Temporary Rights Permissions Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Registration Specialist (Image Permissions Coordinator), IS-1001-9
Application Deadline: 5 June 2026
Department: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Washington, DC
Reporting To: Office Head, Registrar's Office
Compensation: $70,623 - $91,815 / year
Description
OPEN DATE: June 1, 2026
CLOSING DATE: June 5, 2026 (This job will close once 50 applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.)
POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund
APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite
SCHEDULE: Full Time
DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC
Position sensitivity and risk:Non-Sensitive/Low Risk
Who May Apply:Open to all qualified applicants
This is a career ladder opportunity with promotion potential to grade 11. Promotion to the next higher grade, up to IS-11, may occur at management's discretion upon the supervisor's recommendation, subject to the availability of funds, classification requirements, satisfactory performance, and the employee's qualifications.
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.

OVERVIEW
This position is located in the Registrar's Office, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Under Secretary for Museums and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution (SI) is a diverse museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) houses a collection of more than 45,000 artworks which represents 250 years of American art and serves as the basis for an active schedule of exhibitions, publications, research, and educational programming. This position serves as the Registration Specialist, Image Permissions Coordinator for SAAM. The position handles all image permission and rights activity for the museum, as well as assisting with the registrarial aspects of SAAM's temporary exhibition and traveling exhibition programs. Incumbent reports directly to the Head Registrar.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Confers with departmental and other staff requiring images for museum projects to identify necessary materials, uses, and timing requirements.
• Researches materials, objects, or topics to determine ownership of copyright and required clearances.
• Corresponds with rights owner(s) or legal representatives such as artists' rights organizations, artist's estates or trusts, museums, publishers, and others concerning copyright and permissions, describing nature of proposed use and requesting permissions, as well as negotiating image license terms and cost of use.
• Secures needed permissions from copyright holders, e.g., to reproduce, distribute and otherwise use selected copyright protected materials in any format, including electronic.
• Negotiates cost reductions, when possible, based on non-profit status or multiple use of image.
• Ensures that proper permissions are secured by required deadlines and that copyrighted materials are not used prior to receipt of appropriate clearances.
• Manages image files, including reviewing image files to ensure quality and resolution is sufficient for intended use, uploading high-resolution files, labeling them in a standard format, and providing access to staff as required.
• Reviews and proofreads copyright citation and credit line information for images or other assets.
• Compares information from licensing agreements, loan agreements and checklists to ensure accuracy.
• Monitors agreements and notifies offices of contractual requirements such as limits of use, expiration, return of transparency or deletion of electronic copy.
• Organizes and maintains files so that purchases are easily verified and budgets reconciled.
• Contracts with independent photographers to arrange image capture of loaned artworks in advance of shipping.
• Maintains computer spreadsheet or database of copyright and permissions including status, purpose, expenditures, approvals, expiration date, and procedures for renewal.
• Serves as central repository for final permissions, maintaining paper or scanned files of requests and approvals to ensure legal documentation is available.
• Maintains permissions records for books indefinitely and secures updated permissions when required for reprints.
• Receives requests and determines whether the museum holds copyright and whether proposed use matches museum guidelines.
• Assists with preparation of loan documents, shipping documents, and traveling exhibition marketing materials.
• Completes condition reports for artworks and hosts in-person or virtual couriers during installations and de-installations.
• Acts as courier for artwork as necessary for outgoing loans and traveling exhibitions.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Education (if positive education is required) and Experience: To qualify for this position, applicants must possess a bachelor's degree (B.A.) from an accredited four-year college or university and/or 3-5 years of related experience (described below); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience required for this position is as follows:
• Knowledge of intellectual property concepts and principles in museum practice.
• Knowledge of concepts, policies, and procedures for current museum registration methods and collections management standards gained through experience in museum administrative work, registration and collections management standards, methods, processes and procedures.
• Ability to coordinate often-simultaneous projects with firm deadlines.
• Skill in negotiating favorable license terms for the organization.
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.
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 weinwurmd@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