Position: Museum Specialist (Art) IS-1016-09

Final date to receive applications: 22 May 2026

Department: National Museum of Asian Art

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $70,623 - $80,041 / year

Description

Open Date: April 21, 2026

Closing Date: May 22, 2026

Position Type: Trust Fund

Appointment Type: Indefinite

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 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.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Overview

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art opened in 1923 as America’s first national art museum and the first Asian art museum in the United States. It now stewards on of the world’s most important collections of Asian art, with works dating from antiquity to the present. The museum also hosts an unparalleled collection of 19th- and early 20th-century American art.

Through an ambitious program of collecting, conservation, exhibitions, programming and research, both onsite and online, the museum serves as a global and national resource for understanding the arts and cultures of Asia and their interaction with America, past and present. By presenting the arts and cultures of Asia in their extraordinary richness, the museum furthers cross-cultural understanding and aims to exemplify foundational ideals of curiosity, creativity and respect.

Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the museum is free and open 364 days a year (closed Dec. 25). The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex and welcomes millions of visitors yearly. For more information about the National Museum of Asian Art, visit asia.si.edu.

The Provenance Research and Object Histories department is a cornerstone of the museum's commitment to excellence and international distinction in provenance and object histories. Reporting to the Associate Director for Provenance Research and Object Histories, the Assistant Provenance Researcher’s primary responsibilities are conducting provenance research on museum objects and documenting the museum's collections. As the museum enters its second century, this position will help strengthen the museum’s position as an international leader in provenance research and object histories and will contribute to the museum's mission of broadening and deepening impact, fostering transparency in the collections’ origins, and providing expertise through research and information sharing.

Duties

and Responsibilities

• Assists with provenance research of the collection. Evaluates the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of collection items using museum records, accession and loan files, catalog cards, and the collections database. Consults archival collections, including fieldnotes and correspondence. Examines relevant literature, oral histories, and other non-traditional evidence from within or outside the Smithsonian.
• Completes written research reports that summarize the provenance and legal…