OPEN DATE: August 3, 2026
CLOSING DATE: August 17, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not to Exceed One (1) Year (may be extended based on availability of funds)
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Front Royal, VA
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive (NS)/Moderate 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 and 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 as low risk.
- 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.
INTRODUCTION
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Front Royal, VA. NZCBI plays a leading role in the Smithsonian's global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists.
SUMMARY
The Smithsonian Institution is seeking a Director for its Working Land & Seascapes Program headquartered in Virginia (https://wls.si.edu/. The program conducts basic and applied research and innovates, develops, and implements science-based solutions for the conservation, restoration, and management of healthy grasslands and their biodiversity. The program is focused on:
- Cutting-edge science and technology to conserve and restore imperiled species and advance our understanding and management of grassland ecosystems. Identify how and why grasslands respond to global change and land management.
- Impactful education and outreach and foster the next generation of conservation leaders and practitioners in local communities through workshops, training courses, intern and fellowships.
- Effective partnerships that connect land managers and communities with scientists to ensure effective long-term land management that supports both people and nature.
The Working Land & Seascapes Program is part of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and the Virginia grasslands represent a core site for NZCBI’s growing global grassland conservation network which spans across other critical grassland and savanna ecosystems in Mongolia, Kenya, Peru, and Brazil.
LOCATION
Front Royal, VA
Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
The incumbent leads conservation science programs that play a leading role in the Smithsonian's global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists. The program of research is consistent with the Smithsonian Institution's (SI) mission for understanding and sustaining a diverse planet.
The incumbent is responsible for supervising, developing, planning, and executing applied ecological research with a team of subordinate staff. Outcomes of research may lead to advances in existing methods and practices and may be deemed definitive in the incumbent's area of specialization.
Major Duties:
Supervision
Supervises, directs, coordinates, and oversees the programs, functions, and initiatives performed by a staff of subordinate supervisors or team leaders and professional and technical support staff of the organization. Plans work to be accomplished by the subordinate staff, sets, and adjusts short-term and long-term priorities, and prepares timelines and milestones for completion of work. Exercises significant responsibilities in dealing with officials of other agency organizations, and in advising senior management officials. Assigns work within the organization based on priorities and selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments. Evaluates work performance of staff and subordinate supervisors and team leaders and furnishes advice to employees on both work and administrative matters. Interviews candidates for positions and approves or recommends appointment, promotion, and reassignment. Hears and resolves group grievances and complaints. Reviews and approves serious disciplinary measures such as hearings, reprimands, suspensions, and demotions. Identifies developmental and training needs of the subordinate staff and provides and/or arranges needed development and training. Finds ways to reduce bottlenecks and barriers to production, and to promote team building and improve business practices. Ensures equity of performance management and work assignments and responsibilities among subordinate organizational units. Makes decisions on problems and issues raised by subordinate team leaders. Approves various expenses, overtime, and travel.
Research Development and Management
Serves as principal investigator to establish, validate, and standardize novel research projects directed at investigating the ecology and conservation of wildlife populations and communities. Performs studies that require the formulation of hypotheses and methods for resolving elusive or highly complex issues in the area of wildlife ecology. Identifies, defines, and selects specific areas for productive investigation. Develops complicated multi-phased research plans and protocols. Prepares standard operating procedures for organization direction and execution of research projects through to completion. Identifies information gaps and research needs, applying scientific methods, planning the approach for study, analyzing the data, interpreting results, and documenting and reporting findings. Performs research for the purpose of extending knowledge and understanding in ecology for which the characteristics of the research problems are difficult to define in terms of expected outcomes and results. The research program requires freedom and elevated levels of judgement in setting research priorities and strategies. Research assignments are defined in coordination with the NZCBI Science Directorate and with the larger unit-wide program strategy. The incumbent conducts and completes broad assignments for creation, maintenance, and operational management of a research program with initiative, critical judgment, and independence, while adhering to the administrative requirements of the Smithsonian and NZCBI. The incumbent is responsible for the detailed planning and conduct of the research, professional service, and education activities to assure strategic goals are effectively thought out and progressing. Progress is reviewed annually by the NZCBI Science Directorate and is measured at regular intervals by a peer-reviewed process of assessment and evaluation of proposals, projects, publications, reports, presentation of research results at scientific meetings, as well as applied conservation, education, and capacity building activities, through the Smithsonian’s institutional Professional Accomplishments Evaluation Committee (PAEC) review program. The research program addresses problems that require sophisticated research techniques to generate ecological and environmental data and analyses using a range of ecological techniques to extend established NZCBI research themes, such as wildlife-habitat interactions, wildlife-human interactions, and human impacts on ecosystems. The incumbent’s research integrates ecological processes, ecological interactions, and natural resource management by synthesizing data from multiple sources, such as field studies, experimental, and monitoring approaches. The program shall develop and utilize model landscapes at NZCBI’s facilities or field sites globally as appropriate. The incumbent also assures research quality through proper management of supplies, equipment and personnel resources required for the safe and successful conduct of incumbent’s research program at NZCBI. The incumbent follows all Sponsor and Smithsonian guidelines and policies, including the SI Code of Conduct, to maintain the highest ethical standards in the conduct of all activities.
Communication and Publication
Publishes and disseminates research findings that describe new or modified theories and principles, explain phenomena or ecological processes, and improve the understanding of research techniques and ecological processes. Publications and dissemination are produced through the analysis and interpretation of experimental and long-term and large-scale data of the incumbent’s research program within the framework of NZCBI’s overall research goals and objectives. Publishing and dissemination should result in authorship and publication of the results in peer- reviewed regional and national and some international journals and books, presentation of results and findings at regional professional meetings and conferences, and synthetic summary reports of research program results for Smithsonian use and dissemination. Communication of methods, results and program impact should also be disseminated by digital and virtual media. Incumbent publishes data-rich papers with regional and national application and significance.
Research Grant and Contract Proposals
Conceives and creates innovative and competitive research proposals, consistent with NZCBI’s and incumbent’s research objectives, which are awarded to support Smithsonian by an independent competitive review process for grants and contracts from internal and especially extramural sponsors. Sponsors are primarily other (non-Smithsonian) federal or state agencies,
and non- government organizations (such as foundations), and private philanthropy, and internal Smithsonian competitive programs. Taken together, the proposals should support the incumbent’s research efforts including funding budgets for supplies, travel, equipment, services, and personnel (including employees, students, and fellows) through consistently successful competitive funding, especially from extramural sources of grants and/or contracts. Although the grants and contract awards are intrinsically dynamic due to their short-term (1-3 years) funding periods, the incumbent should sustain a series of funded proposals.
Professional Advisory Services and Capacity Building
Serves as an expert advisor/consultant to personnel within the scientific and professional community, in other federal agencies, universities, laboratories, zoological parks, research facilities, etc. on matters related to areas of responsibility. Performs special services for the SI/NZCBI by active participation and leadership in fact finding committees, advisory panels,
scientific review panels, etc. Serves as a subject matter expert for the NZCBI in the development of tests and research. Serves as a reviewer for scientific manuscripts and research proposals.
Provides peer reviews of journal manuscripts, grant proposals; serving on external advisory and review committees and panels for governmental agencies, governmental organizations, and
universities/colleges; editorial leadership; and leadership for professional associations. Provides professional advisory service to the field of research through leadership of and participation in internal and external workshops and conferences for regional, national, and international professional scientists, students, and resource managers regarding emerging issues in ecology;
active support of public engagement and education programs, including tours, talks and information sharing. Provide professional service to NZCBI and the SI by serving on committees, participating in pan-institutional workshops, peer-review committees, etc.; providing mentoring, guidance, and direction to visiting scientists, research fellows, interns and volunteers involved in various program activities, including inviting, evaluating, and sponsoring applications to NZCBI/SI professional training programs. Support capacity building through development and instruction of curricula, lectures, training materials, and manuals to train students at the graduate and professional level and serve as mentor to students and interns in applied research that addresses current methods and challenges in biodiversity conservation.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Education and Experience:
A. Degree: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research that involved at least 30 semester hours of coursework in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience - at least 30 semester hours of courses equivalent to a major in any combination of biological sciences, statistics, or mathematics, with required course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Additional Requirements:
A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that has equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (described below) necessary to do the work of the position.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE
- Knowledge and skill in designing, developing, and executing a collaborative research program with multiple projects focused on understanding human-dominated landscapes, including but not limited to biodiversity and habitat restoration, plant and animal community ecology, regenerative agriculture, and human dimensions research.
- Demonstrated success in building partnerships landowners, citizen scientists, nonprofit organizations, state and government agencies, and researchers with a range of expertise.
- Experience in leading an interdisciplinary team of technicians, scientists, educators and conservation partners to accomplish impactful research and outreach initiatives focused on developing land-use practices that support wildlife and livelihood outcomes.
- Experience in sharing research results with conservation partners, stakeholders, and community members through presentations, workshops, and educational materials.
- Skill in developing outreach programs that communicate research findings, guide best land use management practices. and promote science-based conservation actions.
Applicants who wish to qualify based on 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.
HOW TO APPLY:
CV/Resume must 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.
CV/Resume must include the month and year of all degrees earned; professional and relevant volunteer experience; peer-reviewed publications; competitive funding received; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional societies; presentations given at national/international meetings; and names, addresses, and phone numbers of four persons familiar with your scientific stature, contributions, and recognition. Earned, academic degrees must be verified with copies of official university transcripts that clearly state the classes taken, degree awarded, the major, and date of conferral.
CV/Resume must clearly identify how you fulfill the SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE to be considered.
Failure to provide this information and documents will result in your application receiving no further consideration.
A cover letter can be included with the application materials to summarize the applicant’s training, experience, and interest in the position.
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."
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. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) leads the Smithsonian's global efforts to save species, better understand ecosystems, and train future generations of conservationists. Founded in 1889, NZCBI is part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum and research complex. Its two campuses are home to more than 2,100 animals, including some of the planet’s most critically endangered species. NZCBI’s employees, located in the nation’s capital, Front Royal, Virginia, and worldwide, are leaders in conservation, care, exhibition, and research of wildlife and habitats.
