Repatriation Osteologist Position

The Repatriation Office Osteology Lab, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, seeks submissions to fill one or more entry-level Osteologist positions. Please refer to the Repatriation Office website for information about the program: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/anthropology/programs/repatriation-office

Osteologist duties:
Non-destructive documentation of human skeletal remains following data capture standards developed by Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994), and as expanded by the Repatriation Office Osteology Laboratory; please refer to the Osteoware website and the freely available skeletal documentation software: https://osteoware.si.edu/

1. Enter all data using Osteoware software interface.
2. Inventory skeletal remains.
3. Estimate the age and sex of individuals.
4. Collect postcranial measurements.
5. Record taphonomic alterations.
6. Record pathological conditions, providing brief differential diagnoses.
7. Record any cultural modifications.
8. Write concise summary reports for each catalog number of remains.
9. Assist in the retrieval, storage, and packing of remains for repatriation.
10. Submit a written monthly report outlining the work completed.

Terms and Submission Procedure:
Submissions are requested by October 31, 2022 but will be accepted until the position(s) are filled and will be kept on file for future consideration. This should be considered an entry-level position; depending on experience a one-year contract may range from the mid-$40,000 to mid-$50,000 range per year with options for annual extensions. It is anticipated that the contract will be issued with a start date in the fall of 2022.

Please submit your documents in pdf format, and for any questions contact Dr. Chris Dudar dudarc@si.edu
• CV or resume
• A brief cover letter highlighting bioanthropology knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• The names and contact information for two references.
• A writing sample demonstrating bioanthropology documentation experience, such as a detailed osteological report.

Requirements for consideration:
You must be capable of legally working in the U.S., i.e. a U.S. citizen or already in possession of a work visa or similar. Masters degree in Biological Anthropology is required, PhD an asset, with emphasis on bioarchaeological perspectives and demonstrated experience documenting paleopathological conditions in a skeletal series. Hands-on experience with data collection from archaeologically recovered human skeletal remains is necessary to be successful.

If you are not familiar with federal government contracting you will be required to get a Dun and Bradstreet number https://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html and register with the System for Award Management (SAM), please refer to https://www.sam.gov/SAM This is not required to be considered for the contract, but will assist in streamlining the start date.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, preference and gender identity or expression.