Project Specialist (Spark!Lab Network Manager), IS-0301-11

Washington, United States

Description

OPEN DATE: September 4, 2025

CLOSING DATE: September 18, 2025

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary, NTE 2 years
SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk: Non-Sensitive, 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 Lemelson Center, Division of Public History, National Museum of American History (NMAH), Smithsonian Institution (SI). The Lemelson Center’s mission is to promote public understanding of the history and role of invention and innovation in society.

The position, in coordination with the Head of Invention Education, helps develop the Lemelson Center’s education philosophy and creates the Center’s education and public outreach programs and interpretive programming on invention and innovation. In particular, this position serves as the primary coordinator of the Center’s Spark!Lab Network, a consortium of Spark!Lab installations at external museums, libraries, and cultural institutions across the United States and select foreign countries.

The Lemelson Center’s Spark!Lab, located at NMAH, is a hands-on invention learning space which provides museum visitors, particularly children and their families, the opportunity to engage in the invention process through history, engineering, science, and creative activities. The Spark!Lab Network is an extension of the NMAH-based Spark!Lab with sites in local history museums, science centers, and other institutions. Network sites operate their own Spark!Lab under the Spark!Lab name and Smithsonian brand. The Lemelson Center provides each Network site with a range of hands-on invention activities, as well as related training and support for staff and volunteers. The Lemelson Center also works with each Network site to support development of Spark!Lab activities around each institution’s collections, expertise, or areas of interest, and to disseminate these activities to other Network sites.

This position requires national and international travel in accordance with Smithsonian Institution policy.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Serves as the primary point of contact for current Spark!Lab Network sites and responds diplomatically and efficiently to general and specific questions, providing information about demonstrates a thorough knowledge of Spark!Lab and Spark!Lab National Network information, educational philosophy, participation fees, educational activities, training structure, licensing requirements, reporting requirements, and related policies and procedures.
Develops resources for current Network members, conducts regular check-ins with each site, and works with the sites to develop a community of practice around Spark!Lab.
Develops and leads training for current Network members both on- and offsite.
dentifies and develops collaborations with new partner institutions and negotiates agreements to govern the installation of external Spark!Labs at new partner institutions and provides training for their staff.
Maintains a current list of Spark!Lab activities available to the Network, researching new and replacement activities in coordination with the Spark!Lab Inventor.
Provides general support for Spark!Lab operations at NMAH and regularly spends time in Spark!Lab working with visitors, other staff, and volunteers.
Produces, independently and with other Lemelson Center staff, interactive Lemelson Center invention education and professional development programs for educators, school groups and the general public highlighting the role of invention and innovation in American history.
Disseminates various written materials, lesson plans, training guides, activity plans, etc. for distribution through printed or digital media to a variety of audiences.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess 1-3 years of related experience (described below).

Experience required for this position is as follows:

Professional knowledge of learning theory, education practice and audience behavior to guide and inform the Spark!Lab Network and the Lemelson Center.
Knowledge of basic business and marketing strategies, educational program development and delivery, and relevant functional areas in order to establish, maintain and expand the Spark!Lab Network.
Knowledge of basic project management concepts and processes to organize, sequence, and prioritize project tasks.
Skill in managing collaborative undertakings and partnerships among organizations in order to direct the Spark!Lab Network and accomplish Lemelson Center objectives.
Skill in interpersonal relationships for developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a broad range of people.
Skills in written and oral communication to correspond with current and potential collaborators and produce reports.
Skill in managing multiple tasks while meeting deadlines to keep track of simultaneous projects and programs in different stages and with varying deadlines.

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 NMAHApplications@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

About Smithsonian Institution

Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.

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