Supervisory Archivist (Assistant Head, Preparation Section, Manuscript Division) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. VAR003119 Department Library of Congress
Salary $120,579.00 to $156,755.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/27/2025 Close Date 6/17/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Preparation Section, Manuscript Division, Special Collections Directorate, Researcher & Collections Services.

This is a supervisory, non-bargaining unit position.

The position description number is 111416.

The salary range reflects the locality pay for the Washington, DC metro area.

This position requires occasional Saturday service in the Manuscript Reading Room.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person selected for this position.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Anyone may apply - By law, employment at most U.S. Government agencies, including the Library of Congress, is limited to U.S. citizens. However, non-citizens may be hired, provided that other legal requirements are met and the Library determines there are no qualified U.S. citizens available for the position.

Duties

As part of one of the largest manuscript repositories in the United States and in the world, the Preparation Section is key to the Manuscript Division's mission of preparing for reader use material that encompasses the breadth and chronology of American history, including the papers of presidents, cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, writers, scientists, inventors, business leaders, reformers, and prominent non-governmental organizations.  The Assistant Head of the Preparation Section works under the general direction of the Head of the Section and is responsible for directing and training a group of employees in the processing of collections, housing and storing them, keeping records, providing reference assistance to the public, and handling and/or declassifying classified documents while complying with all applicable federal regulations. The incumbent must have strong managerial and interpersonal skills and comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of archives.

Directs the daily operations of staff in the processing of archival materials according to established procedures. Performs extensive research in published sources to fill in significant gaps in information relating to the organization, description, and preservation of archives. Makes recommendations relating to the bibliographic and documentation systems of the Division, including those made available on the Internet or by other electronic means. Reviews for accuracy and relevance all categories of Division records and their dissemination within the Library and to the public.

Responsible for the physical restoration/preservation of all manuscripts/other materials in the Division's custody. Effects the recommendations of supervisors and specialists concerning materials that are to be restored/preserved/bound, and the particular method to be employed.

Schedules the flow of this work to the Conservation Office and provides instructions and follow-up as necessary. Recommends material for preservation reformatting and schedules and provides instructions for its reproduction. Manages the special equipment and supplies necessary to process and preserve collections. Assures the proper controls and conditions for the housing and storage of collection material.

Under the direction of the Head of the Preparation Section, executes the plans/operations of the section in creating and maintaining a uniform system of archival and bibliographic controls over all manuscripts and other material in the custody of the Division, and devises, recommends, approves, and/or directs procedures for accessioning and technical processing, conservation, and preservation of such material.

Assists the Head of the Section in maintaining physical security of the Division's collections, including classified material, equipment and space. Supervises the preparation and maintenance of official statistical work records in the section. Coordinates the preparation of registers, indexes, and other finding aids and controls that are developed in the Division.

Provides expert advice on specialized preservation issues. Surveys internal collections, identifying and inventorying groups of materials. Analyzes, determines, and prioritizes preservation needs. Develops and proposes long-term strategies for the preservation of collections.

Develops specifications and procedures for the preservation copying of originals, using standards developed in the archival preservation field. Monitors the quality and consistency of preservation and electronic copies to ensure adherence to established archival standards and specifications.

Functions as a Division Security Officer, responsible for receiving, receipting for, and assuming full and complete custody of all classified materials in the Division under the conditions and safeguards stipulated by the Library and other Federal Agencies. Consults as appropriate with other security officers in the Division and the Library on matters affecting the performance of the Division's security duties.

Serves as an official spokesperson for the Division and for the Library on matters relating to archival organization of classified and unclassified materials and the technical processes. Initiates, establishes, and maintains professional relationships with librarians and other specialists in order to share resources and information as well as to coordinate workflow within the library.

Coordinates and reviews the preparation of registers, indexes, and other finding aids and controls developed in the Division. Works in close coordination with the specialists, the Head of Acquisitions and Outreach, the Head of the Reference and Readers Services Section, the Head of the Preparation Section, the other two Assistant Heads, and the Division Chief responsible for such technical matters as application of standards, the rules for entry and filing, and the maintenance and improvement of the Division's bibliographic and retrieval systems.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Conditions of Employment

The Supervisor leads his/her staff toward meeting the Library’s vision, mission, and goals by acting decisively, leveraging diversity and inclusiveness, demonstrating flexibility and resilience, fostering continuous improvement and innovation, and fostering integrity and honesty. To view the Library’s Supervisory Core Competencies click the following link: Supervisor Core Competencies

Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

The selectee must be able to obtain and maintain 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.

Ability to supervise staff.**

Knowledge of library archival records and collections management processes and procedures.**

Knowledge of automated tools, technologies, and metadata standards, such as integrated library systems, digital curation applications, and general office software, to support archival functions.

Ability to provide consultation or liaison duties.

Ability to provide research and reference services.

Ability to perform preservation duties.

Ability to communicate in writing.

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

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 at step one of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. All who meet the eligibility requirements are 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 proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.  Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity 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. For more information, please see: https://www.loc.gov/careers/working-at-the-library/frequently-asked-questions/vetting-personnel-at-the-library/

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

Initial permanent appointments to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.  In addition, per Library of Congress Regulation 9-532, an appointee or internal selectee is subject to a one-year supervisory probationary period if this is their first supervisory/managerial position at the Library of Congress. Probationary periods served at other Federal agencies do not count toward this requirement.

The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit.

The selected applicant may be required to file a financial disclosure statement with the House of Representatives, U.S. Congress, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 95-521, Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

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.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application.  The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity 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.

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.

How to Apply

Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position.
You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly. Step 5: Hiring Management offers three options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
(1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement.
(2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov, no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.

Agency contact information

Customer Service Center
Phone
202-707-5620
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
JobHelp@loc.gov
Address
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
101 Independence Ave., SE
LM-107
Washington, District of Columbia 20540
United States

Next steps

Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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