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Archeologist

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Midwest Archeological Center
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Open to the first 50 applicants or until 10/01/2021 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

This position is also being advertised under Delegated Examining to all U.S. Citizens under job announcement MW-1543-MWAC-21-11234047-DE. You must apply to the job announcement to be considered under Delegated Examining eligibility.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Posted 09/20/21
This job will close when we have received 30 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$64,649 - $84,049 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
75% or less - You will be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
MW-1543-MWAC-21-11233482-ST
Control number
614021400

Duties

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This is a permanent, full-time Archeologist GS-0193-11 position with the Midwest Archeological Center. The position is duty stationed in Lincoln, Nebraska. The position has promotion potential to the GS-12 level.

Is responsible for or makes significant contributions to the preparation of historic preservation documentation, compliance, and background materials for clearances, permits, licenses, etc., as required by Section 106 and Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Archeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), NPS Management Policies and cultural resources management guideline for planning and construction projects that involve cultural resources for all park undertakings. Recommends, plans for, and executes archeological investigations required to meet NHPA, ARPA, NPS guidelines, and the research needs of parks. Reviews projects initiated by park staff and makes recommendations for approval to managers. Serves as an advisor to park management on cultural resources. Identifies, evaluates, and monitors cultural resources, identifies potential threats, and makes recommendations to management regarding status and mitigation of impacts (present and future).

The incumbent designs, implements, and coordinates multi-phased archeological projects involving documentary, archival, and collections research; field investigations (both survey and excavation); laboratory analysis of recovered data; and professional report writing.

Assembles bibliographies and acquaints park staff with recent archeological scholarship pertinent to the Center's resources and themes. Summarizes and interprets highly technical material for park staff. Participates in various events (professional and public) for the purpose of exchanging information and advancing advocacy for archeological resource stewardship.

Provides peer review for NPS and non-NPS archeological studies.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
  • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required.
  • If you are a new employee in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You will be required to travel overnight away from home up to 21 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • You will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 on an annual basis.
  • You must be able to lift 40 pounds.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/01/2021-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess the Basic Requirement of all of the Secretary of the Interior Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement.

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.
3.) Demonstrated ability to carry research to completion.
4.) 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-

Meet at least one of the Minimum Qualifications listed below by the closing date of the announcement.

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: 1) Direct intricate program of archeological and other cultural resource activities; 2) Serve as an advisor on cultural resource activities; 3) Develop work plans and schedules, scopes of work, cost estimates and proposals to justify funding request to accomplish goals. You must include years, months and hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Archeology, Anthropology or closely related degree from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to this position. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. 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.

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

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.

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

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

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.

Working Conditions: 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, firelines, artic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. Flying in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters is possible.

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.

Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program 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; specials 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 of 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. I

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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 who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your responses to the online assessments completed during the application process. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Flexibility
  • History and Archaeology
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Knowledge Management
  • Leadership
  • Learning
  • Project Management
  • Self-Management
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
  • Writing


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

National Park Service

The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska and is in the Eastern side of the state. There is a wide variety of housing available in the area. Lincoln has earned a reputation as one of the Midwest's most beloved cities. Home to fine culinary and artistic treasures; a budding live music scene; parks, golf courses and an extensive trail network; and a friendly Midwestern attitude, Lincoln offers the exhilaration of a big city and the serenity of the countryside all in one place. Compared to the rest of the country, citizens of Lincoln spend much less time in their cars: on average, their commute to work is only 17.14 minutes. This also means that noise and pollution levels in the city are less than they would otherwise be. For more information visit: https://www.lcoc.com/

Agency contact information

Central HR Central Team
Phone
402-661-1562
Email
mwr_application_questions@nps.gov
Address
Midwest Archeological Center
100 Centennial Mall North
Lincoln, NE 68508-3873
US

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https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm

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