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Archeological Technician

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Alaska Region
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Selectees may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries.

Positions may not be filled at every duty station.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. All travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the sole responsibility of the selected employees.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/30/2024 to 01/08/2025
Salary
$21.42 - $34.50 per hour

Plus, a 1.69% or 3.21% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) - (percentage depends on duty station). COLA is subject to annual adjustment and review.

Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Locations
Bartlett Cove, AK
2 vacancies
Copper Center, AK
1 vacancy
Denali Park, AK
6 vacancies
Fairbanks, AK
4 vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - Not to exceed 1039 Hours
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
AK-1537-AKRO-25-12458185-DE
Control number
825831900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens, Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL).

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Duties

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The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for each duty station is listed below. These employment periods can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA) - Denali Park, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA) - Bartlett Cove, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is May - October. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: May 2025.

Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) - Brooks Camp and King Salmon, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. For Brooks Camp (KATM), apply to Lake and Peninsula County, Alaska. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.

Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ) - Seward, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO) - Skagway, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.

Western Arctic National Parklands (WEAR) - Kotzebue, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is April - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: April 2025.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST) - Copper Center and McCarthy (Kennecott), Alaska (Applicants selected for McCarthy will be stationed in Kennecott, AK.) - Anticipated employment period is May - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: May 2025.

Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve & Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (YUGA) - Fairbanks, Alaska - Anticipated employment period is May - September. Anticipated Entrance on Duty: May 2025.

Duties

The work involves assisting with archeological fieldwork in various areas of Alaska. Depending on the location and project, archeological resources studies may be prehistoric or historic in nature. Duties typically include:

  • Inventory and monitoring the condition of cultural resources and compliance projects in areas impacted by construction and visitor activities.
  • Participating in archeological surveys, shovel tests and archeological excavations, laboratory processing and analysis of artifacts recovered.
  • Preparing detailed field notes, records, daily logs, journals, photographs, photo logs, archeological and architectural forms, feature and artifact drawings, and assisting in reports.
  • Assisting in the use of GPS, GIS and other computer software in support of data collection and reporting activities.

Additional duties for the GS-07 position: In addition to the above duties, you will also be conducting literature reviews and prepare reports of archaeological findings.

Some of the incumbent's time may be spent in the backcountry for periods of up to eight days or longer. The incumbent will be required to live outdoors in a tent, hike in a backcountry setting without trails or modern amenities and may be transported in helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, motorized and non-motorized watercraft.

Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, stooping, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g. packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis.

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; the incumbent must therefore be familiar with outdoor safety and survival skills and must be able to operate a vehicle on rough roads. Sustained periods of camping under primitive conditions are routine.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for occasional/situational telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with prior supervisory approval.

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.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • At Brooks Camp (Lake and Peninsula), Denali, Fairbanks, King Salmon, Kotzebue, and Seward duty stations you will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position may be subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • At Brooks Camp (Lake and Peninsula), Denali, Fairbanks, King Salmon, Kotzebue, and Seward duty stations you will be required to submit to a drug test based on the collateral duty requiring firearms in the back-country or other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals.
  • 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. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also 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 disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • 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 up to 21 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • At Brooks Camp (Lake and Peninsula), King Salmon, and Seward duty stations you will be required to operate a small watercraft less than 26 feet in length. This position is subject to drug testing.
  • Applicants selected for Klondike Gold Rush will be required to obtain and maintain a US Passport or Passport Card for entry into Canada.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/08/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Resume - 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 number of hours worked per week, full-time, or part-time. If you indicate part-time, you MUST indicate the number of hours worked per week so that your qualifying experience can be prorated for credit.

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:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include providing assistance in support of historic preservation including archaeological inventory and monitoring, using GPS and GIS to record archaeological sites and features, processing specimens recovered in the field, maintaining archeological databases and compiling related data for reporting. (You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-OR-

Education: Successfully completed at least four years (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours or equivalent) of course study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. (You must include a copy of your transcripts, and the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-OR-

A combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent), in excess of the first 60 semester hours earned towards your degree and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must include a copy of your transcripts, and the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

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:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include conducting work in support of historic preservation including archaeological inventory and monitoring, conducting literature searches in support of historic preservation, writing survey and excavation reports, laboratory analysis of archaeological materials, using GPS and GIS to record archaeological sites and features and assisting in the preparation of documentation for purposes of compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. (You must include the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-OR-

Education: Successfully completed at least one year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours or the number your school uses to represent one year of full-time graduate academic study) that is directly related to the position being filled. (You must include a copy of your transcripts, and the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

-OR-

A combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. 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, and the number of hours worked per week within your resume.)

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.

Government Housing is available at - Brooks Camp, Denali Park, King Salmon, and Kotzebue, Alaska duty stations.

Government Housing may be available at - Bartlett Cove, Copper Center, Kennecott (McCarthy), Seward, and Skagway, Alaska duty stations.

Government Housing is not available at - Fairbanks, Alaska duty station.

Alaska currently does not have a state income tax.

These positions are temporary and may not exceed 1039 hours (six months) in a service year. They may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs.

Individuals selected under this vacancy announcement are eligible for the possibility of extensions or rehire in subsequent service years.

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 1039 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 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 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.

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), and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire 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 three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • 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:
  • History and Archaeology
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application
  • Research (GS-7 only)
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

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.

Agency contact information

HR Assistant
Phone
907-644-3828
Email
akr_usa_staffing@nps.gov
Address
Alaska Regional Office
240 W 5th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
US

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

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