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Education Specialist, IS-1701-11

Smithsonian Institution • Full-time • Washington, DC, US • $85.45k - $111.09k / year • 1d ago

Education Specialist, IS-1701-11

Application Deadline: 29 September 2026

Department: Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian Affiliations

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Director of SITES|SA

Compensation: $85,447 - $111,087 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: September 15, 2026

CLOSING DATE: September 29, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Trust, NTE 3 years

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk:
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

This position is located in the Office of Outreach & Engagement, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian Affiliations (SITES Affiliations), under Secretary for Education, Smithsonian Institution (SI). The unit strengthens connections between the Smithsonian and museums and cultural organizations—and their communities and audiences everywhere—by bringing Smithsonian scholarship and expertise to communities across the country and internationally through an array of programs that encourage deep local engagement. SITES Affiliations includes three program areas: SITES develops traveling exhibitions that reach museums and cultural organizations across the country; Smithsonian Affiliations creates regional, state, and local collaborations with more than 200 Affiliate organizations; and Museum on Main Street specializes in reaching small and rural communities through programs that highlight local history and culture.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Education Specialist develops, coordinates, promotes, delivers, and evaluates national education experiences, including youth programs, adult workshops, educator training, and other learning initiatives. Important aspects of the position are ensuring detailed planning and administrative oversight for leading successful programs and initiatives.

Design, develop, deliver, and evaluate educational activities, programs, and products for audiences with varied learning styles, relying on knowledge of formal and informal learning pedagogy.
Collaborate with project teams throughout all phases of development to create and implement educational experiences that enhance and complement unit activities.
Build and maintain relationships with Smithsonian museums and units, as well as external stakeholders and partner organizations, to support collaborative program development, professional development, outreach, and partnerships.
Exchange ideas and best practices related to learning pathways and educational activities with the education community. Participate in Smithsonian-wide working groups and committees that develop educational activities, programs, and products.
Coordinate program implementation, including project planning, budgeting, scheduling, logistics, and stakeholder coordination.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and/or five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in education, educational programming, museum education, outreach, public engagement, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A master's degree in a related field is preferred.

Experience required for this position is as follows:

Knowledge of museum education principles sufficient to plan, coordinate, and deliver a variety of educational programs, projects, and activities.
Knowledge of national and state educational standards sufficient to align programming and content with standards.
Knowledge of formal and informal learning principles, educational practices, and curriculum trends.
Knowledge of current educational practices, technologies, and audience engagement strategies sufficient to deliver learning experiences through in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats.
Experience in both traditional and digital/virtual delivery of educational programs, with a particular emphasis on maximizing outreach and impact through distance education platforms.
Skill in collaborating with educators, museum professionals, contractors, and partner organizations to develop and implement educational initiatives

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 barciajm@si.edu. 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.

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