Clarification from the agency

This is a Merit Promotion announcement for Government employees and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed. For further clarification please click here: https://www.bsee.gov/what-we-do/administrative-services/human-resources/eligibility

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Environmental Compliance Division - Atlantic Section, in either Sterling, VA or Hadley, Massachusetts. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a program lead performing archaeological and historic preservation for the ECD's Atlantic Region. The incumbent also serves as the Regional Federal Preservation Officer and supports the agency in environmental justice program issues.

At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

1. The Regional Archeologist (Marine) is responsible for coordinating BSEE-approved activities, advocating legal requirements, and developing/interpreting/implementing policy regarding archaeology and historic preservation issues.

2. Serves as the archaeological resource management expert, pursuant to P.L. 96-515, acting as consultant, advisor, and technical authority to Department officials, the Deputy Director, Regional Directors, the Atlantic Regional Environmental Officer (REO), and other scientists and engineers in archaeological matters. Ensures that archaeological concerns are addressed in the formation of National and Regional policy that leads to the development of regulations, implementation guidelines, and procedures for renewable energy, oil and gas and marine minerals in the Atlantic Region on the OCS. Develops and/or maintains, in coordination with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), databases for archaeological resources.

3. Reviews pertinent Federal laws (e.g., National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Archaeological Resource Protection Act (ARPA) and regulations (e.g., 36 CFR Part 800) to determine effects on archaeological resources matters and on BSEE's OCS program.

4. Prepares technical and policy documents concerning archaeological resource and anthropological data and information and expected minerals activities impacts for BSEE/BOEM correspondence, briefing material, and issues and option papers. Prepares highly specialized reports for use in decision-making by the Agency, or other Federal agencies, or as testimony before Congress.

5. Initiates and takes lead responsibility for the planning and conducting of coordination meetings, industry/public workshops, Information Transfer Meeting (ITM) sessions, and other conference work related to national historic preservation oversight. Represents the BSEE/Office at professional meetings, and on task forces or committees involving Federal, State, or private agencies and individuals.

6. Leads any archaeology and historic preservation-related studies/research/compliance projects in support of the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) or Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for BSEE. Develops, designs, procures, administers, and evaluates major science/compliance studies/research that may require participating in or overseeing the collection, standardization, and analysis of environmental data related to OCS resources and/or industry activities and identifying specific archaeological and historic preservation issues and problems that will need to be addressed and resolved through additional research and/or coordination.

BSEE has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework with supervisory approval.

Salary Range Information (Per Annum): *First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Sterling, VA Salary Rate Range:

GS-13: $117,962 - $153,354

Hadley, Massachusetts Salary Rate Range:

GS-13: $116,510 - $151,467

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Conditions of employment

1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
4. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:
To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND/OR (2) Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying.

Archaeology Series, 0193:
Individual Occupational Requirements
(1) 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:

1. geography, geology, or cultural geography;
2. history, historiography, or historical archeology;
3. environmental studies;
4. scientific writing (nonfiction English composition); and/or
5. surveying;

-AND-

• 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-

(2) Specialized Experience
To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Conducting or supporting consultations under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA);
2) Preparing, reviewing, or using surveys or reports to identify submerged cultural or historic resources that could be impacted by proposed activities;
3) Preparing technical or scientific analyses related to submerged cultural or historic resources; AND
4) Designing or implementing field inspections related to submerged and/or land based cultural or historic resources.
5) Obtaining current and accurate scientific and technical information for the purpose of analyzing the effects of human interactions on marine and coastal environments. Must meet all.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume 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.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

1. Regulations and Guidance (5914) - Knowledge of principles, laws, regulations, policies, practices, and guidelines.
2. Written Communication (329) - Expresses facts and ideas in writing in a succinct and organized manner.
3. Technical Competence (299) - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters
4. History and Archaeology (128) - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and impact on particular civilization and cultures, and of preservation and archival techniques.
5. Interpersonal Skills (154) - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, cooperation, concern, and politeness to others; relates well to different people from varied backgrounds and different situations.

DUE WEIGHT
Due Weight Consideration is a review process used to provide consideration to performance appraisals and awards submitted with each application on a used merit promotion certificate and factoring the results into the merit promotion selection process.

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.

It is your responsibility to obtain and upload your performance appraisal/evaluation and/or list of awards prior to the closing of the vacancy announcement.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12626152