies of Asia, especially at their intersection with America. Guided by the belief that the future of art museums lies in collaboration, increased access, and transparency, NMAA is fostering new ways to engage with its audiences while maintaining its commitment to excellence.

NMAA celebrated its centennial in 2023 and is determined to make the museum’s second century as accomplished as its first. The museum is building on its core strengths—the quality and depth of our collections, scholarship, and conservation—while embracing experimentation and new approaches to its work. The museum is transforming digitally, physically, and programmatically to draw in new audiences to celebrate, learn, and connect with Asian and American art and cultures, past and present. 

Located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, the museum is free and open 364 days a year. The Smithsonian, which is the world’s largest museum complex, welcomes twenty to thirty million visitors yearly. For more information about the National Museum of Asian Art, please visit asia.si.edu.

The Opportunity 

The National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is seeking a Visual Information Specialist responsible for creating and designing visual content, such as graphics, illustrations, print and digital layouts for different media platforms. This job involves combining text and images to create compelling visual stories that inform, educate, or entertain viewers. Must work independently and as part of a team to complete the required tasks and produce all deliverables.

Design & Creative Production
• Conceive, create, and design compelling visual content using professional graphic design software.
• Edit, retouch, and prepare photographs for publication across print and digital platforms.
• Collaborate with project teams to develop visual assets that support exhibitions, programs, and institutional initiatives.
• Develop and produce a wide range of materials, including exhibition rotation labels, ephemera (ads, invitations), educational collateral, giveaways, signage, infographics, branded merchandise, mailers, flyers, and proposals.
• Assist with the conceptualization and execution of exhibition graphics, interpretive materials, and digital resources.
Project Management
• Manage visual design projects from concept through delivery, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and project goals.
• Uphold brand and quality standards across all visual materials.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines consistently.
Collaboration
• Partner with curators, editors, designers, and other colleagues to deliver integrated creative solutions.
• Work effectively both independently and as a collaborative team member.
• Participate in design critiques, providing and receiving constructive feedback to refine creative work.
Administrative
• Follow NMAA procedures and complete administrative responsibilities in a timely and accurate manner. 
• Support departmental procurement processes and maintain accurate inventory records.
• Communicate regularly and effectively with supervisors and team members.
• Serve as timekeeper, P-card holder, and manage related procurement activities

Performs other duties as assigned

Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in a related area of study from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 1 year of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required:

·       Full knowledge of typical graphic design production principles, methods, and practices to effectively communicate information through visual means

·       Experience using industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat)

·       Demonstrated experience creating visual products including graphics, illustrations, and layouts for digital and print media

·       Knowledge of formatting requirements for multiple platforms including web, social media, and print

·       Skilled in creating graphics in various formats (.pdf, .jpeg, .gif, .eps, .PSD, vector files) for use in official communications

·       Skill in written and oral communication to establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships with team members and customers, and to draft a variety of written materials

·       Strong understanding of color theory, typography, and layout design

·       Excellent communication and project management skills

·       Ability to stay current with trends, tools, and technologies in visual communication and integrating them into practice

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 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo