Job Description
Data Management Specialist, IS-1001-09
Application Deadline: 10 June 2026
Department: National Museum of Natural History
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Research Geologist
Compensation: $70,623 - $91,815 / year
OPEN DATE: May 27, 2026
CLOSING DATE: June 10, 2026 (This job will close once 150 applications are received which may be sooner than the closing date).
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary, NTE 4 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.
Come join a dedicated and creative team at an exceptional time for the Smithsonian, an institution with a bold vision for the future: to build a better tomorrow for all. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is part of the Smithsonian’s unique complex and is one of the most visited museums in the United States. Its mission is to promote understanding of the natural world and our place in it. NMNH has a collection of 148 million specimens and artifacts. Each one reflects a moment in space and time and in these moments, we find Earth’s story.
The National Museum of Natural History is seeking an experienced candidate to fill the Data Management Specialist position in the Department of Paleobiology.
The incumbent serves as a Data Management Specialist for fossil collections, collaborating closely with department and museum staff to plan, develop, and implement data driven collections initiatives. The purpose of this position is to support collections digitization, facilitate data management, and implement information technology for the benefit of departmental research, collections stewardship, and public outreach.
The incumbent supports NMNH’s goals of enhancing collections discoverability and expanding institutional capacity in digitization, data management, and imaging practices. The position promotes best practices within the assigned department, advances both collections stewardship and scientific research through effective coordination of data-oriented activities, and facilitates improved access, preservation, and use of collections data and digital assets.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Participates in digitization projects for natural history collections by coordinating with stakeholders and team collaborators and contributing to project planning, workflow development, evaluation, and implementation and by performing data capture, transcription, data processing, and data migration activities, ensuring accuracy and consistency of provided information or information derived from primary sources such as object labels, field books, ledgers, publications, and research data.
- Applies established methodologies to capture and transform collections data into structured digital formats and assists in evaluating and improving digitization workflows, tools, and techniques, including text extraction, data parsing, and automated capture processes
- Assists with the management, migration, and integration of data and digital assets into institutional systems of record (e.g. EMu, the NMNH collections information system, and DAMS, the Smithsonian Digital Asset Management System), ensuring accuracy, completeness, and consistency of records and assists with data mobilization and access initiatives
- Supports data enhancement efforts, including georeferencing, alignment with external authority sources, integration and use of identifiers, implementation of data standards, and application of controlled vocabularies.
- Participates in tracking, documenting, and reporting project activities and outcomes, including specimen organization and movement in collections, ensuring accurate recordkeeping and accountability.
- Supports staff in developing data-oriented projects by advising on workflows, tools, and best practices, including equipment setup, digitization and data management activities, and proper use of NMNH data systems
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree from an accredited college or university and/or 3-5 years of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
In addition to the basic qualification requirement above, applicants must demonstrate the following experience required for this position:
Specialized experience may include:
- Experience working in data-oriented roles in natural history collections
- Experience in collections information management and digitization sufficient to support the capture, organization, enhancement, and dissemination of natural history collections data.
- Experience with digitization workflows, including transcription of primary source materials (e.g., specimen labels, field notes, and archival documentation), data parsing, and transformation of unstructured information into standardized digital formats.
- Experience with data enhancement techniques such as georeferencing, validation of taxonomic and stratigraphic concepts, application of identifiers, alignment with primary data standards (e.g. Darwin Core), and application of FAIR data principles.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required
- Knowledge of natural history collections practices and museum standards, particularly related to paleobiology, biodiversity, and geoscience materials preferred.
- Knowledge of principles and practices related to museum collections documentation, metadata creation and management, and the use of collections information systems and digital asset management systems (e.g., EMu, DAMS) to store, manage, and retrieve data and associated digital files.
- Knowledge of institutional and international data standards and best practices, including controlled vocabularies, authority data sources, and structured data frameworks used in biodiversity and geoscience informatics.
- Experience with data quality management techniques, including validation, normalization, and reconciliation of inconsistent or incomplete data.
- Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with team members, stakeholders, and external partners in support of project goals.
- Knowledge of training and oral communication techniques, sufficient to provide technical guidance and training to staff, interns, and volunteers on data management procedures, systems use, and standards compliance
Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
To Apply:
Applications should include a cover letter and resume with 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.
(If applicable include) Unofficial school transcripts (undergraduate and graduate) must be submitted with your application package by the closing date of the announcement. If selected for the position, you must provide official transcripts before appointment.
Applicants who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States. Education completed outside the U.S. 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.
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.
