Archeologist (State Cultural Resources Specialist)

** Archeologist (State Cultural Resources Specialist)**

**Department of Agriculture**

**Location**

1 vacancy in the following location:

+ **Duties**

* Serves as staff specialist on all cultural resources issues, including Native American issues and concerns the result from the implementation of NRCS programs and activities in California.
* Works closely with state Cultural Resources Coordinator and state Native American Liaison in developing compliance policy and procedures for cultural resources preservation and tribal consultation in the state.
* Assists field staff to comply with cultural resources protection laws and regulations, including compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 1966, as amended.
* Prepares and maintains all technician guides and information dealing with cultural resources.
* Keeps abreast of developments and research in archaeological methods and procedures.
* Carries out field investigation and procedures professional quality cultural resources investigation and assessment report.
* Prepares technical cultural resource sections of contracts, environmental documents, agreement documents, and other instruments of agency intent.
* This includes providing information for and reviewing environmental documents as required by the Environment Quality Act (EQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
* Resource Conservation and Development program, and other Service programs involving project-level expenditures of federal funds.

**Requirements**

** Conditions of Employment**

* You must be a US Citizen or US 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.
* Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
* Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
* Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.
* Federal employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of their duty location. If selected, you will be required to submit documentation of COVID-19 vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment, if after November 22, 2021.
* The agency will provide additional information regarding what COVID-19 vaccination information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.

** Qualifications**

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

**Time in grade:** Current Federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. (e.g. one year at the GS-11 grade level for consideration for the GS-12 grade level).

**Basic Education Requirement:**

**Degree:** Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study 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***

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 above (including archeological field school).

**Combination of Education and Experience:** College-level education or training that provided knowledge equivalent to that described above, plus appropriate technical experience or additional education.

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 one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered:**

**GS-12 Specialized Experience:** To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Example of Specialized experience is defined as Utilizing computer systems and associated software (including Web-based technology) to access, enter, interpret, summarize, and exchange cultural resources data and other technical information to provide technical assistance to field employees.

**GS-13 Specialized Experience:** To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Example of Specialized experience is defined as performing administrative or managerial duties, such as completing environmental compliance documentation, and performing work related to assessing natural resources, such as through controlling, preserving, and/or evaluating a natural resource or natural resources function, such as conservation, forest, rangeland, fisheries, and wildlife; applying knowledge and skill sufficient to interpret and apply biological science and research, along with knowledge of one or more of the following: 1) management concepts, principles, and practices related to environmental compliance; 2) biological, agricultural, natural, and pertinent aspects of social, behavioral, cultural, and economic sciences; 3) theories , concepts, and practices of conserving, utilizing, and sustaining natural, physical, and cultural resources, and presenting such information in technical or plain language, and 4) public needs in terms of cultural,