Seasonal Archeologist

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Planning, Lands, and Compliance Division.

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Blue Ridge Parkway is April - November, but the season may be extended or reduced due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding Anticipated Entry on Duty: Mid April.

Open to the first 100 applicants or until 01/31/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/31/2026-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.

To qualify for this position, you must possess the following Basic Requirements for the Archeology 0193 series by close of the announcement: Basic Requirements A. 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.

OR 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 graded 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 the basic requirements listed above; to qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: 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 but is not limited to activities such as: Archeological research, administration or management; at least four months of supervised filed and analytic experience in archeology (experience in North America and Appalachia region preferred); and demonstrated working and applied knowledge of federal compliance process.

You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successfully completed 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a masters degree in an accredited education institution concentrated in a field that is directly related to the work of this position, in archeology, anthropology, or other directly-related subject matter.

(Copy of transcripts is required) -OR- An equivalent combination of such education and experience.

To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 36 semester hours by 18 or the number your school uses to represent one year of full time graduate academic study.

To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. They must equal 100% to qualify using this option.

(Copy of transcripts is required) 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. Major Duties:

The Archeologist will play a key role in supporting and advancing cultural resource compliance and stewardship activities for the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Primary duties center on assisting with National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 compliance, including gathering, synthesizing, and preparing cultural resource information for consultation packages and compliance documentation; assisting with the review and quality assurance of archeological monitoring, survey, and reporting products; and facilitating internal and external coordination with project leads, tribes, and State Historic Preservation Offices.

The incumbent will also lead or contribute to cultural resource documentation and inventory projects, prepare technical summaries and maps, and help maintain, update, and manage cultural resource records and databases to support broader preservation goals and streamline future compliance processes.

Fieldwork could include leading or supporting archeological surveys, site assessments, and monitoring activities under the supervision of other cultural resources staff, while office duties will involve substantial report preparation, data entry, and documentation tasks consistent with NPS standards and guidelines.

The incumbent should be comfortable and physically able to work in both a backcountry and office setting.

Work Setting: The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic corridor managed for the protection of its nationally significant landscapes, historic resources, and cultural traditions of the southern Appalachian region.

Headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina-a vibrant mountain community known for its arts, outdoor recreation, and strong sense of place-the Parkway offers a unique work setting that blends natural beauty with rich human history.

Cultural resources within the Parkway include archeological sites representing Indigenous presence, early European settlement, agriculture, transportation, and traditional lifeways, as well as historic buildings, landscapes, and features that reflect centuries of human interaction with the Blue Ridge Mountains.