Clarification from the agency

This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until July 27, 2026. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis, and qualified candidates will be referred periodically every 2 weeks until the position is filled. This announcement is open to current federal employees and special hiring authorities under merit procedures. More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.

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.

Conditions of employment

• 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 probationary period.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit appropriate documentation prior to the closing date. Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant experience as it relates to this job announcement. Be clear and specific when describing your work history since human resources cannot make assumptions regarding your experience.

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.

Qualifications

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.

• Ability to Do the Work of the Position Without More Than Normal Supervision
• Technical Practices.
• Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc.
• Ability to Use and Maintain Hand Tools.
• 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. 

PLEASE NOTE AS PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, APPLICANTS WILL BE ASKED TO COMPLETE A PRACTICAL EXERCISE. 

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the cut off date listed, this is a open continuous annoucement.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

POSITION IS ANNOUNCED AS A STANDARD REGISTER (OPEN CONTINOUS RECRUITMENT): - This is an open continuous announcement to fill current and future vacancies.

The first cutoff date to evaluate candidates will be June 2nd  2026 at 11:59 PM. Application packages received after this date will be evaluated at a future cutoff date to be determined based on the needs of the agency.

Cut off Dates: 

• June 15, 2026
• June 29, 2026
• July 13, 2026
• July 27, 2026

Application packages must be complete at the time referral certificates are issued. Final application disposition will be completed once all positions have been filled or the announcement reaches the end of the open period stated in the announcement.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under the Category Rating and Selection procedures. The quality categories are defined as "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified".

Category Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of the three quality categories: The quality categories are defined as: Qualified, Well Qualified, or Best Qualified.

Qualified Category = Does not exceed the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.

Well Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the Critical Competencies defined below. (This category must be met to be considered under ICTAP procedures)

Best Qualified Category = Meets the basic qualifications requirements described in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and excels in the Critical Competencies defined below. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of many," but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent or higher will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Note: Applicants who are referred to the hiring office for selection consideration may be required to submit writing and/or work samples as part of the interview/selection process. If the hiring office decides to request a writing and/or work sample as part of its selection process, the vacancy contact will reach out to you by email to: (1) inform you of this requirement; and (2) provide further instructions.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume (no more than 2 pages) showing the applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed to include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications.

• Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
  • Classified or government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents

2. Other supporting documents:
   • Cover Letter, optional
   • Most recent Performance Appraisal, optional
   • Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.) If you are a veteran and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility.
     If you are a veteran and you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference click here.

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. 

Next steps