- 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.
- Professional knowledge of a wide range of concepts, principles, and theories of the physical and/or biological sciences in the field of geology, biology, or other related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience in a field directly relevant to the research areas (e.g., one or more of one or more of petrology, geochemistry, meteoritics, biomineralogy, geomicrobiology or astrobiology).
- Professional knowledge and experience in sampling and experimental design, as well as a broad analytical outlook based on wide knowledge of various systematic methodologies.
- Experience with relevant analytical techniques is preferred (e.g., electron microscopy, magnetometry, mass spectrometry, and other micro-to-nano analytical techniques).
- Knowledge and experience in computerized statistical analysis of complex data.
- Knowledge and expertise in publishing and giving oral presentations of complex scientific results.
- Working knowledge of the scientific literature in area of expertise.
Research Geologist - Washington - Smithsonian
Description
Research Geologist (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) and/or Biologist (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) (IS-1350/Application Deadline: 2 March 2026
Department: National Museum of Natural History
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Compensation: $85,447 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: February 2, 2026
CLOSING DATE: March 2, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Not-To-Exceed (NTE) 3 years
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: IS-11
SALARY RANGE: $85,447.00 to $85,447.00
The salary range listed above reflects the Museum's authorized salary range for this position
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-sensitive (NS)/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
Come join a dedicated and creative team at an exceptional time for the Smithsonian, an institution with a bold vision for the future: to build a better tomorrow for all. The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is part of the Smithsonian's unique complex and is one of the most visited museums in the United States. Its mission is to promote understanding of the natural world and our place in it. NMNH has a collection of 148 million specimens and artifacts. Each one reflects a moment in space and time and in these moments, we find Earth's story.
The National Museum of Natural History, Department of Mineral Sciences invites applications for three (3) positions of Research Geologist (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) and/or Biologist (Postdoctoral Research Fellow) in support of the National Museum of Natural History's Our Unique Planet initiative which is focused on understanding the origin of the unique features of our planet. Up to one position will be selected in each of following research areas: (1) Continents - use the compositions of ancient rocks and minerals and/or computational modeling to investigate the generation of continental crust and its relation to the evolution of the early Earth and the onset of modern-style plate tectonics; (2) Meteoritics - conduct petrologic and mineralogical studies of aqueously-altered carbonaceous chondrites and samples returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission to understand their history and the evolution of water before and during delivery to Earth; and (3) Biomineralogy - focus on the emergence of the earliest biomineralizing organisms by studying early-Earth specimens, modern analog mineral-microbial processes, or evidence of life from extreme environments.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The successful candidate will have a track record of published research commensurate with level of experience. Demonstrated experience in a field directly relevant to the research areas (e.g., one or more of biomineralogy, geomicrobiology, astrobiology, silicic petrology, early Earth geochemistry, or chondrite petrology), as well as experience with relevant analytical and/or computational techniques (e.g, electron microscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, thermodynamic modeling, machine learning algorithms) is preferred. The Dept. of Mineral Sciences consists of experts in meteoritics, petrology, volcanology, and mineralogy, housing world-class collections in these areas. Applicants will have full access to existing analytical strengths of the Dept. of Mineral Sciences, with instrumentation that includes a field emission electron microprobe and scanning electron microscope, confocal Raman microscope, FTIR, vibrating sample magnetometer, experimental petrology labs, and biomineralogy laboratory. The ability to effectively communicate with a wide variety of audiences, including the public, is essential. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to participate in museum activities, such as educational outreach activities, and to be involved with professional associations and other organizations within the scientific community.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience: To qualify for this position, candidates must demonstrate the experience outlined above and possess three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the position or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge and experience sought for this role include, but are not limited to:
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit the following: (1) a cover letter that includes a statement expressing their interest and applicability for the position, including a 3-year research plan; (2) their resume or curriculum vitae (CVs) (annotated as explained below); and (3) school transcripts (as noted below). Other qualifications relevant to the position should be documented in the resume or CV.
Resumes or Curriculum Vitae (CVs) 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); average number of hours worked per week; a full list of publications; and names and contact information for three referees.
Unofficial school transcripts (undergraduate and graduate) must be submitted with your application package by the closing date of the announcement. If selected for the position, you will be asked to provide official transcripts before appointment
Applicants who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States. Education completed outside the U.S. 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.
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 will not be paid.
To learn more about the Department of Mineral Sciences please visit
For more information, contact Michael Ackerson, Research Geologist, ,
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact 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: Individuals with Disabilities | Smithsonian Institution ).
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: Office of Equal Opportunity | Smithsonian Institution ).