Clarification from the agency

VEOA, VRA, 30% Disabled. Current or former employees at a land management agency who were initially hired under competitive procedures in a time-limited appointment. Schedule A.

As an Archeologist, you will perform the following duties:

• Assist, conduct, and coordinate field research on maritime and cultural heritage based research projects in ocean and great lakes environments, including research techniques that use deep and shallow water submersibles and unmanned remotely operational vehicles.
• Support and conduct applied research and assist in the analysis of maritime archeological resources and support the identification, preservation, conservation of maritime and cultural heritage resources through research conducting field based research within the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS).
• Apply ONMS, NOS, and NOAA statutes, regulations, policies, directives, and related authorities that enhance the discovery, identification, protection, and conservation of underwater cultural and historic resources and knowledge of the principles and practices of maritime historical research and investigation for underwater cultural and historic resources to the research of archeological sites.
• Support maritime and cultural heritage protection, policy, education, outreach, and research programs. Enhance public and agency understanding and appreciation for nationally significant maritime heritage resources by assisting with the development of outreach products; support national register of historic places nominations.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be suitable for Federal employment.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• Time-in-grade/band must be met by closing date of announcement.

This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.  

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZP-2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09. However, this position is being advertised equivalent to the GS-09.

NOTE: 
* A three year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SCUBA certification with depth qualification of 50m or deeper and certification at the level of “Divemaster,” as determined by the NOAA Diving Control and Safety Board.
• This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Position requires driving a government vehicle for field work, movement of equipment and/or supplies between buildings, acquisition of supplies, or meetings at other locations. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position has physical requirements, including diving, swimming, snorkeling, lifting equipment more than 50lbs.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: In order to successfully perform the duties, the incumbent must have completed the NOAA Dive Master course OR hold equivalent certification with a depth of 50m or deeper. Applicants must provide documentation with their application to support meeting this Selective Placement Factor.  (Your Application Materials must clearly demonstrate this. Failure to do so will result in your application being marked as ineligible.)

Qualifications

(Continued from Requirements section)

College Transcript:  If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume.   You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work.  An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.  This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

To qualify for the 0193 series:

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.

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-

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.  Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. 

This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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.

To qualify at the ZP-2 or GS-09:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-02 or GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Participating in a program related to maritime and/or cultural heritage protection; and
• Utilizing regulations, law and policies related to cultural heritage protection (such as the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act) when compiling information.

-OR-

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate-level education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination of education and experience.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.  If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions).  However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.  The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Knowledge of underwater research, including scuba diving modes such as Closed Circuit Rebreathers, staged decompression, and mixed gas diving, and/or use of specialized underwater research technology to research oceanic sites.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of maritime archeology including professional standards and practices and associated regulations, programs, and policies.
• Knowledge of the processes, principles, and activities associated with marine-based investigations including operation and management of technical equipment and apparatus such as sidescan sonar, magnetometer, and remotely operated vehicles to the operation of archeological equipment.
• Knowledge of Federal Archaeology Program Standards to support archeological research in conjunction with program staff as defined by the Secretary of the Interior Professional Qualification Standards (36 CFR Part 61) to support archeological field studies, support significant assessments to determine if sites are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and to support assessments for Section 106 and 110 compliance under the NHPA.
• Knowledge of related historical programs Acts, Plans, and programs, such as the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
• Ability to promote information on maritime and cultural heritage protection, policy, education, outreach, and research programs.

Due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.