Careers

Posted: October 7, 2021

Museum Technician

(Role title: Trades Technician II)

Salary Range: Pay Band 2
Minimum Starting Pay: $30,000 (depending on qualifications & experience)
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Position #: 00024

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is seeking a Museum Technician to join our Buildings & Grounds team. This is a full-time position with state benefits.

DUTIES:

1. Perform building maintenance, custodial, and grounds care.
2. Perform maintenance in trades areas, including carpentry, drywall repair, electrical, plumbing, janitorial, cleaning and sanitation.
3. Must have some demonstrated knowledge of HVAC systems.
4. Perform basic vehicle upkeep and maintenance.
5. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds.
6. Must be able to work some museum events, which may include evening, weekend, and holiday hours.
7. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. At least 3 years’ experience in building maintenance.
2. Computer experience desirable.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PACKAGE:

1. The position is Pay Band 2 (minimum starting pay $30,000, depending on qualifications and experience.)
2. An excellent state benefits package (including health insurance and retirement) is offered and detailed at http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/employeebenefits

APPLICATION PROCESS:

• The Commonwealth of Virginia online employment application is available at: https://virginiajobs.peopleadmin.com/postings/247956
• Only online applications are accepted.
• Resume helpful but not required.
• If you have any questions about the position, please contact the Human Resources Office at 276-634-4158.

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires all Executive Branch employees, including new hires, rehires or transfers to disclose their vaccination status upon hire. Disclosure of vaccination status (and for those fully vaccinated, proof of vaccination) will be required on the first day of work. If you are not vaccinated for any reason or choose not to disclose your vaccination status, you will be required to be tested for COVID-19 once per week on an indefinite basis. Please contact the Human Resources Office at 276-634-4158 if you have questions.

The Virginia Museum of Natural History complies with E-Verify which is an internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are afforded equal opportunities without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or disability. The successful applicant must furnish proof of identity and employment eligibility and is subject to a background check.

Posted: September 24, 2021

Educator

(Role Title: Education Support Specialist I)

Salary Range: Pay Band 2 
Minimum Starting Pay: $23,727
Location: Martinsville, VA
Position #: 00091

The Virginia Museum of Natural History is seeking an Educator. This is a full-time position with state benefits.

Job Description:
As a VMNH educator, you will join a vibrant education team to provide a wide variety of the museum’s education and public programming, including programs at the museum, outreach, distance learning, after school, summer camps, sleepovers, and special events. The education team’s mission is to inspire people of all ages to explore the world around them. All staff educators are involved in the design, development, and evaluation of education programs. The successful candidate will contribute to and strengthen this team dynamic, possess an enthusiasm to implement progressive teaching methods, and exhibit exceptional communication skills to reach diverse audiences. The successful candidate will comply with all COVID-19 requirements of the museum. For more information about the museum’s educational offerings, visit
https://www.vmnh.net/content/vmnh/uploads/PDFs/education/education_program_guide.pdf

Qualifications:

• Minimum requirement – associate degree
• Preferred - bachelor’s degree in education, science, natural history or STEM-H related field, or equivalent experience
• At least 2 years of experience in education field

Compensation and Benefits Package:

• The position is Pay Band 2 (minimum starting salary $23,727).
• An excellent state benefits package (including health insurance and retirement) is offered and detailed at http://www.dhrm.virginia.gov/employeebenefits

Application Process:

• The Commonwealth of Virginia online employment application is available at:
  https://virginiajobs.peopleadmin.com/postings/246311
• Only online applications are accepted.
• Resume and cover letter required.
• If you have any questions about the position, please contact the Human Resources office at 276-634-4158. Applications accepted until position is filled.

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires all Executive Branch employees, including new hires, rehires or transfers to disclose their vaccination status upon hire. Disclosure of vaccination status (and for those fully vaccinated, proof of vaccination) will be required on the first day of work. If you are not vaccinated for any reason or choose not to disclose your vaccination status, you will be required to be tested for COVID-19 once per week on an indefinite basis. Please contact the Human Resources Office at 276-634-4158 if you have questions.

The Virginia Museum of Natural History complies with E-Verify which is an internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are afforded equal opportunities without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or disability. The successful applicant must furnish proof of identity and employment eligibility and is subject to a background check.

Posted: 15 September 2021

Assistant Curator – Herpetology

(Role Title: Scientist II)

Position #00007
Location: Martinsville, VA
Salary Range: Pay Band 5
Minimum Starting Pay: $48,000-$50,000

An exceptional job opportunity with the Virginia Museum of Natural History is now available. The mission of the Virginia Museum of Natural History is to interpret Virginia’s natural heritage within a global context in ways that are relevant to all the citizens of the Commonwealth. If you meet the qualifications for Assistant Curator – Herpetology, we invite you to apply to join our staff. The earliest starting date for this position is 1 May 2022, but no later than 15 June 2022.

We seek a dynamic individual to conduct integrative, field and collections-based research in herpetology. The successful candidate will be expected to obtain external funding to support their research efforts. Area of specialization is open, but an active interest in extant museum collections in herpetology is a plus.

The state-of-the-art preparation lab has staff technical support and an active corps of trained volunteers. VMNH also maintains a range of stereographic and petrographic microscopes, a DNA extraction lab, modern collections databases and other support facilities. Additional facilities are available at Virginia Tech less than 2 hours away. Most curators maintain active adjunct faculty appointments at Virginia Tech. This allows, among other things, internet access to the Virginia Tech library.

Research is the most important aspect of this position. Other important functions, such as collection building, teaching, publications, and exhibit development flow from research results.

General competence in field collection, preparation, care, and management of herpetology collections is required, along with the ability to interface with outside scientists requesting access to the collections. Ph.D. in biology, zoology, botany, systematics, anatomy or related field, with a specialty in herpetology is required at the time of appointment, and experience beyond the Ph.D. is preferred. Research experience in museum, laboratory and field contexts important; some teaching experience and exhibit development experience desirable.

This position requires intimate knowledge of method and theory in herpetology and museological curation. Necessary skills and abilities are exceptional communication skill (both oral and written), organizational ability, teaching ability, creativity, and fiscal responsibility.

Duties for this position also include interaction with other museum departments such as
education, outreach, exhibits, and advancement. The ability to effectively communicate
scientific knowledge to a wide spectrum of audiences is an important qualification.

Duties of the position include:

• Investigates questions related to herpetology by an active program of field work
  and laboratory analysis of collected data. Publishes results of the research.
• Manages and adds specimens to the museum’s collections—including
  acquisition, management, preservation, organization, computer cataloguing, and
  loaning of specimens.
• Teaching in museum-university programs—including designing and teaching
  courses in herpetology, supervising and advising students, and assisting in
  administration of graduate and undergraduate programs.
• Initiates and develops concepts for museum exhibits in herpetology—providing
  appropriate specimens for exhibition and supplying scientific background to the
  exhibit department for the construction of exhibits.
• Plans and writes research reports and prepares manuscripts for publication.
• Answers questions relating to herpetology and identifies specimens for the lay public; provides information on the natural sciences to schools, teachers or others in the public who may request them.

For more information about VMNH, visit our website at www.vmnh.net.

Only online applications are accepted. In addition to the online application, applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of research and curatorial interests and goals, a list of publications relevant to the application, and names and contact information of at least three references. These documents may be attached to the online application.

The Commonwealth of Virginia online employment application is available at https://virginiajobs.peopleadmin.com/postings/243457.

Application review will begin 22 October 2021 and continue until the position is filled.

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires all Executive Branch employees, including new hires, rehires or transfers to disclose their vaccination status upon hire. Disclosure of vaccination status (and for those fully vaccinated, proof of vaccination) will be required on the first day of work. If you are not vaccinated for any reason or choose not to disclose your vaccination status, you will be required to be tested for COVID-19 once per week on an indefinite basis. Please contact the Human Resources Office at 276-634-4158 if you have questions.

The Virginia Museum of Natural History complies with E-Verify which is an internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are afforded equal opportunities without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or disability. The successful applicant must furnish proof of identity and employment eligibility and is subject to a background check.