IT Specialist, IS-2210-11
Application Deadline: 12 November 2026
Department: National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Chief Technology Officer
Compensation: $85,447 - $111,087 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: November 6, 2026
CLOSING DATE: November 12, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Who may apply:SI Only
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 National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) at the Smithsonian Institution (SI). The NZCBI is a leader in the conservation, care, exhibition, and research of wildlife and habitats. NZCBI’s employees in the nation’s capital, Virginia, and worldwide aid as part of the Smithsonian make it prominent in national and international affairs involving conservation, zoos, wildlife, public outreach, and biological research.
The primary purpose of the position is to provide intermediate-level IT support for NZCBI in order to ensure effective use of its Constituent Record Management System (CRM), including installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and training, in response to customer requirements.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides support for system security and controlling access to sensitive information. Assists with the creation of user profiles and access to the system as appropriate to each individual or group’s duties and will manage all configurations and query access to the system.
- Serves as NZCBI’s primary contact with the system vendor, articulating requirements and enhancements to the program, and reporting problems with the system to ensure efficient data input, retrieval, display, and storage capability.
- Serves as the primary point of contact with all offices overseeing Smithsonian’s privacy and payment compliance standards to ensure NZCBI’s compliance with Smithsonian regulations.
- Works with the CRM to build out new NZCBI events and products, oversee ticketing templates, and will coordinate with NZCBI Communications and IT on any public facing components for reserving or purchasing said products.
Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Knowledge of the principles and objectives of information technology (IT) and information management, including hardware, software, networks, data, and applications, to provide analysis and advice in the application of IT to enhance the execution of NZCBI programs.
- Knowledge of, and skill in applying customer support concepts and methods, procedures for troubleshooting, and SI operating systems, in order to review, validate and standardize problem resolutions.
- Knowledge of CRM administration to improve and enhance standardization and accuracy of data.
- Knowledge of Federal IT policies and procedures in order to ensure that installed systems comply with rigorous standards and best practices.
- Knowledge of relational database systems (preferably experience with PostgreSQL, SQL Lite, SQL Server, and Microsoft Access) including data structure, standards and reporting needs.
- Knowledge of current digital media formats and encoding standard.
- Skill in drafting correspondence and other written materials using correct format, grammar and spelling without or with limited suggestions from supervisor.
- Skill in oral and written communication in order to collaborate with individuals at all levels, provide training and assistance, and to write clear, comprehensive documentation of standards, procedures, and aids for using the database.
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
LaDonnys Biagas BiagasL@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 (
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 
