Archeologist (Temporary)
What you'd do
These positions are located in Yosemite National Park, in the Resources Management and Science Division. Positions are Full-time temporary appointments not-to-exceed one year with potential to be extended for an additional one year for a maximum of two years based on agency needs and potential funding. Housing maybe available. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 08/31/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.
Major duties
Up to three GS-07 and one GS-09 positions are being filled. There is no promotion potential for the GS-07 positions. Yosemite National Park is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1 year. Some of the duties you will perform will include, but are not limited to. GS-07 duties include: Use Geospatial Information to inform future scientific investigations and improve the understanding of cultural resources in the park. Collaborate with and support teams focused on major seasonal projects in archeology (eg., construction monitoring, wilderness restoration, Fire, Forestry) in order to strengthen resource stewardship across the park. Support compliance with NHPA, ARPA, NAGPRA, and other cultural resource law and policy; gain experience needed to conduct project reviews, serve on Interdisciplinary Teams, complete backlog project reporting. Conduct field projects, including pedestrian inventory, archeological evaluation, resource advising to other teams, and archeological site monitoring in front and back country locations. Archeological field work often includes walking over uneven terrain, covering up to 10 miles per day; repetitive twisting, bending; lifting up to 40 pounds; physical exertion in extreme weather conditions. GS-09 Duties include. Participates in, and conducts independently, a variety of archeological and cultural resource tasks including pre-fieldwork research, consultation, survey, reconnaissance, monitoring, test excavation, data recovery excavation, analysis and reporting. Provides professional and technical assistance in a variety of areas related to or impacted by the archeology function, including National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 compliance, clearance and planning, archeological assessments, evaluations, and field inspections. Prepares the following types of documentation including, but not limited to: Archeological Small Project Reports, Cultural Resource inventory Systems (CRIS), and site forms. Drafts correspondence and complete archeological project packages for consultation. Maintains databases, forms, maps and files with project information. Enters archeological artifact and project data including artifact information, catalog records, field notes, site records and GIS information into automated systems. Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking and bending often required. Heavy items such as backpacks weighing 40-50lbs must be lifted and carried on a regular basis. Backcountry operations may require hiking with a full pack for 10 or more miles in a day, sometimes across off-trail areas. Archeological survey work may be carried out in steep, isolated terrain. You must be able to hike on rough, obscure trails, and be able to navigate cross-country using a map and compass. Excavations may require strenuous physical exertion and heavy lifting. Working Conditions: Approximately 60-75% of the work is performed in the office. Survey, testing, excavation, and monitoring work is performed in park areas, often these are located in the backcountry. You may be required to work independently to complete fieldwork projects in isolated and rugged areas. You must be familiar with outdoor safety and survival skills and must be able to operate a vehicle on rough roads. Backcountry operations are usually limited to the summer season, although fieldwork may occur year-round and limited backcountry operations may be required at any time of the year. You must be able to operate effectively in the backcountry for extended periods (7-10 days). Project areas vary from heavily forested river valleys to steep subalpine and alpine landscapes; therefore, you need to be knowledgeable about the hazards of working in each setting. The Cascades Mountains are known for their rapidly changing weather conditions. You need to be able to operate effectively in a variety of less than optimum weather conditions. For more information about this park, please visit Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service).
What you need to qualify
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/31/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. 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 resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. Basic Qualifications: successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree or higher that included 3 semester hours of EACH of the following course areas: History of Archeology; Archeology of a major geographical area such as North America or Africa; Regional archeology, archaeological 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); AND Archaeological 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); or surveying; -OR- Related Curriculum: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors degree or higher in anthropology (with emphasis on ethnology, physical anthropology, or scientific linguistics), history, American studies, or related discipline, provided the curriculum supplied academic course work sufficiently similar to the requirements stated above (including archaeological field school).Combination of Education and Experience - I have a combination of education and experience that provides knowledge equivalent to that described in A above, plus appropriate additional education or technical experience to total 4 years. This combination demonstrates that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of an archaeologist comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study. -OR - Experience - I have four years of archaeological work experience that demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional archeology. The work experience includes archeology field experience, which may include that gained in an archaeological field school. Field experience includes a combination of professional experience in archaeological survey, excavation, laboratory analysis, and preparation of written materials. Applicants with such field experience should, after additional experience under the direction of a higher-level archaeologist, 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 archaeological project. AND Minimum Qualifications: To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must possess at one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as (1) conducting archeological site inventories and cataloging; (2) Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to inform survey needs and landscape sensitivity; (3) contributing to archeological survey and excavation reports; and (4) using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to record archeological site and features. . You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education. To be qualifying, graduate study must have been in archeology, anthropology, or other closely related field. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, For example, I have six months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 9 semester hours of graduate education in archeology, anthropology, or other closely related field (50% of the education requirement. You must include transcripts. -OR- Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grad-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: elected membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must possess at one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: applying the theories, principles, practices, and techniques of archeology to the conduct of prehistoric and historic archeological field investigations and cultural resource projects in the American West which included the preparation of survey reports, site recording forms, site maps, overlays, field notes, and using Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS). GS-07 Archeological Technician experience is NOT qualifying to meet this requirement. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or completion of all requirements for a master's or equivalent graduate degree. To be qualifying, graduate study must have been in archeology, anthropology, or other closely related field. The total education offered to meet this provision must have provided you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the work of this position. To receive credit, you should describe how the specific course work, research projects, dissertation, theses, etc. demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of this position. (Eighteen semester hours or 27 quarter hours or the number of credit hours the school attended has determined to represent one year of full-time study is considered to be equal to one full year of graduate education). -OR- COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of one year is creditable for combination. Continued in the Education Section.
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