Posting number: 55580
Department: Natural Resources
Division: Parks & Outdoor Recreation
Job classification: Historian 1
Posting type: Open
Categories: Historic Preservation
The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation, is recruiting for a Historian 1 in Anchorage.
This position is open to Alaska Residents only.
Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.
This position provides historical assistance to programs administered by the Office of History and Archaeology (OHA), including historic preservation, public education, and geographic name programs. The position requires research-based knowledge of Alaskan history and its broader role in American and World history. The position will work with local communities on Historic preservation processes and planning, National Register nominations, and incentive programs such as tax credits, heritage tourism, and other history-related/historic preservation activities.
The Office of History and Archaeology (OHA) is Alaska's primary office with knowledge and expertise in historic preservation, dedicated to preserving and interpreting Alaska's past, and it serves as Alaska's State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). OHA administers programs authorized by both the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Alaska Historic Preservation Act of 1971. The office works with federal and state agencies, tribes, local governments, the public, and educational and not-for-profit organizations to identify, preserve, protect, and interpret the state's cultural, historic, and archaeological resources, ensuring that our heritage is passed on to future generations.
The position offers the incumbent an opportunity to work with a group of dedicated professionals willing to provide meaningful mentorship. The position helps shape historic preservation policy, offers insight into federal-state cultural resource programs, and helps local communities preserve Alaska's historic and culturally significant places. While the position requires full-time presence at OHA, work schedules may be flexible, especially during episodes of inclement weather.
OHA is an open office environment in which the incumbent has access to desk space, a personal computer, and software including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, etc. Daily activities include digital scanning, copying, filing, and computer work. The incumbent contributes to in-person and virtual meetings weekly.
Field work may include traveling to cities, towns, communities, and remote locations throughout Alaska to conduct historic preservation planning and field investigations, document historic properties, and prepare reports, including historic documentation for National Register of Historic Places nominations. The position requires being present at historic sites, which may involve exposure to high noise levels, working around moving machinery, and navigating difficult terrain and weather.
We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.
Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college with a major in history, architectural history, or a closely related field, and one year experience in the collection, synthesis, evaluation and presentation of historical or architectural historic data.
Substitution: Completion of one year of graduate level study in history, architectural history or a closely related field will substitute for the required experience.
At the time of application, the applicant must attach the following items as individual documents; failure to provide the requested documentation may result in non-consideration. If you cannot attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below. Required documents include:
If invited to interview, please bring the following materials. Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration. Required documents include:
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions for applying are available on the Workplace Alaska How to Apply webpage. We must receive your application by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.
A cover letter is required for this position. The letter should be two to three paragraphs (no longer than one page) and address your knowledge and experience related to the desired position-specific competencies listed above. Your cover letter will serve as a writing sample and will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment process.
Please attach the cover letter to your application before submitting it online; if you cannot attach it, email it to the contact number below.
For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions. The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s competence in applying specific behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position.
Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S. education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula. You must provide this evidence when applying.
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.
Note: Attaching a resume does not substitute for completing the application in full. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee.
Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.
Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.
If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the governmentjobs.com domain.
Please direct questions about application submission or system errors to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. You may also email requests for information to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.
For password assistance, please visit the password reset page.
For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:
Phone: 907-269-8714
Email: katie.ringsmuth@alaska.gov

The State of Alaska is a public sector employer taking care of a variety of needs across the great state. As an employer the State of Alaska opens up opportunities for employees to live and work in a place unlike any other.