Archeologist/Bureau of Land Management Full Time Permanent

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as an Archeologist. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.

Duty Location: Billings, Montana

For living conditions go to: https://www.usbr.gov/gp/employment/living_conditions.pdf .

Duties

• Performs all National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance activities, including the preparation of appropriate cultural resource and historic property related documents.
• Identifies existing and potential cultural resource impacts associated with planning, construction, operation, and maintenance activities of Reclamation projects for the Montana Area Office (MTAO).
• Collaborates with engineers, hydrologists, planners, facility managers, environmental specialists, natural resource specialists, and other professionals and specialists to identify, minimize, or mitigate adverse impacts to cultural resources and/or historic properties, and/or paleontological resources.
• Provides assistance and serves as cultural resource liaison to other Federal agencies, Indian tribes, as well as State and local entities to ensure that outside customers have a clear understanding of NHPA and Reclamation’s responsibilities for compliance.
• Prepares other special technical reports, such as those related to museum and historic properties, and/or academic papers, and lends technical assistance to Government or contracting personnel involved in preparing such reports and/or permits. Reviews and interprets reports received to ensure they meet Reclamation standards.
• Interprets and provides advice on the National Historic Preservation Act and regulations of 36 CFR Part 800, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and/or other cultural resources legislation to Area Office staff and management.

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
• You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
• You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents).
• You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
• You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
• You must maintain a valid State Driver’s License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver’s License at all times will result in removal from the position.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Archeologist position, you must meet BOTH the Basic Education Requirement and the Additional Requirements. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. A copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application.

Basic Education Requirement:
A degree that included 3 semester hours each in the following course areas:
-History of archeology.
-Archeology of a major geographical area such as North America or Africa.
-Regional archeology, archeological cultures, or sites in a specific part or portion of a major geographical area to acquire or develop a foundation for regional specialization for professional development.
-Theory and methods of archeology. Methods include, but are not limited to, typology, classification, sampling, cultural evolution, diffusion, dating, and analytical techniques.
-Archeological field school, to provide a basic understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to research design implementation, field preservation techniques, and report preparation by participation in actual field work.
AND
Six semester hours of related course work in:-geography, geology, or cultural geography-history, historiography, or historical archeology-environmental studies-scientific writing (nonfiction English composition) and/or-surveying
AND
-Archeological field school
OR
Related Curriculum – You could otherwise meet the basic education requirement with a degree in anthropology (with emphasis on ethnology, physical anthropology, or scientific linguistics), history, American studies, or a related discipline may be accepted as satisfying in full the educational requirements, provided the curriculum supplied academic course work is sufficiently similar to the requirements above including archeological field school.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience – You can combine education and experience to meet the basic education requirement College-level education or training that provided knowledge equivalent to that described above, plus appropriate technical experience or additional education.
OR
Experience – Four years of archeological work experience that demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional archeology. The work experience must have included archeology field experience, which may include that gained in an archeological field school. Field experience should have included a combination of professional experience in archeological survey, excavation, laboratory analysis, and preparation of written materials. Applicants with such field experience should, after additional experience under the direction of a higher-grade archeologist, be able to demonstrate the ability to be a crew chief, directing the work of others at a single location as a part of a larger archeological project.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic education requirement, you must also meet the qualifications below:

GS-11:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 level in federal service such as experience planning and conducting archeological investigations; conducting or overseeing work in support of historic preservation; conducting cultural resource fieldwork such as surveys and excavations; and performing field inspections, research, or assessments.
OR
Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education, in a related field.
OR
Combination of specialized experience and graduate education as defined above.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 12/16/2024.

Education

This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-11 grade level. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University’s Registrar’s office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.

Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.

Additional Details