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ARCHEOLOGIST

Department of the Air Force
Air Education and Training Command

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/06/2026 to 03/12/2026
Salary
$78,117 to - $101,558 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
FEW vacancies in the following location:
Luke AFB, AZ
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
7I-AFPC-12901674-142130-MSC
Control number
859945200

Duties

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  • As Cultural Resource Program Lead, plans, organizes, and directs the activities of the cultural resource program, ensuring that Environmental Sciences Management complies with legal and regulatory requirements and meets customer needs.
  • Responsible for completion, implementation, and periodic update of a comprehensive plan for the management of the range's cultural resources, which provides direction for the identification, evaluation, and preservation of cultural resources.
  • Responsible for compliance with cultural resource preservation and management statutes, directives, and instructions. Incumbent applies various regulations, statutes, acts, department policies and guidelines.
  • Responsible for planning and environmental impact analysis with respect to cultural resources.
  • Conducts interagency cultural resource consultation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
  • PCS will not be paid
  • This posn is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
  • Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:
EDUCATION:
A bachelor's degree (or higher degree) that includes 3 semester hours each in the following course areas: (1) history of archeology; (2) archeology of a major geographical area such as North America or Africa; (3) 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; (4) theory and methods of archeology which include, but are not limited to, typology, classification, sampling, cultural evolution, diffusion, dating, and analytical techniques; (5) 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. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
OR
A bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in anthropology (with emphasis on ethnology, physical anthropology, or scientific linguistics), history, American studies, or a related discipline which satisfies in full the educational requirements, provided the curriculum supplied academic course work sufficiently like the requirements as shown above (including archeological field school). NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
OR
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that described above. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
OR
Experience: Four years of archeological work experience that demonstrates 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.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-09, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes 1) Providing knowledge of professional principles, practices, techniques, and procedures of cultural resource management to perform program leadership functions associated with project development, execution, training, and advisory services in accordance with National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Archeological resources Protection Act (ARPA), executive orders, etc. 2) Planning and budgeting, gathering, and analyzing a wide variety of data to provide recommendations for improving the cultural resources program. 3) Performing project management responsibilities to include writing statements of work, evaluating contractor proposals, and managing work performed by contractors. 4) Applying knowledge of the culture, history, and traditions of various Native American cultures indigenous to southwestern Arizona, to include consultation, negotiation of agreements regarding identification, evaluation, and treatment of cultural resources, treatment of human remains, and identification of traditional cultural places and sacred sites. 5) Establishing and maintain positive working relationships with representatives of Tribes and State and Federal Agency, to resolve complex issues cooperatively. 6) Communicating effectively orally and in writing to diverse audiences. 7) Using computer software such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations graphics, and database to support briefings and presentations. 8) Applying advanced environmental planning practices to complex projects, focusing specifically on evaluation of potential impacts to natural and cultural resources.
OR
EDUCATION: Must completed at least three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a major directly related to the position of Archeologist. This education was received from an accredited University, College, etc. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-09 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Continues on Education

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
1. Knowledge of professional principles, practices, techniques, and procedures of Cultural Resource Management to effectively perform program leadership functions associated with project management project development execution training and general advisory services in accordance with NHPA, NEPA, NAGRPA, ARPA, executive orders, and DOD and Air Force instructions.
2. Skill and program administration including planning and budgeting, with the ability to gather and analyze a wide variety of data to provide recommendation for improving cultural resources program.
3. Ability to perform project management responsibilities to include writing statements of work, evaluating contractor proposals, and managing work performed by contractors to include reviews of technical documents. With Air Force Cultural Resource Management Program is desirable.
4. Knowledge of the culture, history, and traditions (includes tribal cultural resources and religious issues) of various Native American cultures indigenous to southwestern Arizona, to include consultation, negotiation of agreements regarding identification, evaluation, and treatment of cultural resources, treatment Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with of human remains in accordance with NAGRPA, in identification of traditional cultural places and sacred science. Experience with archeological survey in excavation is preferred. Favorite degree in archeology, anthropology or related field is desirable.
5. Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with representatives of tribes and state and federal agencies including state historic preservation officer, to resolve complex issues cooperatively. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to diverse audiences. Ability to use computer software such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, and database to support briefings and presentations. Working knowledge a geographical information systems and database structure is preferred.
6. Professional experience applying advanced environmental planning practices to complex projects called the focusing specifically on evaluation and potential impacts to natural and cultural resources.

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcriptswith the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Additional information

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well qualified or above for this position. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Current Federal Civilian employees may apply for temporary and term positions and if selected, a break in service may be required prior to appointment to the position.

Temporary and Term Appointments: If you are selected for a temporary or term position in the competitive service, your appointment may be extended to the maximum period allowed by law without further competition.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: MSP applicants, if determined best qualified, must be selected, and placed at the highest grade for which they applied. You must include a completed copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicant Eligible: PPP Applicants, if determined well qualified and selected, will be placed at the at the full performance level. You must include the applicable completed copy of the PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility as a PPP Applicant. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 through DD3145-4, select the appropriate checklist for your claimed preference). To determine the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist required to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming, refer to the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide located in the Required Documents section of this vacancy announcement.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The resume/documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

For additional information on what to include in your resume, click here.

APPRAISALS/AWARDS: Hiring Managers use objective methods and consider previous performance appraisals and awards in the selection process. Current Federal Civilian employees should list any relevant performance related rating and/or awards in your resume.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

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