OPEN DATE: July 14, 2026
CLOSING DATE: July 28, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary, 1 year term
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive/Low Risk
Who May Apply:
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.
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Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) is a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the arts and artists of our time. We seek to share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences, and ideas converge. We enhance public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education and public programs, conservation, and research. In order to fulfill its mission, HMSG develops collaborative relationships with institutions and organizations within the Smithsonian, the United States, and abroad. The collection consists of approximately 13,000 objects of modern and contemporary art, consisting of paintings, sculptures, variable media, and works on paper.
The Education Specialist (School and Teacher Programs) manages development of school and teacher programs and resources aligned with the Museum’s education philosophy and approach, generates awareness and recognition of school and teacher programs, builds community partnerships, and coordinates teaching artists for program participants.
Educational Program Development and Management
- Works collaboratively with the education program lead and museum staff to develop, evaluate, and strengthen the Museum’s education programs for teachers and students, with special emphasis on grades 6-8, ensuring programs align with the Museum’s mission and the education program philosophy and approach.
- Participates in program planning and execution along with members of the School and Teacher Programs team.
- Collects and maintains statistics and support materials that can be used in reporting for Smithsonian leadership and program stakeholders.
- Provides in-person coordination and logistical support of programs held outside of normal Museum hours, on weeknights or weekend programs in School and Teacher spaces.
Administrative Duties
- Tracks and monitors the School and Teacher Programs budget, and works with the education program lead to compile and submit required paperwork for all expenses related to the programs.
- Provides input, drafts, and reviews scopes of work and specifications for procurement activities related to their programs.
- Organizes and maintains school and teacher program materials for the Museum’s creative studio and virtual learning spaces.
Program Outreach and Community
- Generates community awareness of the Hirshhorn’s School and Teacher Programs as a resource through partnerships.
- Supports the recruitment of participants by researching, establishing, and arranging meetings with potential partners and community organizations.
- Acts as a liaison for the program at Smithsonian-wide meetings and collaborative projects.
Education and Experience:
This position has a positive education requirement.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet one of the following Basic Requirements:
- Degree: the included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses; OR
- Combination of education and experience – possess at least 24 semester hours in a field related to work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience must reflect the level and kind described in the bullet below; OR
- Four years of experience that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the principles and practices underlying the work of this series. This experience must have been of such character and diversity to demonstrate that the applicant possesses an understanding of the field comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university; OR
- At least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience. This experience is defined as full and primary responsibility, under general supervision, for instruction of assigned students in an accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparing and presenting lessons and for evaluating students’ progress, including a determination of the students’ success or failure according to established criteria. Serving as an assistant capacity to a professor without the authority to determine the students’ success or failure to meet course requirements does not meet this criterion.
In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also meet the requirements below:
Applicants must possess 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree related to the position; and/or one-year specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level; or an equivalent of education and experience.
Specialized experience for this position is as follows:
- Knowledge of current theory about the practice of museum education, and skill applying this knowledge to the development and delivery of informal education experiences to diverse audiences.
- Experience conceptualizing and developing learning plans and programs including curriculum and online activities for school and teachers in a museum, studio, and/or workshop setting.
- Experience working in informal learning environments (such as museums or libraries), arts education, digital learning pedagogy, and curriculum development.
- Knowledge of modern and contemporary art sufficient to design, develop, write, edit, and deliver programs and/or activities and written materials about these areas to multiple audiences.
- Knowledge of administrative processes sufficient to develop budgets, track funds, and procure goods and services.
- Knowledge of researching, selecting, and holding exploratory conversations with community organizations pertinent to planning community outreach partnerships.
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.
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
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG) is a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the art and artists of our time. We seek to share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by creating meaningful, personal experiences in which art, artists, audiences, and ideas converge. We enhance public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education and public programs, conservation, and research. In order to fulfill its mission, HMSG develops collaborative relationships with institutions and organizations within the Smithsonian, the United States, and abroad. Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft, the museum’s elevated circular building has 60,000 square feet of exhibition space inside and nearly four acres outside in its multilevel Sculpture Garden and Plaza. The collection consists of approximately 12,000 objects of modern and contemporary art.
