Seasonal Archeologist

Full Job Description

The primary purpose of these positions is to support the park's cultural resource program by conducting archaeological fieldwork and lab analysis; documenting, evaluating, and protecting sites; and assisting with compliance under the National Historic Preservation Act.

Incumbents contribute to surveys, excavations, data collection, artifact processing, research, and reporting to ensure the preservation and stewardship of cultural resources.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/02/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time).

If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

Basic Requirement for the Archeologist, GS-0193 Series: A degree that included three 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; theory and methods of archeology, including typology, classification, sampling, cultural evolution, diffusion, dating, and analytical techniques; and archeological field school providing a basic understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to research design, field preservation techniques, and report preparation through participation in actual field work; AND six semester hours of related coursework in geography, geology, or cultural geography; history, historiography, or historical archeology; environmental studies; scientific writing (nonfiction English composition); and/or surveying; AND completion of an archeological field school.

Related curriculum: A degree in anthropology (with emphasis on ethnology, physical anthropology, or scientific linguistics), history, American studies, or a related discipline may be accepted if the coursework included academic study sufficiently similar to the requirements above, including archeological field school.

-OR- A combination of education and experience that included college-level education or training that provided knowledge equivalent to that described above, plus appropriate technical experience or additional education.

-OR- Four years of archeological work experience that demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional archeology.

This experience must have included archeological field experience, which may include that gained in an archeological field school, and should have included a combination of professional experience in archeological survey, excavation, laboratory analysis, and preparation of written materials.

Applicants with such experience should, after additional experience under the direction of a higher-grade archeologist, be able to demonstrate the ability to serve as a crew chief directing the work of others at a single location as part of a larger archeological project.

-AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).This experience includes activities such as: assisting with archaeological surveys, excavations, and site condition assessments; performing basic artifact processing and cataloging; recording field data using GPS, GIS, drawings, and field notes; assisting with compliance tasks related to cultural resource laws and regulations; or supporting archaeological research and laboratory work.

You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of one full academic year of graduate-level education in Archeology, Anthropology, or a directly related field.

You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above.

To combine education and experience, first take the number of completed graduate semester hours and divide by 18.Then take the number of months of full-time specialized experience and divide by 12.

Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).This experience includes activities such as: conducting archaeological surveys, excavations, and monitoring; planning and performing field inspections, research, and resource assessments; reviewing cultural resource permits and fieldwork plans; analyzing archaeological data using digital tools; preparing archaeological reports; or writing Determinations of Eligibility or National Register Nominations.

You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, in Archeology, Anthropology, or a directly related field.

You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above.

To combine education and experience, first take the number of completed graduate semester hours beyond the first 36 and divide by 18.Then take the number of months of full-time specialized experience and divide by 12.Add the percentages together.

The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

NOTE: In support of Executive Order (EO) 14189 "Celebrating America's 205th Birthday" and EO 14314 "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving our National Parks" the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has approved an exception to the 1039 hour time limitation for this position.

This approval can extend the time limitation to 1560 hours for this temporary seasonal appointment. Major Duties:

GS-0193-07 Duties: Conducts archaeological fieldwork including surveys, shovel testing, excavations, and site condition assessments under the guidance of senior staff.

Performs archaeological laboratory work such as washing, sorting, identifying, and cataloging artifacts. Records survey and site data using GPS, GIS, drawings, and detailed field notes.

Assists with artifact analysis, data entry, and preparation of basic sections of archaeological reports.

Monitors ground-disturbing activities to identify and document potential cultural resource impacts.` GS-0193-09 Duties: Plans and conducts archaeological surveys, excavations, and site evaluations, including developing sampling strategies and field methodologies.

Reviews project proposals and determines appropriate cultural resource compliance requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Analyzes archaeological data, prepares technical reports, and develops Determinations of Eligibility and National Register documentation.

Utilizes GIS, GPS, and other digital tools to document site locations, features, and field conditions; prepares maps, figures, and graphics for reports.

Coordinates with interdisciplinary teams, contractors, and partner agencies on cultural resource issues and project planning.

Important Note for Applicants Only one position will be filled at the GS-07 and one at the GS-09 level. This announcement does not have promotion potential and is not a career-ladder position.