Program Specialist (Fellowships & Internships) en Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution · Washington, Estados Unidos De América · Onsite
- Professional
- Oficina en Washington
OPEN DATE: September 5, 2025
CLOSING DATE: September 19, 2025
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Trust Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
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’s (SI) Office of Academic Appointments and Internships (OAAI) is seeking a Program Specialist to manage fellowship and internship programs by supporting the recruitment, onboarding, and oversight of fellows and interns (academic appointees) throughout the Smithsonian. This position contributes to the comprehensive, intentional, and transformative experience of all interns and for all graduate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior fellows. This position works closely with the OAAI team as well as collaborates with a wide variety of staff throughout the Smithsonian. The OAAI is a central management and administration office committed to supporting the academic and career enhancement of interns and fellows throughout the Institution..
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Manage fellowship and internship programs and support the recruitment, onboarding, and oversight of fellows throughout the Smithsonian.
- Assist prospective and current applicants with questions regarding the application process, application account creation, and outreach to potential Smithsonian fellowship advisors and internship program coordinators.
- Generate academic appointment/award letters for distribution to recipients and review documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with OAAI and SI policies.
- Assist with training staff members throughout the Smithsonian on the operation and utilization of the online application management system, Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment (SOLAA).
- Coordinate with the SI Office of Global Affairs regarding foreign national appointees for required documentation and clearances, such as visas.
- Coordinate and communicate regularly with fellowship advisors and fellows regarding all programmatic details of academic appointments, such as research allowances, appointment tenure dates, changes in visa status, etc.
- Coordinate and communicated regularly with internship program coordinators and interns regarding placement of interns throughout various Smithsonian sites and programmatic details.
- Assist with orientation and onboarding for new interns and fellows.
- Oversee budgets for OAAI central fellowship and internship programs. Collaborate with Committee Chairs to organize and facilitate Review Committee meetings to review applicants and select awardees.
- Disseminate exit surveys to all fellows, evaluate data, and implement feedback accordingly.
- Assist with the marketing and promotion of programs and opportunities via presenting at university info sessions, targeted email campaigns, and social media
- Collaborate with team on initiatives related to enrichment programming, intern/fellow alumni engagement, and overall office functions and duties as they pertain to interns and fellows.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Required Skills and Abilities:
- Minimum of three years of experience with coordinating fellowship and/or internship programs in a museum and/or academic setting
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, automated systems, data analysis and evaluation
- Experience engaging with university students and postdoctoral researchers
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, presentation, and customer service skills
- Extreme attention to detail, time management, and organizational skills
- Strong ability to meet regular deadlines, multitask, and work in a fast-paced environment
- Experience working with people from a variety of backgrounds
- Passionate about the social, academic, and career enhancement of interns and fellows
Desired Skills and Abilities
- Familiarity with DocuSign and SharePoint
- Strong technical skills
- Experience working with scholarly research programs, academic programs, and career programs
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
