Job Location: Death Valley, CA,
Position Type: Seasonal,
Salary Range: $23.00 - $23.00 Hourly,
Job Category: Cultural Resources Services, 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 two (2) Archaeology Crew Members to become part of the Flood Response Team. These positions will complete condition assessments, Section 106 Cultural Resource surveys, site recording, and monitoring for various projects within Death Valley National Park. 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.
These positions will be a part of a unique group with a unique mission. In 2022 and 2023 Death Valley National Park (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 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 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.
Archaeology technicians perform a variety of activities to support all stages of project implementation. Crew size will range between 2-3 people.
Death Valley National Park is located in Nevada and California and boasts some of the hottest and driest climates, and lowest elevation in North America. The park includes a superlative desert of streaming sand dunes, snow-capped mountains, multicolored rock layers, water-fluted canyons and three million acres of wilderness. Death Valley is home to the Timbisha Shoshone people and to plants and animals unique to the harshest desert environment. The closest cities are Pahrump and Beatty, Nevada (both approximately 1 hour away).
Field conditions include hot, arid days with high exposure to the sun, as well as cold, winter weather. Resources of the region include threatened and/or endangered species habitat, big game habitats, abandoned mine lands, and historic and precontact cultural sites.
Wage: $Wage: $23.00/hour (overtime is infrequent, paid at 1.5 times wage rate);
Housing: Shared housing will be provided to the selected participants at no additional costs;
Per diem: Camping per diem provided per night in the field
Qualifications: Required:
TO APPLY
Please apply online through this application link by submitting an up-to-date resume, one-page cover letter that details your interest in the position, and any qualifications not fully described in your resume, contact information for nine professional and/or academic references. Be sure to complete any preliminary questions prompted in the application and sign your application.
For questions regarding this position, please contact isengupta@gbinstitute.org
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This physically demanding work, often in remote locations, will provide crew members with rewarding exposure to some of America's backcountry landscapes. These positions require extensive hiking in sometimes steep terrain at altitudes ranging from 300 feet below sea level to 11,000 ft AMSL. Archaeology crew members will be expected to carry their own personal gear and water on a daily basis, possibly during extreme or inclement weather conditions such as heat, snow, or rain. Work schedules, generally four 10-hour days with 3 days off each week, are subject to change depending on weather and project needs. Camping near a work site for several days may be required to meet project objectives. Death Valley National Park follows a heat safety policy that limits fieldwork to certain temperatures or elevations as heat rises.
Archaeology crew members must be able to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, camp in the backcountry for consecutive days, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain, carry a heavy pack in excess of 40lbs, and be in overall good physical condition. Prior experience working in similar backcountry settings is preferred.
Successful applicants must complete a Department of the Interior (DOI) Background Investigation (BI) or submit paperwork to NPS human resources indicating an active and fully adjudicated BI has already been completed prior to beginning the position. If you already have a fully adjudicated BI, please let us know in your application.
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related
duties as negotiated to meet the organization's ongoing needs. All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment background check.
Disclaimer: Although the organization has attempted to accurately and thoroughly describe this position, GBI reserves the right to change the same, including to change, add to or subtract from the duties outlined, within the sole discretion of the organization, at any time, with or without advance notice
The Great Basin Institute is an interdisciplinary field studies organization that promotes environmental research, education, and conservation throughout the West. The Institute advances science-based adaptive management of public lands n through educational outreach and direct service programs.
We connect passionate, experienced and knowledgeable people with the important work of managing landscapes, wildlife and other resources across the West.
