GS-0193-09/11 North Zone Archaeologist
The Pomeroy Ranger District will be filling one permanent-full time position which will be advertised as a GS-0193-09/11 North Zone Archaeologist. The target grade for this position is at the GS-11 level, but it may be filled at a lower grade. The position will be selected to serve as part of the North Zone heritage program with duties on both the Walla Walla and Pomeroy Ranger Districts. The position will be located in Pomeroy, WA. No government housing is available.
Anyone interested in this position should complete and return the attached outreach response form by February 1, 2020 to Monte Fujishin, Pomeroy District Ranger, at (509) 843-4620 (email: monte.fujishin@usda.gov).
FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES ON THE WORKFORCE REDUCTION PLACEMENT SYSTEM (WRAPS) LIST WILL RECEIVE PRIORITY CONSIDERATION AND CTAP/ICTAP CANDIDATES WILL RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE CONSIDERATION.
PLEASE NOTE: The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to determine the potential applicant pool for this position and to establish the appropriate recruitment method and area of consideration for the advertisement (e.g. target grade or multi-grade and service-wide, region-wide, government-wide, or DEMO). Responses received from this outreach notice will be relied upon to make this determination.
ABOUT THE POSITION:
This position will be an integral part of the Heritage Program as it will be providing Section 106 support to the North Zone of the Umatilla National Forest. Responsibilities for the position include organizing, supervising and directly performing field inventory, site evaluation, and report writing, data input and management of the NRM database, preparing and administering contracts, participation on Interdisciplinary teams for NEPA analysis, tribal technical consultation, and interpreting heritage resources to the public through presentations. Information is used to inform management and other natural resource specialists about potential impacts and prescribe mitigations for any proposed activities. The employee will work in an interdisciplinary environment with other natural resource specialists to help them meet their land management objectives, while considering the effects of these actions upon cultural resources.
Program Planning: We are looking for an individual that works well in a team environment. Primary duties include providing heritage support to other program areas such as timber, recreation, range management, fire, wildlife, and the lands/minerals program. This support involves determining whether proposed activities have the potential to affect historic properties, identifying appropriate mitigation measures, documenting anticipated effects in written Section 106 reports, and helping to coordinate consultation that takes place between the District Ranger, the State Historic Preservation Officer, and tribal groups. The selected individual will serve as an interdisciplinary team member on a variety of projects planned in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Familiarity with the Region 6 Programmatic agreement between the Forest Service and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) would be helpful.
Field Work: The incumbent will work closely with those implementing projects on the ground to mark sites and ensure that proposed mitigation measures are followed. The selected individual will survey National Forest System lands for cultural resources and when necessary work with contractors to coordinate and oversee large-scale survey contracts. Site testing and evaluation will be conducted to determine if sites are eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Site monitoring will also be conducted to determine whether adverse effects have occurred to sites that are eligible to the National Register of Historic Places.
Data Management: Additional responsibilities include collecting spatial data using a Trimble navigation system (GPS) and ensuring that newly acquired field information is stored in a GIS format. The incumbent will manage the Zone’s GIS database for all archaeological site and survey information and be responsible for tracking site data and program accomplishments using the Heritage Modules in the I-Web Natural Resource Manager (INFRA).
LOCATION: The Umatilla National Forest comprises the northern most part of the Blue Mountains of Northeast Oregon, and Southeast Washington. Surrounding lowlands are dominated by agricultural uses such as dry-land grains, peas and cattle. Pendleton, Oregon houses the Umatilla National Forest Supervisor’s Office approximately 110 miles to the south of Pomeroy.
Pomeroy is the only town in Garfield County and is the County Seat. It is a full service community of approximately 1,250 residents with a hospital, care center, medical doctor and practitioner, dentist, numerous churches, one grocery store, three banks, a motel, three eating establishments, 2 card operated gas stations (1 accepts cash during regular business hours), pharmacy, hardware store, several small businesses, museum, and a library. Just 30 miles to the east is the – Clarkston Washington- Lewiston Idaho hub that contains any medical and shopping needs an individual might need. There are numerous other large towns within 2 hours or less driving distance such as Spokane, Walla Walla, and Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho.
The nearby mountains and rivers provide for several outdoor recreational opportunities such as camping, hunting, fishing, boating, hiking, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. Local recreation opportunities include a city park with a tennis court, swimming pool, and a golf course.
EDUCATION: The public school system in Pomeroy has very good marks for the quality of education provided in grades K-12. There are numerous colleges and universities in the surrounding area such as Walla Walla and Whitman College in Walla Walla, with Walla Walla Community College having a branch in Clarkston, Lewis and Clark State College in Lewiston, University of Idaho in Moscow, Washington State University in Pullman, and Gonzaga University, Whitworth, Eastern Washington University and Spokane Community College all surrounding Spokane.
HOUSING: Government housing is not available. Houses and Apartments rent from $400-$800 a month. Housing to purchase is available and range from $60,000 and up.
ABOUT THE POMEROY RANGER DISTRICT: The Pomeroy Ranger District currently employs approximately 32 permanent employees. The District is diversified in landscapes and vegetation. It is primarily a mixed conifer forest with open hillsides of grass in the lower elevations, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir predominating in the lower and middle elevations and grand fir, spruce and lodge pole pine in the upper elevations. The District occupies 365,901 acres, 177,465 acres of this is located inside the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness, it is bordered on the south by the Grande Rhonde River, and to the north of Pomeroy is the Snake River.
The district supports different species of fish, engages in numerous ecosystem restoration activities, supports a small commercial timber program, maintains grazing allotments for cattle, participates in local model watersheds, maintains trails, campgrounds and roads, performs reforestation and timber stand improvement activities, along with maintaining strong native seed programs, implementing large scale prescribed fire projects, and more.
CLIMATE: The northern part of the Blue Mountains range in elevation from approximately 1,300 feet in Pomeroy to 6,400 feet at Oregon Butte in the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness. Pacific Coast weather patterns influence local climate, which extends over most of the Forest with warm/hot dry summers and cool winters. Average precipitation ranges from 14 inches in Pomeroy to 28-40 inches on the District, falling mainly from October through March. In the higher elevations this is mostly in the form of snow.
GS-0193-09/11 North Zone Archaeologist
Umatilla National Forest
Pomeroy Ranger District
OUTREACH RESPONSE FORM
If you are interested in this position and want to receive a copy of the Vacancy Announcement, please complete this form and send to Monte Fujishin (monte.fujishin@usda.gov) If you do not have access to electronic mail, please complete the form and mail or fax to: Pomeroy Ranger District, 71 West Main, Pomeroy, WA 99347 or fax 509-843-4621 Attention: Monte Fujishin
I am interested and would like to receive a copy of the Vacancy Announcement for the following position:
Position Title/Series/Grade: GS-0193-09/11 North Zone Archaeologist
Location: Region 6, Umatilla National Forest, Pomeroy Ranger District, Pomeroy, WA
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Name: Date:
Address:
E-Mail Address:
Phone:
Current title/series/grade:
Are you currently a Federal employee? ___ YES NO
IF YES: Current Agency and location:
Type of Appointment: Permanent Term Temporary
If you are not a current permanent (career or career conditional) employee are you eligible for appointment under any of the following special authorities:
Person With Disabilities Veterans Readjustment Former Peace Corps Volunteer
Disabled Veteran w/30% Compensable Disability Student Career Experience/Pathways Program
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 Other
Thank you for your interest in our vacancy.