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What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.
Repatriation and Ethical Return Specialist, IS-1001-11
Suitland, MDPosted 5 days ago
Temporary
Job Description
Repatriation and Ethical Return Specialist, IS-1001-11
Application Deadline: 4 June 2026
Department: National Museum of the American Indian
Employment Type: Temporary
Location: Suitland, MD
Compensation: $85,447 - $91,145 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: May 14, 2026
CLOSING DATE: June 4, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary NTE 2 Years
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Suitland, Md
Position sensitivity and risk:
Position Sensitivity is Non-Sensitive Low Risk
Open to all qualified applicants
Position Sensitivity is Non-Sensitive Low Risk
Open to all qualified applicants
What are Trust Fund Positions?
Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).
Conditions of Employment
- Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
- Complete a Probationary Period.
- Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
- The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
- Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
OVERVIEW
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) seeks experienced and highly motivated candidates to fill the position of Repatriation and Ethical Return Specialist for an initial term of three years. The initial term may or may not be extended. The purpose of the position is to increase the pace of both repatriation and ethical return efforts at the NMAI through independent conduct of research analysis, submission of assessment recommendations to the NMAI Board of Trustees, and preparation of reports that meet the standards established by current legislation and institutional policy. The position also supports outreach and communication efforts, facilitates repatriation consultations, coordinates physical returns, and contributes to initiatives that support the overall function of the Repatriation Department and the Four Pathways Program.
The Four Pathways of Return is the methodology that NMAI utilizes to work with communities and/or individuals to facilitate the return or appropriate care of cultural heritage items in order to: address lasting harm caused by past collecting practices, implement new standards for ethical stewardship of museum collections, and support the well-being of communities relations with their cultural belongings. It embraces the NMAI Act, NMAI’s Repatriation Policy, and SI’s Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns policy to find the best pathway (or combination of pathways) of Community Loan, Shared Stewardship, Repatriation, and Ethical Returns to provide communities with more authority and/or ownership over their cultural heritage.
The NMAI is responsible for affirming to Native communities and the non-Native public, the historical and contemporary culture and cultural achievements of the Indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere by advancing, in consultation, collaboration and cooperation with them, a knowledge and understanding of their cultures, including art, history, and language, and by recognizing the Museum's special responsibility, through innovative public programming, research, and collections, to protect, support, and enhance the development, maintenance, and perpetuation of Indigenous culture and community.
This position is located at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Cultural Resource Center in Suitland, MD.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Performs repatriation activities at the Smithsonian that are governed by the National Museum of the American Indian Act (NMAIA), 20 U.S.C. §80q (Public Law 101–185), as amended by the NMAIA Amendment of 1996 (Public Law 104–278). The NMAIA requires the Smithsonian to return, upon request, Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to culturally affiliated federally recognized Indian tribes.
- Conducts research on repatriation and ethical return requests submitted by Tribes/First Nations/Indigenous communities, and proactive research for the return of ancestral remains under the museum’s stewardship.
- Independently researches and prepares reports in alignment with directives from the museum’s Board of Trustees, the NMAI Repatriation Policy, the Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy, and the department’s casework chronology.
- Works closely with the repatriation staff as part of a collaborative team. The incumbent establishes and maintains their schedule to ensure timely completion of casework, using the department’s case management and collections databases to track progress and maintain accurate records.
- Leads, facilitates and/or participates in consultations with tribal nations, Indigenous communities, tribal representatives, and Native individuals. Demonstrates diplomacy, cultural sensitivity, and a consistently high level of service throughout all stages of the repatriation process.
- Serves as the primary tribal liaison for repatriation and ethical returns cases, fostering respectful relationships with tribal representatives and Indigenous communities.
- Provides critical support for the department’s programmatic functions, including the coordination of administrative and logistical arrangements for tribal repatriations, ethical returns, consultations, or other special projects related to Four Pathways activities.
- Assists with reviewing and editing board reports, congressional reports, and other communique related to Four Pathways activities.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
· Knowledge of and experience in applying a broad knowledge of Indigenous cultures, histories, and traditions across the Western Hemisphere. Exercises the highest degree of legal, ethical, and cultural sensitivity when working with cultural materials or ancestral remains related to Indigenous communities of the Western Hemisphere.
· Knowledge of and experience working with collections database systems; skill in current and emerging technology to conduct research, track actions, generate inventories, and prepare reports; and experience and skill in Microsoft office software including Excel, Word, Power Point, and virtual meeting platforms with the ability to learn new automated systems.
· Demonstrated proficiency in written communication, including the ability to draft clear and effective administrative correspondence, logistical documentation, and related materials necessary to support the repatriation and ethical return process.
· Ability to apply knowledge, experience, and diplomacy using oral and interpersonal communication skills to conduct outreach communication and consultation, and to deal effectively with tribal representatives and museum professionals when conducting consultations with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities to better understand their culture, customs, history and protocols as it relates to human remains and certain cultural object eligible for repatriation under the NMAIA or relevant institutional policies.
· Working knowledge of regulations, procedures, methods and systems and ability to complete and submit required documents for travel, procurement, and budget development; serves as Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) with the responsibility for generating contracts and monitoring contractors’ adherence to the statement of work; and oversees timelines and deliverables as the lead for repatriation casework.
· Ability to direct the work activity and training of interns, fellows, and volunteers.
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.
Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.
Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.
What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.
Relocation expenses are not paid.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [email protected]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo