OPEN DATE: May 26, 2026

CLOSING DATE: June 12, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk:
Non-Sensitive 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

The Smithsonian Institution is a unique complex of 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and nine research centers. The Smithsonian is a national and world treasure and is dedicated to its founding mission, “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute plays a leading role in the Smithsonian’s global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists. of unit and position.

This position is in the Office of Protection Services, Under Secretary for Finance and Administration, Smithsonian Institution. Office of Protection Services (OPS) is responsible for overseeing, a large complex museum law enforcement and security program that provides protection throughout the Smithsonian Institution. The organization employs approximately 775 full-time professional, technical, administrative and protective employees and over 200 contract employees.

The position serves as a Physical Security Specialist, responsible for the secure transportation of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and other designated personnel.
In this position, you will conduct the following duties and responsibilities:

Vehicle Operations
· Provides security services during mobile transportation for institutional leadership, sufficient to react to emergency situations, tight timeframes, and awareness to adjust travel itineraries and directions to ensure personal safety and protection.
· Operates a variety of vehicle types, to include cars, vans, and sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Proficiency in maneuvering vehicles in and out of constricted areas including highways, narrow city streets and congested parking lots.
· Receives and/or prepares appropriate documentation for the delivery and pick-up of authorized passengers.
· Completes route planning/reconnaissance and mobile security. Consults maps and/or global positioning system (GPS) devices for desired routes.
· Advises passengers of potential delays due to traffic or construction and adjusts route when possible, to meet desired arrival times.
· Ensures that only authorized passengers are allowed in the vehicle. Adheres to all State and local laws, federal rules and regulations. Abides by OPS policies and procedures pertaining to motor vehicle operations.

Public Safety and Security
· Ensures the security, welfare, and wellbeing of passengers, particularly institutional leaders—by exercising due diligence in route planning, forecasting congestion, and maintaining situational awareness.
· Operates in environments require active listening, de-escalation techniques, and discretion to expedite the safe and, when necessary, surreptitious transport of high-profile individuals. Identifies, impedes, and mitigates threats or breaches to provide safe transportation, coordinating with local law enforcement to document and report incidents. Watches for unusual or irregular conditions that may pose security concerns or safety hazards. Safeguards sensitive and confidential information, applying the highest level of discretion in environments where anonymity and confidentiality are critical.
· Operates special-purpose equipment—including sirens, alarms, navigation systems, and other safety accessories—to ensure the safety of passengers and the public. Use care and skill when transporting passengers in emergency situations such as evacuations or hospital transport. Reports and advises on any risks or incidents that may impact the Secretary, their family, or guests.

Operational Support
· Assists with coordinating use of SI transportation to ensure adequate security coverage.
· Oral and written communication skills to write and articulate after action reports and ongoing emergency developments as needed.
· Ability to comprehend OPS programs, missions, policies and objectives.

Applicants, who wish to qualify based on 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."

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and a cover letter by June 12, 2026. 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. Relocation expenses are not paid.

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 OHRTrustBranch@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.
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