Summary

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 Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Washington, DC or Front Royal, VA. NZCBI’s Center for Conservation Genomics is focused on developing and implementing a science and conservation program to advance the field of conservation genomics.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

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. Note: Federal employees with permanent status or individuals eligible for special appointing authorities may also apply to Job Announcement #26A-MA-313540-MPA-NZP More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Duties

The incumbent leads research groups and conducts research in one or several areas of expertise, including, but not limited to, using genomic and transcriptomic data to assess genetic diversity, adaptation, resilience and population history; applying non-invasive and environmental DNA (eDNA) to study species distribution, abundance and diet; employing ancient DNA to reconstruct the evolutionary history of extinct or past populations; advancing bioinformatics to analyze genomic data and develop actionable conservation insights for endangered species; identifying and managing pathogens and parasites; characterizing microbiomes and their impacts; and developing tools for genetic rescue and hybridization management.

In this position, you will:

Lead the development of a multifaceted research program in conservation genomics that addresses a broad range of complex and advanced scientific and applied challenges in the field.
Formulate specific and authoritative conclusions that are presented in a series of published contributions in the field of conservation genomics. Important findings are new and significant additions to advancements in the field of conservation genomics and/or important changes to existing processes. Disseminate the results of scholarly research to national and international audiences.
Serve as an expert advisor/consultant to personnel within the scientific and professional community in Federal Agencies, Universities, Laboratories, Zoological Parks, Research facilities on matters related to areas of conservation genomics.
Provide consultation and advisory services to management agencies and other organizations requesting scientific expertise. Categorize and interpret research findings obtained from both environmental applications and controlled laboratory experiments.
Supervise, direct, coordinate, and oversee the programs, functions, and initiatives performed by staff. Plan work to be accomplished by the subordinate staff, set and adjust short-term long-term priorities, prepares timeframes and milestones for completion of work.

Requirements

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.

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

Grade 14: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as developing, planning, and implementing a science and conservation program and leading and supervising others that lead to advance the field of conservation genomics and related research areas.

Grade 15: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position. For this position, specialized experience is defined as developing, planning, and implementing a broad range of advanced and complex investigations in the field of conservation genomics; designing and executing new approaches and investigations to extend and to ensure the viability of wildlife species and populations; and leading and supervising others that lead to advance the field of conservation genomics and related research areas.

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.

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.

Education

Please put down the Basic Education Requirements (if there are any).

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 are 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.

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

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.

Applicants for this position may be evaluated in multiple stages. The first stage is an evaluation of your responses to the online multiple-choice questions that assess your experience, education, and/or training for the job related competencies below:

Knowledge in developing, planning, initiating, leading and managing advanced scientific investigations in conservation genomics.

Skill in formulating specific and authoritative conclusions that are published in contributions to the field of wildlife ecology and conservation in journals and books national and international.

Skill in serving as an expert advisor/consultant to scientific/professional community on conservation genomics and species conservation.

Ability to maintain a high degree of professional competence by organizing, leading, and attending internal seminars, conferences, and workshops on species ecology and conservation.

Ability to provide the full scope of strategic, technical, and administrative supervision to staff.

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:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume 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.

Required Documents

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?
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.

How to Apply

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.

Agency contact information

Beatrice Dabney

Phone

202-633-6336

dabneyb@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. Additional Information:

Tips on applying for Smithsonian jobs are available at https://www.si.edu/OHR/howtoapply.
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).

Overview

Accepting applications

Posted this week · Apply by 06/24/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 24, 2026

Location

Washington, DC

FEW vacancies

Front Royal, VA

FEW vacancies

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

Yes—Ad-hoc only

Remote job

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Salary

$143,913 - $197,200 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 14 - 15

Promotion potential

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

25% or less - 25% travel may be required

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

Drug test

Security clearance

Not Required

Position sensitivity and risk

High Risk (HR)

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

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

26A-MA-313540-DEU-NZP

Control number

870869600

US Smithsonian Institution

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