Archeological Technician Job

Vacancy No. PWR-SR-OC-25-12618324-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $19.96 to $34.20 Grade 5 to 7
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Part-time
Open Date 12/13/2024 Close Date 2/28/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Independence, CAKings Canyon National Park, CAMineral, CASequoia National Park, CA


Summary

These temporary positions are located in the Pacific West Region.

This is an open continuous vacancy announcement. Final application disposition will be completed once all positions have been filled or the announcement reaches the end of the open period stated in the announcement.

The first cut-off date is 11:59 pm (EST), Dec 29, 2024.

Please see the "Next Steps" section for additional cut off dates.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year. Dates of employment will vary between park sites depending on funding, weather conditions and visitation. Within regulatory limitations, the length of initial appointment may be shortened or extended depending on work availability and funding.

Duties

Multiple Duty Locations:

Great Basin National Park : Baker, NV - Two GS-5 positions. Government housing is available. Travel may be required for up to 2 nights per month. A uniform is required.
Lassen Volcanic National Park : Mineral, CA- One GS-7 position. Travel may be required for up to 2 nights per month. Government housing may be available.
Lava Beds National Monument : Tulelake, CA- Four GS-5 positions and two GS-7 positions. Government housing may be available. A uniform is required.
Manzanar National Historic Site : Independence, CA- One GS-5 position and two GS-7 positions. Government housing is not available. A uniform is required.
Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov): Ashford, WA- Two GS-5 positions and three GS-7 positions. Government housing is available. Travel may be required for up to 2 nights per month. A uniform is required.
North Cascades National Park (U.S. National Park Service): Marblemount, WA- Two GS-5 positions, two GS-6 positions, and one GS-7 position. Government housing may be available. Travel may be required for up to 8 nights per month.
Olympic National Park : Port Angeles, WA - Two GS-5 positions, two GS-6 positions, and two GS-7 positions. Government housing may be available. Travel may be required for up to 8 nights per month.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks : Kings Canyon: Kings Canyon National Park, CA and Sequoia National Park, CA - Four GS-5 positions, two GS-6 positions, and three GS-7 positions. Government housing may be available. A uniform is required. Travel may be required for up to 8 nights per month.
Yosemite National Park : El Portal, CA- Three GS-5 positions, three GS-6 positions, and three GS-7 positions. Government housing is available. Travel may be required for up to 8 nights per month. A uniform is required.

The Major Duties and responsibilities at the GS-05 grade level include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Participates in basic archeological field surveys by walking over the landscape and searching for archeological features and artifacts.
  • Records data and prepares survey records.
  • Conducts excavation and testing of archeological sites, including the careful recovery of sample materials.
  • Uses tools and equipment common to archeological functions.
  • Processes artifacts and specimens recovered in the field.
  • Identifies, labels, and packages artifacts for curation.
  • Communicates information and maintains working relationships.
In addition, at the GS-06 and GS-07 grade levels:
  • Writes or edits documents.
  • Enters, retrieves, and compiles data.
  • Maintains archeological information databases.
  • Produces documents and reports using software applications.
  • Queries data when writing reports.
In addition, at the GS-07 grade level:
  • Conducts work independently.
  • Oversees others, providing direction and guidance on work activities.
  • Communicates supervisor's direction to field crews.
  • Communicates effectively and orients volunteers and/or employees to job tasks and NPS guidelines.

Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
  • You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST on the closing date or when the 'applicant cut-off' is reached (which may be sooner than 02/28/2025).

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 at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one 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-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: participating in archeological field surveys; searching for archeological features and artifacts and recording survey results through field forms, site maps, and photographs; conducting supervised excavation of archeological sites; carrying out preliminary laboratory analysis; and entering data into computerized systems. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a four-year course of study at an accredited educational institution above high school leading to a bachelor's degree in anthropology, archeology, or related fields. You must include a copy of your transcripts at the time of application.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. Only the semester units past the first 60 semester hours are qualifying towards this requirement. To combine education and experience, take the number of semester hours completed after the first 60 units, convert them to a percentage of the full requirement. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include a copy of your transcripts at the time of application.

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one 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-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: conducting archeological surveys using compass topographical map, and GPS; documenting archeological sites on standard site record forms; assisting in planning and preparation of archeological surveys and site excavations; assisting in excavations; preparing field notes and sketch maps; recovering, identifying, and cataloging artifacts; ensuring archeology work assignments are carried out in a safe, timely manner according to established standards and procedures; and query, input and retrieve data from computer database system. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full academic year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of graduate education at an accredited college or university in archeology or anthropology course work. You must include a copy of your transcripts at the time of application.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the amount of completed graduate level education and convert it to a percentage of the full requirement. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include a copy of your transcripts at the time of application.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess at least one 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-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: conducting archeological surveys using compass, topographical map, and GPS; documenting archeological sites using standard site record forms; planning and preparation of archeological surveys and site excavations; carrying out excavations; preparing field notes and sketch maps; monitoring of ground-disturbing activities; recovering, identifying, and cataloging artifacts; occasionally leading small crews in the field; ensuring archeology work assignments are carried out in a safe, timely manner according to established standards and procedures; contributing to technical summary reports regarding assigned projects; and querying, entering, and retrieving data from computer databases and GIS. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full academic year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of graduate education at an accredited college or university in archeology or anthropology course work. You must include a copy of your transcripts at the time of application.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the amount of completed graduate level education and convert it to a percentage of the full requirement. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include a copy of your transcripts at the time of application.

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.

Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. NOTE: Hiking across rough, mountainous terrain while carrying a pack is a routine part of this position.

Working Conditions: The work is performed both in an office setting and in the field. Survey and excavation work is typically performed in isolated areas; you must therefore be familiar with outdoor safety and survival skills and must be able to operate a vehicle on rough roads. Sustained period of camping under primitive conditions are routine.

Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

Point of Contact for this position:

Great Basin National Park:
Bryan Hamilton, bryan_hamilton@nps.gov
North Cascades National Park:
Daniel Garner, daniel_garner@nps.gov
Lassen Volcanic National Park:
Shawn Gibson, shawn_gibson@nps.gov
Lava Beds and Tule Lake National Monuments:
Jessica Reid, jessica_reid@nps.gov
Manzanar National Historic Site:
Jeff Burton, jeff_burton@nps.gov
Mount Rainier National Park:
Benjamin Diaz, Benjamin_diaz@nps.gov
North Cascades National Park:
Kim Dicenzo, kim_dicenzo@nps.gov
Olympic National Park:
Jerald Weaver, jerald_weaver@nps.gov
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks:
Juanita Bonnifield, juanita_bonnifield@nps.gov
Yosemite National Park:
Dawn Bringelson, dawn_bringelson@nps.gov

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Great Basin N.P. only: A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Travel, transportation & relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Great Basin, Lassen Volcano, Mount Ranier: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Lava Beds, Manzanar, North Cascades, Olympic, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yosemite: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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 how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of two categories:

  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Database Administration
  • History and Archaeology
  • Oral Communication
  • Research
  • Technical Competence
  • Leadership - GS-06/07 Only
  • Education and Training - GS-07 Only

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/28/2025:

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete All Required Assessments.
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
    • Veterans Preference Documentation:
      • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
      • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
      • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
  4. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  5. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 90 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/28/2025. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

Daniel Garner
Address
PWR Seasonal Recruitment
333 Bush Street
Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94104
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

Standing Register Open Continuous Information: Cutoffs will be used for this announcement. The First Cutoff will be Dec 29 , 2024. Consideration will be given to candidates in sequential order within each group as depicted below as each group is exhausted. Qualification must be met for those applications submitted by the cut-off date. Applicants from the first group are entered onto the inventory at the same time, and those who apply later are entered as they are rated.

Cutoff Dates:
  • Group 1: Applications received from 12:00 am (EST) 12/13/2024 to 11:59 pm (EST) on 12/29/2024.
  • Group 2: Applications received from 12:00 am (EST) 12/30/2024 to 11:59 pm (EST) on 01/19/2025.
  • Group 3: Applications received from 12:00 am (EST) 01/20/2025 to 11:59 pm (EST) on 02/28/2025.

Note: To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications. Please note that certificates of qualified applicants will be issued in order of groups. Your application may not be reviewed or referred if supervisor has a certificate of qualified applicants and the group you applied in is not reviewed by the closing date of the announcement.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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