This position is located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in the Resources Management and Science Division. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Great Smoky Mountains National Park is May - November, but the season may be extended or reduced due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: May 17, 2026.
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/12/2026-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. To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least 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-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: Assisting with archaeological field surveys and excavations under the direction of more senior staff, using handheld GPS units to record site and feature locations, basic familiarity with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to view and manage project data, entering data into spreadsheets and databases, and exposure to geophysical survey equipment and data collection processes. Work is performed as part of a team, with supervision and guidance, and contributes to the identification and documentation of potential archeological resources. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of coursework relevant to archeology in an accredited educational institution above high school leading to a bachelor's degree in anthropology, archeology, or related fields. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take percentage of education completed. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. 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.
Open to the first 100 applicants or until 01/12/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Major Duties: Assist other archeological technicians and professional archeologists to conduct archeological monitoring, survey, and excavation of archeological resources at GRSM. Complete and maintain field notes, field and excavation descriptions, drawings, maps, photographs, GPS recordings related to archeological work. Perform archeological research. Use computer software and digital photography. Use related databases, spreadsheets, forms, maps, and files. Use the Interior Collections Management System (ICMS) to catalog artifact collections. Understand Southeastern archeology, prehistory, and history sufficient to reliably identify and record cultural remains in the field and in the lab.