Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Manuscript Division, Special Collections Directorate, Library Services.

The position description number for this position is 137724.

This position is a non-supervisory bargaining unit position.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Manuscript Specialist (Historian) has primary curatorial and acquisition responsibilities for the collections of the Manuscript Division, one of the foremost special collections repositories in the world. The division collects and preserves personal papers of prominent individuals and the records of political, social, and professional organizations, and makes these materials available to researchers.The specialist works under the general supervision of the chief of the Manuscript Division and performs at a high degree of responsibility in the areas of acquisitions, interpretation of collections, outreach, and advanced reference capacities.

Possesses authoritative knowledge in an era of American history, such as the modern period, or in a narrower but very complex subject area of American history, such as the history of science and technology. Uses this highly specialized knowledge to locate hard-to-find materials, personal papers, organization records, historical documents, and other manuscript and archival materials and to negotiate with the creator or owner to acquire the materials.

Researches and writes books, articles, blog posts, and other publications. Makes presentations on historical topics involving complex interrelationships of historical facts and requiring substantial critical judgment. Presentations and publications are heightened by the necessity to present an objective, comprehensive picture of the subject under consideration that clearly establishes the relative values and importance of the many and varied historical facts involved.

Proposes and oversees digital projects and physical exhibitions, and curates their content.

Uses a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of American history, archival methods and the research needs of the scholarly community. Analyzes existing Library of Congress manuscript and archival holdings to identify areas that need to be supplemented or where holdings in specific fields are inadequate. Prepares memoranda of recommendation. Reviews plans for organizing newly acquired manuscript collections. Develops criteria for disposing of unneeded material and justifies recommendations regarding the disposition of redundant or inappropriate material of little or no historical documentary value from newly acquired collections of personal papers and organization records. Analyzes the condition of collections and recommends preservation treatment to safeguard them from deterioration, damage or destruction, or from impairment of their value through disarrangement or alteration. Considers the need for microfilming, digitizing, or photocopying.

Works as needed collaboratively with other subject specialists and curators, and with librarians, archivists, digital liaisons and designers, exhibition coordinators, and administrators in various units and research centers of the Library, and/or at other institutions and agencies in the analysis, promotion, and interpretation of Library collections. Prepares analytic reports on acquisitions and division activities and holdings.

Makes collections and the information in or about them available in response to individual requests. Exercises a highly specialized knowledge of the subject matter and archival holdings in order to assist specialized researchers and other users of the manuscript collections and archival records.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

The incumbent must undergo a background investigation and meet eligibility requirements for a Top Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

Knowledge of the history of science and technology in America sufficient to acquire collections.**

Ability to conduct presentations and provide information regarding historical research.**

Ability to present the results of historical research into various written formats.**

Ability to organize and analyze historical information and collection materials.

Knowledge of integrated library systems, library applications, and other information technologies.

Knowledge of the principles, concepts, and techniques of professional archival work.

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

Education

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The certificate of disability must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and may be issued by a State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, a Disability Services or Career Services Office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The date of certification must be within three (3) years of the vacancy closing date and must be submitted with your application. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

A "Not to Exceed"(NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.

For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library of Congress Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D, at: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/msp010909.pdf.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview. The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview. The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.
To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent). Disabled applicants claiming Selective Placement eligibility must submit proof of disability and a certification of job readiness. If Selective Placement is applicable to you, you will not be considered without submitting this documentation.

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.