This post describes a job opportunity that may be of interest to members of the GSW community:

Contract Position: Cataloging technician – David Clague Collection

Contractor shall provide professional, technical, non-personal services to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Department of Mineral Sciences, Division of Petrology and Volcanology, National Rock and Ore Collections. Contractor will organize, catalog and capture specimen data for one half of the research collections of Dr. David Clague, a gift from the Monterey Bay Aquatic Research Institute (MBARI). The collection currently resides in 138 drawers at MSC, and consists of approximately 3860 specimen lots of volcanic submarine rock samples collected either as dredge samples or dive samples from Hawaii, the Hawaiian Ridge and Emperor Seamounts, Juan de Fuca Ridge, Gorda Ridge, Blanco Facture Zone, California Seamounts, Iceland, Reunion Island, Socorro Island, and the Gulf of Alaska, and includes not only hand samples but grain mounts, thin sections, and other associated preparations. The work to complete 69 drawers (the first half of the collection) is estimated to take 10 months to complete.

Desirable qualifications include:

• a bachelor’s degree in earth science or a related physical science
• experience working with museum specimens
• experience working with Axiell EMu or similar collection management software
• experience working with Microsoft Excel

The work will take place at the Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland. The contractor will have access to the facility between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. The contract will require an estimated 10 months of work, and the period of the contract shall not exceed one year. Liability insurance through the Smithsonian Institution is required.

A copy of this announcement, including the Request For Quote, Statement Of Work, and any updates related to the announcement, is available at https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/mineral-sciences/opportunities. To apply for this contract, please send your bid, along with a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for two references, to Leslie Hale (halel@si.edu) before September 30, 2019.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer.