Director, Lemelson Center (IS-1001-15)
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC, USA
USD 167,603-195,200 / year
Posted on Dec 5, 2025
OPEN DATE: December 4, 2025
CLOSING DATE: February 13, 2026
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
- Open to all qualified applicants
How to Apply:
To express interest in this role please submit your materials here: talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/22637 or email Tenley directly at tbank@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
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
- 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.
- Application Deadline
- February 13, 2026
- Department
- National Museum of American History
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Workplace type
- Onsite
- Compensation
- $167,603 - $195,200 / year
OVERVIEW
This position is located within the Dorothy and Jerome Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation (Lemelson Center), Division of Public History, National Museum of American History (NMAH), Undersecretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution (SI). The mission of NMAH is to empower people to create a just and compassionate future by exploring, preserving, and sharing the complexity of our past. The mission of the Lemelson Center is to engage, educate, and empower the public to participate in technological, economic, and social change. The Lemelson Center undertakes historical research, develops educational initiatives, creates exhibitions, and hosts public programming to advance new perspectives on invention and innovation and to foster interactions between the public and inventors.
The primary purpose of this position is to set the vision and mission for the Lemelson Center; direct the Lemelson Center’s operations and manage budgets, including an endowment of approximately $25 million; oversee and lead research, fundraising, and public engagement for permanent and temporary exhibits, public programs and projects; and provide leadership to invention education at NMAH and the Smithsonian Institution in general.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership
- Define and implement the Lemelson Center’s vision, research agenda, and strategic priorities in alignment with NMAH goals.
- Establish interpretive priorities, policies, and fundraising strategies; allocate resources effectively.
- Lead development of program plans, exhibition topics, and audience engagement strategies.
Engagement
- Oversee creation of public programs, symposia, and workshops on invention and innovation.
- Direct development of permanent and traveling exhibitions, digital offerings, and social media content.
- Advance a youth-oriented interactive invention space within NMAH.
- Build and maintain partnerships with external organizations nationally and internationally.
Supervision & Management
- Develop goals for the Center that align with museum priorities; create policies and standards for operations.
- Ensure compliance with Smithsonian and NMAH regulations and ethical practices.
- Oversee hiring, development, and evaluation of staff; foster an inclusive, collaborative, and creative work environment.
- Play a key leadership role at NMAH, ensuring cross-departmental coordination and advancing multi-disciplinary projects.
Fundraising
- Manage budgets and ensure achievement of fundraising goals.
- Collaborate with NMAH Advancement and Finance offices to develop and implement financial strategies.
- Cultivate donors and stakeholders, including corporate representatives, government officials, and community leaders.
- Lead grant writing initiatives and ensure proposals align with Center objectives.
- Serve as liaison to the Lemelson Center Advisory Committee and The Dorothy and Jerome Lemelson Foundation.
Lemelson Center Scholarship
- Serve as a recognized thought leader in invention and innovation; represent the Center in academic and public forums.
- Communicate research through publications, presentations, and digital media.
- Lead intellectual and programmatic efforts to achieve the Center’s vision and plans.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience:
Advanced degree in relevant field and 5 years of experience leading teams are required.
Experience required for this position is as follows:
· Expert knowledge in the history of science and technology with emphasis on invention and innovation to direct, manage, and lead the work of the Lemelson Center in developing exhibitions, invention education programs and digital interactives, programs, lectures, publications, and other products that inspire an invention mindset among audiences. Ability to order equipment and supplies and track the orders; Ability to organize information and processes.
· Knowledge of museum procedures and practices, management, organization and structure, and objectives/priorities and of a broad range of museum activities, including scholarship; exhibition planning and development; collections planning, management and preservation; digital initiatives; facilities; and outreach and public services, in order to effectively assist and represent the division in policy formulation and in the development of short-term and long-range plans for museum activities.
· Skill in creating policies and standards for the seamless operation of the Lemelson Center’s functions and ensuring the Lemelson Center’s adherence to Smithsonian and Trust regulations.
· Expert knowledge of, and skill in applying scholarly publication and public engagement that draws on the fields of history of science and technology, innovation, and invention. Uses the knowledge to build upon and synthesize years of study into publications, physical and virtual exhibitions, lectures, public programs, and professional engagement having significant influence upon thinking in the field and yet accessible to museum visitors and the general public.
· Advanced skill in synthesizing and communicating the products of research using a variety of techniques and media and to a variety of audiences, ranging from scholars to the general public.
· Expert knowledge of exhibit concepts, planning, and implementation. Knowledge of program planning. Incumbent is viewed in the field as leading voice, regularly consulted by other researchers and museums on a national and international level.
· Expert skill and ability to cultivate donors, secure grants, and steward donor relationships.
Education completed outside the United States 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.
Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."
Resumes 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); and average number of hours worked per week.
How to Apply:
To express interest in this role please submit your materials here: talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/22637 or email Tenley directly at tbank@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
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 are not paid.
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact NMAHApplications@si.edu. 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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact NMAHApplications@si.edu. 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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities).
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo
About Smithsonian Institution
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and 14 education and research facilities. There are more than 6,500 Smithsonian employees, including approximately 500 scientists. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at more than 157 million.
Our Hiring Process
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Qualifications Review
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