Research Zoologist (Curator of Vertebrates)

Apply Research Zoologist (Curator of Vertebrates) Smithsonian Institution Apply Print Share Save Summary This job is open to Duties Requirements How you will be evaluated Required documents How to apply Summary The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history, which tells the history of the planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another. Learn more about this agency Summary The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history, which tells the history of the planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another. Learn more about this agency Overview Help Posted today

• Apply by 07/20/26 Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 20, 2026 Location FEW vacancies in the following location: Washington, DC FEW vacancies No matching locations found. Work site options Telework eligible Yes—Adhoc Only Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $102,415
• $133,142 per year Pay scale & grade GS 12 Promotion potential 12
• Full Performance Level (FPL) is GS-12 Learn more about pay scale and grade Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job. Work schedule Full-time
• Full-Time, Permanent Travel Required Occasional travel
• 25% or less Appointment type Permanent
• Federal Occupations and job series 0410 Zoology Supervisory status Yes Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No Drug test No Security clearance Other Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance.

The type depends on the job. Background check type Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure required No Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests. Announcement number 26A-TK-314119-DEU-NMNH Control number 873849000 This job is open to Help The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Clarification from the agency This position is open to all U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals. More than one selection may be made from this announcement. Duties Help The Research Zoologist will develop and expand an internationally recognized research program, making major contributions to the field of zoology through research, integrative scientific investigation, scholarly and public presentations, publications, and recognition within the scientific community.

In this position you will:

Initiate, develop, and participate in integrative scientific research, fieldwork, and collection growth and maintenance on Recent vertebrates (herpetology, ichthyology, and/or ornithology). Develop and curate portions of the National Collections in their own specialty area. This includes assuring proper documentation, identification, authenticity, and physical well-being of the collection. Serve as a consultant and expert advisor on professional matters in their area of expertise to colleagues, governmental agencies, other governments, institutions, foundations, organizations, and the general public. Achieve outreach via public lectures or publications, web sites, exhibit development, etc. Independently seek non-departmental funding from sources within and beyond the Smithsonian. Requirements Help Conditions of employment Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation May need to complete a Probationary Period Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service. May be required to serve an 18-month probationary period for supervisors. Conditions of Employment Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions on OPM website. Qualifications Basic Qualifications Individual Occupational Requirements 1.

Degree:

zoology; or a related discipline or field of science that included at least 20 semester hours in zoology and related sciences. or 2.

Combination of education and experience:

courses equivalent to a major in zoology, or in a related discipline that included at least 20 semester hours in zoology, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Graduate Education:

To be qualifying, graduate study must have been in one of the major fields of zoology, or have followed a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on one of these disciplines or subject-matter fields, such as nematology or parasitology. Graduate study in related fields of science such as microbiology, medicine, veterinary medicine, or plant pathology that involved cross-training in zoology or one of the fields of zoology may also be qualifying, provided there was a sufficient amount of emphasis on zoology. In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

Experience:

You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as conducting natural history and scientific collections-based research in areas of systematic biology and Recent vertebrates (in the disciplines of herpetology, ichthyology, and/or ornithology), as evidenced by one or more peer-reviewed scientific publications in taxonomic specialization; and using collections for research or planning the maintenance of such collections. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

• To ensure that you receive proper consideration for this position, please upload the list of the P eer-Reviewed Publications required in the specialized experience statement under "Additional Documentation" within the Required Documents section of your application.

Please secure your documentation before the closing date of this announcement. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Or Education:

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field. Or a

Combination:

Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards. Special Instructions for

Foreign Education:

If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Education See "Qualifications." Additional information This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive:

Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives is contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note:

This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement. Most museum work is performed in an office setting; and is generally sedentary with periods of standing, bending, lifting, and walking. Fieldwork and aspects of curation may require moderate to strenuous physical activities. Fieldwork frequently requires longer than eight-hour workdays and forty-hour workweeks. Work is generally inside a typical research laboratory/office environment and requires the practice of standard health and safety procedures for such areas. Fieldwork imposes varying degrees of risk, depending on the nature of terrain, mode of transportation (whether on land or at sea), specific research activity, and quality of living conditions (e.g., climate and parasites). Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits Help The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.

Please see Benefits at https:

//www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description. Flexible Spending Accounts

• https://www.fsafeds.com/ Health Insurance
• http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp Leave
• http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp Life Insurance
• http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp Long Term Care Insurance
• http://www.ltcfeds.com Retirement Program
• https://www.

opm.gov/retirement-services/ How you will be evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Your resume will be used to evaluate your experience, education, and/or training that address the competencies below: Ability to conduct original, collections-based scientific research in systematic biology, broadly defined, of Recent vertebrates, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications in the disciplines of herpetology, ichthyology, and/or ornithology. Knowledge of collections management practices, gained through work experience in curation and research on a diverse range of vertebrate zoology collections. Ability to articulate research program to administrators, the scientific community, funding agencies and the general public. Skill in securing external funding (include list of grants, amounts, and funding periods in your application package). Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria: Best Category

• Meets the minimum qualification requirements and excels in most of the job related competencies above. Better Category
• Meets the minimum qualification requirements and satisfies most of the job related competencies above. Good Category
• Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but does not satisfy most of the job related competencies above to a substantive degree.

This category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three", but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Category) provided no preference eligible in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible in that category unless the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 3317(b) or 3318(b) are satisfied. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or higher. Applicants who have not submitted a resume in the USAjobs system and/or have not answered all of the vacancy questions will not be considered for this position.

Important Note:

The review of your resume will determine your final rating and should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed. You may preview questions for this vacancy. Benefits Help The Smithsonian offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, vacation and sick leave, holidays, health/life insurance, accident insurance, and excellent retirement program options.

Please see Benefits at https:

//www.si.edu/OHR/benefits for a complete description. Flexible Spending Accounts

• https://www.fsafeds.com/ Health Insurance
• http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp Leave
• http://www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.asp Life Insurance
• http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp Long Term Care Insurance
• http://www.ltcfeds.com Retirement Program
• https://www.

opm.gov/retirement-services/ Required documents Required Documents Help Include any supporting documents that don't fit within another category or are listed in the job announcement. Your DD-214 or Statement of Service shows if you qualify for Veterans' Preference, the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 or the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heros Act. We prefer the member 4 copy of your DD-214. Your application package should include the following documents: Resume

• Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder.

Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), and hours worked per week, for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position. For assistance with creating a resume, please click USAJOBS Help Center

• How do I write a resume for a federal job? Please upload the list of the Peer-Reviewed Publications required in the specialized experience statement under "Additional Documentation" within the Required Documents section of your application. Proof of Veteran's Preference
• DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran.

Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter. Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment. Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable. If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. How to Apply Help Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page.

Please Note:

You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you). Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages. You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process. The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.

Additional Information:

Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at www.sihr.si.edu/jobs.cfm. The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but recruitment incentives may be authorized. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer. Additional information can be found on our website at (www.si.edu/oeesd). Agency contact information Tony Khanna Phone 202-633-6439 Email khannaa@si.edu Address

SMITHSONIAN

Office of Human Resources

POB 37012, 600

Maryland Avenue, MRC 517 Suite 5060 Washington, District of Columbia 20013-7012 United States Next steps At the end of the application process, you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed. Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial suitability New employee probationary period Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy Selective Service Signature and false statements Social security number request Required Documents Help Include any supporting documents that don't fit within another category or are listed in the job announcement. Your DD-214 or Statement of Service shows if you qualify for Veterans' Preference, the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 or the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heros Act. We prefer the member 4 copy of your DD-214. Your application package should include the following documents: Resume

• Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder.

Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), and hours worked per week, for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position. For assistance with creating a resume, please click USAJOBS Help Center

• How do I write a resume for a federal job? Please upload the list of the Peer-Reviewed Publications required in the specialized experience statement under "Additional Documentation" within the Required Documents section of your application. Proof of Veteran's Preference
• DD214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran.

Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter. Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment. Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable. If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. How to Apply Help Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page.

Please Note:

You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you). Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages. You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process. The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.

Additional Information:

Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at www.sihr.si.edu/jobs.cfm. The Smithsonian does not pay relocation expenses but recruitment incentives may be authorized. The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer. Additional information can be found on our website at (www.si.edu/oeesd). Agency contact information Tony Khanna Phone 202-633-6439 Email khannaa@si.edu Address

SMITHSONIAN

Office of Human Resources

POB 37012, 600

Maryland Avenue, MRC 517 Suite 5060 Washington, District of Columbia 20013-7012 United States Next steps At the end of the application process, you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed. Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial suitability New employee probationary period Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy Selective Service Signature and false statements Social security number request Summary The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a major bureau of the Smithsonian Institution that is responsible for the acquisition, curation, and preservation of collections of objects and specimens of natural history, which tells the history of the planet and a record of human interaction with the environment and one another. Learn more about this agency Overview Help Posted today

• Apply by 07/20/26 Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 20, 2026 Location FEW vacancies in the following location: Washington, DC FEW vacancies No matching locations found. Work site options Telework eligible Yes—Adhoc Only Remote job No Relocation expenses reimbursed No Salary $102,415
• $133,142 per year Pay scale & grade GS 12 Promotion potential 12
• Full Performance Level (FPL) is GS-12 Learn more about pay scale and grade Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job. Work schedule Full-time
• Full-Time, Permanent Travel Required Occasional travel
• 25% or less Appointment type Permanent
• Federal Occupations and job series 0410 Zoology Supervisory status Yes Federal service type This job is in the Competitive Service Represented by a union No Drug test No Security clearance Other Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance.

The type depends on the job. Background check type Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure required No Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests. Announcement number 26A-TK-314119-DEU-NMNH Control number 873849000 Previous result Next result