This position is located within the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Park Service, Midwest Region, Division of Interpretation/Cultural Resources, in Harrison, Arkansas.
At the full performance level (GS-11) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: The archeologist serves as the lead cultural resources specialist for Buffalo National River. Serves on an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists responsible for the management and protection of natural and cultural resources.
The position will oversee a diverse cultural resource program including archeology; cultural landscapes; historic structures; ethnography; museum collections, compliance with Section 106 and Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and coordination with outside agencies including the Arkansas State Historic Preservation Act and with Tribal Historic Preservation Offices for eight tribes.
The position will serve as an advisor to park management on cultural resources management and will provide significant input into management plans and environmental documents. The position will supervise temporary and contract employees on an intermittent basis. Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects.
Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work are sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time. Work Environment: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, fire lines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests.
Flying in fixed-winged aircraft and helicopters is possible. Area Information: Buffalo National River was established in 1972 as the country's first national river; the park protects 135 miles of river from near its origin in the Boston Mountains to the confluence with the White River in Northwest Arkansas. Nearly 100,000 acres in size, roughly one third of the park's land base is designated wilderness.
Heavily wooded and extremely rugged terrains are found throughout the park along with numerous hidden caves and waterfalls. There are over 100 miles of maintained trails for hiking and horseback use. There are two developed campgrounds and eight primitive campgrounds throughout the entire park. Of the two developed campgrounds, only one offers amenities such as water and electricity hook ups for visitors.
There is one visitor center in each of the three districts, two of which are staffed and open to the public year-round.Harrison has a population of approximately 14,000 people. Harrison offers K-12 schools, a community college, restaurants, shopping, groceries, a movie theatre, a performing arts theatre, a hospital, and specialized clinics. There are several rental properties, as well as homes to purchase within Harrison and Boone County.
For more information, see the parks website: www.nps.gov/BUFF
Qualifications Continued - To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).
Examples of qualifying specialized experience for this position includes: planning, implementing, and leading surveys and monitoring efforts of archeologic sites and other cultural resources associated with the Colorado Plateau and adjacent cultural provinces; preparing funding proposals or developing grants to conduct archeology-related research; utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), Photogrammetry, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Ground Penetrating Radar, and various sources of aerial imagery (e.g.
satellite imagery) to capture, analyze, display, and share digital archeological data; developing simulations of archeological data and features using three-dimensional models; providing recommendations for management decisions based on collected archeological data. Technical experience alone may not be creditable to meet this specialized experience requirement.
-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion at least three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. 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 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. You must include transcripts.
For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience.
For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.
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. This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable.
A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.
For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications
This position is with National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
The posted pay range is $61722 – $97087/yr.
This position is eligible for telework.
Applications close on 2026-10-07.
This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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