Senior Curator of Photography

duties

the division of photography (cph) is responsible for the acquisition, care, study, and display of the national gallery’s preeminent collection of photographs, which includes over 21,000 works encompassing the history of the medium from its beginnings in 1839 to the present as well as time-based media art. The collection features deep holdings of the most celebrated practitioners of photography, including alfred stieglitz, robert frank, robert adams, gordon parks, dorothea lange, and others.

It also includes exceptional examples of western european and american photography from the 19th-century to contemporary photography. Through exhibitions and publications, the department advances scholarship in the history of photography and ensures the long-term preservation of the collection.

• undertakes and oversees major art historical research projects based on observation, critical analysis, hypothesis, investigation, evidence, and conclusions, utilizing established art historical approaches as well as broader methodologies that illuminate new perspectives.
• leads the department of photography, responsible for formulating and implementing its strategic plan in consultation with the chief curator and conservation officer.
• manages the departmental budget and personnel matters. Participates in gallery-wide activities and meetings related to curatorial or administrative matters of concern to the department or the gallery.
• assists the chief curator and curatorial officer in management duties beyond the departmental level. Participates in gallery-wide advisory, curatorial, and management committees.

• you must be a united states citizen.
• this employer participates in the e-verify program.
• males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for selective service
• pass pre-employment background investigation
• suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• may be required to successfully complete a supervisory probationary period
• resumes must be no longer than two-pages in length. The resume must address minimum qualifications and other requirements listed in the job announcement. Beginning on september 27, 2025, job seekers can modify existing resumes stored in their usajobs profile or upload or build a new resume in their usajobs profile to meet the two-page requirement and mark a resume as searchable in the agency talent portal (atp).
  
  Job seekers must choose a resume that is two pages or less to make it searchable and apply for jobs.

your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week.

specialized experience statement: to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, candidates must possess a minimum of one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to grade level gs-15 in the public, private, or non-profit sectors . Specialized experience is defined as: serving as a senior curator, responsible for the overall management, safekeeping, and integrity of photography, with a record of achievement in art museum management, art acquisitions, collection care and development, research, publications, exhibitions, interpretation, and programs, together with the breadth of curatorial experience to create dialogues with other media and the curiosity to forge connections across collections areas who specializes in 19th-century to contemporary photography, for a major organization or institution.

individual occupational requirements: museum curator series 1015

associated group standard: group coverage qualification standard for professional and scientific…