Archaeology Crew Lead (NPS, Death Valley National Park)

THE GREAT BASIN INSTITUTE • Death Valley, CA

1d • $28 - $28 • Onsite

About The Position

The Cultural Resource Services Program (CRS) at the Great Basin Institute (GBI), in cooperation with the National Park Service at Death Valley National Park, is recruiting one Archaeology Crew Lead to become part of the Flood Response Team. This position will guide a team of two Archaeology Crew Members to complete condition assessments, Section 106 Cultural Resource surveys, site recording, and monitoring for various projects within Death Valley National Park (DEVA). These projects all serve the Cultural Resources program’s greater mission of improving the quality of public lands to ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come. This position will be a part of a unique group, the DEVA Flood Archaeology Team with a unique mission. In 2022 and 2023 DEVA experienced two 1000-year level floods. This led to impacts ranging from mild to profound in all corners of the park. Roads are still being repaired from these floods. In response, the Park brought in over 80 archaeologists of all skill levels to survey along roadsides as a part of their cleanup. This has resulted in a massive amount of data that still needs to be verified, cleaned up and written into reports. Additionally, the emergency actions taken were only to open roads, so sites and structures across the park away from roads still need to be visited and documented. This position will be a part of the larger DEVA cultural resource team which consists of historians, archaeologists, physical scientists and historic preservationists. This work will help document flood impacts to sites throughout the park, stabilize or create plans to stabilize affected sites, and prepare inventories that will help with future flooding events. The Cultural Resource Program at Death Valley National Park works closely with the local tribe and there will be opportunities for the selected candidate to participate in tribal consultation meetings and potentially field visits with tribal elders and heritage preservationists. The Flood Archaeology Crew Lead will perform a variety of activities to support all stages of project implementation. Crew size will range between 2-3 people.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. Citizen (required to access US government computer networks)
• Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, archaeology or related discipline, including relevant field methods training coursework AND one year of archaeology related field work
• Experience leading crews in the field, including oversight of crew safety, communication, fidelity to methods and data quality
• Proficiency in navigation using GPS, topographic map and compass
• Ability to recognize and record prehistoric and historic artifacts, features, and architecture
• Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license with the ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads
• Ability to work effectively in a team setting with USFS staff, GBI staff, interns, volunteers, academic, state, and federal partners
• Ability to work safely and productively in remote field settings under adverse conditions. This may include occasionally overnight work & camping in remote areas for consecutive nights
• Ability to understand, implement and adhere to established data collection, inventory, assessment, and monitoring protocols
• Capacity to collect and maintain field data in an organized manner that is easily understood and accessible to other resources staff
• Strong communication skills with diverse audiences, both written and oral
• Willingness to work a variable schedule in response to project needs, possibly including some weekends, nights, holidays
• Physically fit to work outdoors, carry up to 50 pounds of personal and/or field equipment, and withstand the rigors of a forested and/or high desert environment in all seasons

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in anthropology, archaeology or related discipline and at least one year of field leadership experience
• Familiarity with Section 106/110 NHPA and California SHPO compliance procedures
• Knowledge of cultural resource management issues in the Western United States
• Fieldwork experience and familiarity with the cultural history of the Mojave and/or Great Basin region
• Familiarity with Section 106/110 NHPA and California and/or Nevada SHPO compliance procedures
• Advanced skill using specialized software such as Microsoft Office Suite, ArcMap GIS, and Google Earth
• Prior experience working in similar backcountry settings is preferred

Responsibilities

• Collaborating with Archaeologist and agency staff to support field safety, communication, planning, logistics, quality assurance, field implementation and reporting efforts
• With your team, or alone, complete field surveys, condition assessments, site recordation, or monitoring as well as working to document, assess, and characterize the status of new and known cultural resources
• Conducting pre-field searches to learn what resources may be present and what was previously recorded
• Monitoring existing sites and complete site updates and condition assessments
• Assessing sites for stabilization needs and stabilizing sites with waddles, mats and other means
• Preparing California DPR site records, GIS maps, and photographic records in addition to adding data to the NPS heritage database and assisting your crew in doing the same
• Utilizing GPS tablets in the field to collect data and use that data to make maps and update geodatabases
• Preparing portions of reports, or assessments of effect documentation for archaeological compliance

Benefits

• Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental (with option to upgrade in coverage), and vision insurance
• $25,000 Basic Life & AD&D insurance at no cost
• Competitive PTO accrual and paid federal holidays
• Eligible for 401(k) retirement savings with up to 4% GBI match
• Access to Pro Deals
• Shared vehicle for commuting to Park from Pahrump, Nevada
• Shared housing will be provided to the selected participants at no additional costs
• Camping per diem provided per night in the field

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level