Archeologist

Summary

This position is located within the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Park Service, Midwest Region, Division of Interpretation/Cultural Resources, in Harrison, Arkansas.

Duties

At the full performance level (GS-11) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: The archeologist serves as the lead cultural resources specialist for Buffalo National River. Serves on an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists responsible for the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. The position will oversee a diverse cultural resource program including archeology; cultural landscapes; historic structures; ethnography; museum collections, compliance with Section 106 and Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and coordination with outside agencies including the Arkansas State Historic Preservation Act and with Tribal Historic Preservation Offices for eight tribes. The position will serve as an advisor to park management on cultural resources management and will provide significant input into management plans and environmental documents. The position will supervise temporary and contract employees on an intermittent basis. Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work are sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time. Work Environment: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, fire lines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. Flying in fixed-winged aircraft and helicopters is possible. Area Information: Buffalo National River was established in 1972 as the country's first national river; the park protects 135 miles of river from near its origin in the Boston Mountains to the confluence with the White River in Northwest Arkansas. Nearly 100,000 acres in size, roughly one third of the park's land base is designated wilderness. Heavily wooded and extremely rugged terrains are found throughout the park along with numerous hidden caves and waterfalls. There are over 100 miles of maintained trails for hiking and horseback use. There are two developed campgrounds and eight primitive campgrounds throughout the entire park. Of the two developed campgrounds, only one offers amenities such as water and electricity hook ups for visitors. There is one visitor center in each of the three districts, two of which are staffed and open to the public year-round.Harrison has a population of approximately 14,000 people. Harrison offers K-12 schools, a community college, restaurants, shopping, groceries, a movie theatre, a performing arts theatre, a hospital, and specialized clinics. There are several rental properties, as well as homes to purchase within Harrison and Boone County. For more information, see the parks website: www.nps.gov/BUFF

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/07/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. Secretary of Interior Professional Qualification Standard for Archeologist: Possess a graduate degree in archeology, anthropology, or closely related field plus:1.) One full year of professional experience or equivalent specialized training in archeological research, administration or management.2.) At least four (4) months of supervised field and analytic experience in general North American archeology, and 3.) Demonstrated ability to carry research to completion. In addition to these professional qualifications, a professional in prehistoric archeology shall have at least one (1) year of full-time professional experience at a supervisory level in the study of archeological resources of the prehistoric period, or a professional in historic archeology shall have at least one (1) year of full-time professional experience at a supervisory level in the study of archeological resources of the historic period. -AND- BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: All applicants must meet the basic education requirement for their discipline: Archeology GS-0193 AND the experience listed below. Please note: It is your responsibility to show how you satisfy the course requirements for the series(s) you are applying for. If you do not provide information that clearly shows how your completed college course work meets all of the requirements, you will be rated ineligible. Your rating will be based solely on the information you submit with your application. No attempts will be made to verify with you, or the school you attended, whether or not your course work meets all of the requirements. YOU MUST SUBMIT ALL YOUR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS. Archeology GS-0193: A. 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. -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifi