Jobs for humanists 10/22
Academic Exchange Specialist • Department of State • October 26, 2021
This position is located in the Teacher Exchange Branch (ECA/A/S/X), Office of Global Educational Programs (ECA/A/S), Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and has a unique role in the planning, management, and evaluation of worldwide academic exchange programs. The Office's responsibilities cover a span of teacher, professional, scholar and student exchange programs.
You need a degree, but you also need to have done a very similar job for a year:
Experience initiating, developing, administering, and evaluating international academic exchange programs.
Experience monitoring academic exchange program budgets and financial management processes.
Experience preparing and presenting reports and briefings on program status and recommended actions.
Experience engaging with public, private and non-governmental (NGOs) agencies and organizations in the development and management of exchange programs.
Technical Information Specialist (Digital Coordinator) • U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum • October 26, 2021
The Digital Access Division is responsible for managing a growing collection of digital historical collections comprising oral history, film, sound, photos, objects, archival documents, and metadata.
Its mandate includes ensuring the millions of digital assets in the Museum's collection are made accessible to all users, whether remote, local, or staff, and preserving them for future generations. This work includes collaborating with staff across NIHD to digitize the collection, receive digital acquisitions, and integrate metadata from various databases, and to create the best user experience possible in its online Collections Search.
You can qualify through a related graduate degree. How do you know if it’s related? Well, it was probably equivalent to one year of doing this stuff:
Uses various Museum-supplied tools to track, identify, and ensure asset management for preservation and access in a cultural heritage setting. Uses a combination of tools including all of the following: (1) the Linux-like command line tool ffmpeg, (2) the preservation system Libsafe, (3) the digital asset management system Open Text Media Management, and (4) tools generated specifically for the purpose of verification of preservation data including file size, date, checksums, and other critical characteristics. Incumbent must have experience transcoding various digital file formats (including video formats mp4, m4v, mpeg2, motion jpeg2000, ProRes, and various born digital camera raw) for access and preservation, and experience identifying and resolving technical metadata issues for all kinds of Museum digital acquisitions (video, audio, image). Knowledge of digital asset management, including ingest best practices and training new users, is a requirement.
Okay, for the next one . . .
Museum Technician • National Archives and Records Association • October 26, 2021
This position is part of the National Archives and Records Administration Donald J. Trump Presidential Library. As a MUSEUM TECHNICIAN, you will perform a variety of technical duties in connection with the management of the museum collection, including inventorying, registration, documentation and digitization of museum objects.
To qualify as GS5, you just need a BA, though some inventory experience would probably be a good thing to mention:
- Following established procedures to ensure objects of historical or cultural significance are protected from environmental hazards, such as extreme temperature/humidity, mold, damaging lighting conditions, or pests;
AND
- Assisting in cataloging or inventorying objects in museum collections.
They’re also hiring at GS6 and GS7, though there’s only one position. The KSAs are “Attention to Detail. Communication and Technical.” That’s their punctuation. Questionnaire this way.
Historian • National Archives and Records Administration • October 28, 2021
Okay, this is a part-time position in D.C, and part of a Mellon project:
Represents the Commission at professional meetings and conferences; participates in webinars to university and other groups, and meets (virtually and in-person) with prospective grant applicants (including collaborative teams of historians, archivists, academic officers, and others); drafts social media posts, fact sheets, and blog entries, and in other ways works to promote and advise on the Commission's new Mellon-funded grants program, "NHPRC-Mellon Planning Grants for Collaborative Digital Editions in African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American History and Ethnic Studies."
If you have a history (or history-ish?) PhD (or three years of grad education) with relevant research, you can qualify for this position.
Researching and analyzing material to be included in published historical studies; AND
- Conducting presentations on historical issues and their relevance to the organization and any one of the following U.S. history subfields: African American history, Asian American history, Hispanic American history, and/or Native American history
They’ll evaluate your application for “Research and Analysis, Technical Skills, and Communication Skills.” Here's the questionnaire.
Foreign Affairs Officer • Department of State • November 1, 2021
Here’s a rare entry-level Foreign Affairs Officer posting!
The position is located in the Office of Energy Programs under the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Governance and Access, Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR/EGA/EP). Pursuant to the Quadrennial Diplomatic and Development Review , the Secretary directed the establishment of a Bureau of Energy Resources to address the increasing foreign policy significance of energy security and the need to realign and build upon the Department's existing capacity to engage on global energy issues.
To qualify for the GS-7 grade, one needs a bachelor’s degree and specialized experience, or a graduate degree - there are a few possible variations. Regardless, they want evidence of:
Experience in developing, monitoring, and evaluating programs
Experience conducting program analysis and making recommendations to managers
You can see what they’re looking for at other levels, too. The KSAs are:
Ability to analyze data and information
Ability to establish and maintain liaison with officials throughout the national security community
Ability to analyze and evaluate information derived from a variety of sources
Ability to provide advice, guidance, and consultation based on results of analyses
Ability to use quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques
And here’s the questionniare.
Archives Specialist • Smithsonian Institution • October 28, 2021
As an Archives Technician (Rights & Reproduction Coordinator) you will be responsible for processing the Museum’s rights and reproduction activities, including developing guidelines, processes and policies, as well as processing the necessary creation and stewardship of digital assets and resources.
You can qualify with a combination of education and experience. They’re looking for you to demonstrate knowledge of a technical area: “The incumbent must have Knowledge of rights and reproduction functions, including evolving technologies and interpretations of IP rights, as they apply to cultural heritage institutions." That’s their bolding!
There are five KSAs; they give explanations of each so I am not reproducing them here. Here's the questionnaire.
VISTA Training Specialist • AmeriCorps • November 1, 2021
I’ve posted this position before - if you’re interested in it, maybe create a saved search for it.
The VISTA Training Specialist performs a full range of AmeriCorps staff, member, and supervisor training functions to include training planning, reporting and data analysis, content creation and delivery, event management, contractor oversight and review, and recommending improvements in methods and materials.
The qualifications in the ad are not consistent (the questionnaire may be clearer), but basically you should have some experience or formal training in education and one year of:
Specialized experience must include consulting on training modality and design; developing and implementing training; coordinating, supporting, and facilitating virtual and in-person events; performing training evaluation tasks, and collaborating with multiple stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of training to diverse audiences
Sounds familiar to some of us. Your application will be evaluated on Administration and Management, Education and Training, Planning and Evaluation.
Monitoring Officer • AmeriCorps • November 2, 2021
I’ve also posted this kind of position before; it’s essentially grant management.
The Monitoring Officer will independently monitor programmatic and financial activities of grantees and project sponsors to ensure compliance with Federal requirements and AmeriCorps established policies. . . .
Independently monitors AmeriCorps funded grants and sponsors across all AmeriCorps streams of service to ensure program activities are in compliance with Federal regulations and AmeriCorps policies, procedures and provisions of grant administration. Conducts desk reviews and on-site monitoring activities.
Compiles and analyzes program data to develop written summaries and reports of monitoring findings for all applicable grant programs. Identifies potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk, recommending mitigation strategies. . . .
You can qualify with a PhD, but you should demonstrate how the PhD gave you experience with the responsibilities in the ad and the following skill set:
Specialized experience includes planning and evaluating grant programs; reviewing grant applications and proposals; and measuring the performance of awarded grants.
The KSAs are Customer Service, Oral and Written Communication, Problem Solving, and Technical Credibility. And here's the questionnaire.
Writer-Editor • Defense Media Activity (DoD) • November 2, 2021
This might be for a journalist, though usually they say if they’re looking for a journalist.
This position is part of the Defense Media Activity. The incumbent will be responsible for -Researching topics of editorial and human interest prior to conducting interviews/providing news/feature coverage.
The posting gives more details on that responsibility. Here are the . . . odd . . . qualifications:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service:
Editing considerations such as accuracy, word economy, clarity, punctuation, sentence structure and Associated Press style
Evaluating content in terms of policy, sensitivities, and organizational communication goals
Encouraging and facilitating cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity
Fostering commitment and team spirt; working with others to achieve goals.
They will evaluate you on Communications and Media, External Awareness (what?), Teamwork. And you've got a questionnaire.
Librarian (Law, Slavic Languages) • Library of Congress • November 9, 2021
The specificity of this job makes me chuckle. The job duties are basically the same as for every other librarian position. You need to know about libraries, international law, and Slavic languages:
Ability to communicate in Russian, English, and at least one other Slavic language.**
Knowledge of library metadata rules, practices, and procedures.**
Ability to use library software applications, integrated library platforms, and other information.**
Knowledge of at least one of the following subject areas: US laws, international laws, legal topics, social science.**
Ability to communicate in writing
Ability to develop and maintain relationships and provide consultation and liaison services.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
There can’t be, like, that many people who have those skills AND are eligible for employment with the Library of Congress, so if you know one of them, please forward them this e-mail! Here's the questionnaire.
Assistant Professor of English • U.S. Air Force Academy • November 10, 2021
The Department of English and Fine Arts invites applications for an Assistant Professor position with specialization in creative writing and war literature. We anticipate that this hire will play a major role in editing the department's flagship journal, War, Literature, and the Arts, and also in coordinating a high-visibility visiting writers program. Teaching responsibilities include teaching introductory composition and literature courses, as well as elective courses in creative writing and literature.
Sounds cool to me, tbh. You need a terminal degree, and they ask for your cover letter to address some specific things. The application for this position is very like regular academic applications.
Portfolio Manager • AmeriCorps • April 18, 2021
Okay, here is the last AmeriCorps position which has been advertised before. Earlier versions of this position are still open: Associate Portfolio Manager (1/31/2022); Portfolio Manager (12/15/2021). This is another . . . grant management position? Why is everything grant management?
The Portfolio Manager will independently oversee and manage a portfolio of AmeriCorps grantees and projects. As an advisor to current and perspective grantees or sponsors, the Portfolio Manager is responsible for providing ongoing technical assistance and support to grantees or project sponsors to ensure the effective, timely and compliant administration of their grant award.
You can qualify through graduate education and one year spent:
Independently overseeing and managing a portfolio of grantees and projects;
Providing technical assistance and program development guidance to current or potential grantees or project sponsors throughout the grant life cycle; and
Providing authoritative information relaying legal and regulatory requirements for programmatic and fiscal management of Federal grants to grantees.
Your KSAs are Customer Service, External Awareness (what?), Oral and Written Communication, Partnering, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility. Here's your questionnaire!