Archivist

Full Job Description

This position is part of the National Archives and Records Administration, Digital Reference Branch. Archivists assigned to this position support NARA's Mission critical reference operations.

The incumbents are tasked with reference activities such as responding to offsite reference requests, copying or scanning records for researchers, certifying copies of records, conducting searching of archival collections and compiling search results for projects.

Specialized Experience: To be qualified for this position at the GS-9 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience for this position includes: Researching and reporting on archival records; AND Providing customer service to various audiences through oral and written communication techniques.

OR Education: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

OR Combination: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education.

NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (i.e., beyond the first year) of graduate education is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.

Specialized Experience: To be qualified for this position at the GS-7 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Specialized experience for this position includes: Performing archival functions, such as monitoring, researching and managing documents AND Communicating and assisting with various audiences.

OR Education: 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement. OR Combination: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education.

NOTE: Only education in excess of the basic education requirement (i.e., beyond Bachelor's degree) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.

In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following requirements, if applicable (as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F): Time-in-Grade: For the GS-09, you must have been at the GS-07 level for 52 weeks.

For the GS-07, you must have been at the GS-05 level for 52 weeks.

Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a non-temporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Major Duties:

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12.

If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

As an Archivist, you will: Independently develop and deliver responses to non-routine reference requests that draw upon a broad knowledge of records, involve multiple sources of information, employ innovative research techniques, or require interpretation of complex rules or procedures.

Assist researchers in navigating complex finding aid systems and establish connections between related archival sources, regardless of their physical location.

Consult with researchers regarding the most effective approach for each specific project and recommends materials applicable to their study.

Develop knowledge of records in their unit, and familiarizes subordinate archivists, archives technicians, and researchers with existing finding aids and other related materials.

Plan, develop, and implement effective and coordinated operating methods and tools for achievement of customer service standards and goals.

This includes digitization, manipulation of metadata, and/or otherwise preparing records for online access.

Recommend appropriate solutions to issues arising in fulfillment of reproduction service orders.