ARCHEOLOGIST

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates
  Opening and closing dates07/09/2021 to 07/23/2021
  
• Service
  Competitive
  
• Pay scale & grade
  GS 12
  
• Salary
  $77,488 to $100,739 per year
  
• Appointment type
  Permanent
  
• Work schedule
  Full-time
  

Duties Summary
This position is located on the Modoc National Forest in Alturas, CA.
The incumbent serves as the Archeologist and Cultural Resource Manager responsible for administering and providing interpretive services for historical and cultural programs on the forest.
For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Nichole Longfellow at 530-708-0347 or nichole.longfellow@usda.gov.

Responsibilities

• Serves as Forest Historian with responsibility for providing historical information not only as part of cultural resource compliance needs, but also in terms of interpretive information services to the public in various forms.
• Works with local informants, visitors, Forest Service personnel, other agencies and retirees to identify, collect and preserve documentary evidence pertaining to Forest history or administrative history.
• Writes, edits, and prepares cultural resources interpretive information based on synthesis of archeological and historical research to successfully illustrates a complete picture of a natural resource or historical importance of a site.
• Interprets scientific research regarding cultural resources into formats appropriate for Forest recreational users and special interest groups to provide a sufficient variety of interpretive activities to stimulate visitor interest.
• Works with special interest groups and local and regional organizations in informing the public about the Forest?s cultural resources and in developing interpretive programs and information for interested publics.
• Works with the Forest Public Information Officer and District Rangers to ensure that all cultural resources interpretive information reaching the public is scientifically accurate and conforms to Forest and Regional policy.
• Acts as liaison between the forest and Native American groups on the forest policy regarding Native American concerns and requests for archeological information.
• Administers the cultural resources program including compliance surveys and clearances, interpretation, coordination with other resources, stabilization, permits, and priority of work assignments.
• Formulates short and long range plans for the management of archeological and historical resources in conformance with guidelines and priorities of the Land Management Plan and Cultural Resources Planning Assessment.
• Formulates short and long range requirements for interpretative program needs.
• Identifies the cultural resources requirements to be met in preparing environmental and planning documents.
• Determines inventory levels and protections measures.
• Works with professional archeologists from other State and Federal agencies, universities, museums, consulting firms, and research organizations in carrying out investigations necessary at significant prehistoric and historic sites.

Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel for training and/or meetings. Also, project related work.
Supervisory status
Yes
Promotion Potential
None
Requirements Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:GS-0193
Education:
1. 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.
2. Related Curriculum: 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 sufficiently similar to the requirements in A.1 (including archeological field school).
or
B. Combination of Education and Experience
College-level education or training that provided knowledge equivalent to that described in A above, plus appropriate technical experience or additional education.
or
C. 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.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-12: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as the following: Developed policy, immediate and long-range objectives, integration with resource activities, establishment of priorities and project plan of work and budget; Planned, directed, coordinated and executed surveys for the location and verification of archeological and historical sites; Recommended or reviewed the mitigating action for projects when ground disturbing activities are proposed; Supervised the excavation and salvage of archeological resources protection act assessments; Consulted with Native American Tribes on archeological issues.
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.
TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement Education
See Qualifications Section for educational requirements.
Additional information
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).
Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Part-time and intermittent service will be credited only for time actually worked. Non-pay status such as leave without pay is credited for up to six months in a calendar year; anything beyond six months is not credited. Applicants are responsible for providing sufficient information/documentation to determine if the 24 month criteria is met.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period.
For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, Schedule A Disabled, etc., explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website
Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.
Government Housing is not available.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:

• History and Archaeology
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating
• Workforce Environment
• Writing

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.
If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.
To view the application form, visit: Background checks and security clearance Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test required
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Credentialing, Suitability/Fitness
This job is open to

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
  Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
  
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
  
• Individuals with disabilities
• Land & base management
  Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
  
• Military spouses
• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
• Special authorities
  Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
  
• Veterans

Clarification from the agency
Current permanent federal employees with competitive status, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP and VEOA eligibles, Farm Service Agency permanent county employees, 30 percent or More Disabled Veterans, Certain Former Overseas and Foreign Service Employees, Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement and Other Miscellaneous Authorities, People with Disabilities, Peace Corps and VISTA, Reinstatement, Public Land Corps, and Resource Assistant Program candidates.