The Montana/Dakotas BLM is seeking a dynamic individual to serve as an Archeologist (Deputy Preservation Officer) for the Montana/Dakotas State Office, Division of Resources and Planning, Social and Cultural Resources Branch, located in Billings, Montana. Information about the Billings area can be found at: Billings Chamber of Commerce. We expect to fill one (1) vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Duties

This is a developmental position, applying professional knowledge of standard archeological principles, theories, concepts, methods, and techniques. At the full performance level, the incumbent is responsible for performing a variety of duties including, but not limited to, the following: Serving as the Deputy Preservation Officer and program lead for the Cultural Heritage Program. Providing expertise in the analysis, review, development, and implementation of BLM-wide policies, procedures, and objectives of the Cultural Heritage Program. Serving on the Federal Preservation Board and address cultural heritage issues of national significance and affect on numerous federal agencies, national organizations, and Native American Tribes. Providing technical data, professional advice, or recommendations on historic preservation. Ensuring compliance with various laws and regulations including but not limited to National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Antiquities, act, Archaeological Resources Protection Act.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Be sure to read the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" Sections.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• Direct Deposit Required.
• Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
• An applicant appointed to this position must possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
• May require a 1-year probationary period.

Qualifications

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements. Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement or vacancy questions. Your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary. In addition, your responses to the questions must be adequately reflected in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. This position has a positive education requirement. See Education section for additional information. You must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. If your degree is from a Foreign Institution See Foreign Education. In addition to meeting the positive education requirement, you must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level for the position being filled, that is similar in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: To qualify for the GS-12: In addition to meeting the positive education and/or experience requirement as listed in the education section below, you must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Ensuring agency compliance with federal law, regulation, and policy. Reviewing and/or approving program technical documents. Participating as a team member on interdisciplinary teams where National Environmental Policy Act processes are followed and/or reviewing environmental planning documents for compliance with historic preservation statues. Advising personnel on cultural resources protection requirements and assisting in the development of plans to avoid and/or mitigate effects of proposed actions. To qualify for the GS-13: In addition to meeting the positive education and/or experience requirement as listed in the education section below, you must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Implementing a cultural resource program, ensuring agency compliance with federal law, regulation and policy. Reviewing and/or approving program technical documents. Participating as a team member on interdisciplinary teams where National Environmental Policy Act processes are followed and/or reviewing environmental planning documents for compliance with historic preservation statues. Drafting contracts, grants, and other agreements such as Memorandum of Agreements or Memorandum of Understanding between parties to accomplish mutually agreed upon goals, assignments, or projects. Advising personnel on cultural resources protection requirements and assisting in the development of plans to avoid and/or mitigate effects of proposed actions. There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 or GS-13 grade levels. Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level of the position to be filled. 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. Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level. Physical Demands: No special physical demands are required. Some work requires periods of travel and field work. Occasional field work requires physical ability to traverse rough country for several miles, and stamina to accommodate desert and forest climatic conditions. Work Environment: The position is primarily performed in an office setting.

Education

Basic Education Requirement: This position has a positive education requirement which requires that you have:

A.1) Degree that included three (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; and 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 (6) 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.
OR
A.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 educations or training that provided knowledge equivalent to that described in A above, plus appropriate technical experience or additional education.
OR
C) Experience: Four (4) 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.

If using education to meet this requirement, 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 however, if selected for this position, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the education 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.

Contacts

• Address BLM Montana State Office BLM Montana State Office, MT-933 Branch of Human Resources 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 US
• Name: Alexis Marquez
• Phone: (406) 896-5069
• Email: [email protected]