Special Materials Crafter (Carpenter)

Full Job Description

The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity.

Nearly four million people come through our doors each year—with millions more online—making us one of the most visited art museums in the world.

Our renowned collection includes nearly 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today.

Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.

Although a specific length of time and experience is not required for most trade and labor occupations, you must show through experience and training that you possess the quality level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the position at the level for which you are applying.

Qualification requirements emphasis is on quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the job elements and screen out listed below.

This job has a screen-out element which will be used to determine minimum eligibility for this job.

Applicants who do not receive a minimum of two points on the screen-out element(s) will be found ineligible.

SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire.

Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated.

The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: 1. Ability to Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision** 25-E. Technical Practices.

75-A: Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. 81-B. Ability to Use and Maintain Hand Tools. 82-A. Knowledge of Materials.

Other Relevant Eligibility Criteria: Requires work indoors and outdoors in all-weather types. Requires dexterity sufficient to design elements accurately and operate tools safely.

Requires ability to walk. Requires safe use of dangerous equipment. Requires work in loud and dusty spaces. Requires ability to stand for long periods of time.

Requires work on scaffolds and at heights up to 80’ off the floor. Must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds, without assistance.

Requires extended exposure to eye, skin, nose and lung irritation from glue, bonding chemicals and vapors. Must be able to nail and saw lumber.

Requires availability for occasional duty time outside of normal work hours. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience.

Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations.

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. Your resume must be no longer than 2 pages in length.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Major Duties:

This position is in Facilities Management Division (AFM-MT), Maintenance Department, Carpenter shop of the National Gallery of Art.

This position is responsible for making and repairing high-grade wood and non-wood items throughout the facilities, to include fine furniture and cabinetwork.

In this position you will: Utilize knowledge of a wide variety of wood and non-wood items with intricate, interlocking parts that fit and join precisely.

Must be skilled in the use of accepted carpentry and woodworking trade methods and techniques and must have a working knowledge of shop mathematics to plan and compute complex and exacting projects.

Be responsible for cutting, machining, forming, cementing, cleaning, polishing, removing scratches, finishing, and annealing acrylic in various thicknesses and sizes to achieve final product.

Exercise ability to solve special problems of installations as well as structural and security problems concerning works of art and the historical building components.

Be responsible for efficiently and effectively using unusual and specially ordered materials where possible error would result in great monetary and time loss.

Interpret scale detail AutoCAD, Sketchup and/or hand drawings; reading and understanding construction blueprints; and analyzing and changing construction details as necessary, with prior consultation and approval.

Use radial, band, panel, and table saws, tenoning and mortising machines, surface planers, jointers, shapers and lathes, drill press, disc and drum sanders and panel routers.

Determine the type of material, such as wood, metal, plastic, or glass required to fabricate cases, panels, graphics, and other complex exhibition components as well as historical building components.

Estimate and determine quantity of materials to be ordered, time required for scheduling fabrication and installation of exhibition and building components and plans accordingly to accomplish the project.