Archaeology Technician, Tahoe National Forest

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the USFS, is recruiting Archaeology Crew Members to complete Section 106 Cultural Resource surveys, site recording and monitoring for various projects within the Tahoe National Forest. These projects all serve the Cultural Resources program’s greater mission of helping the USFS in their critical goal of improving forest resilience in the face of worsening climate conditions and increased wildfire threats. The work that you will do directly improves the quality of these forests helping ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come.

This work provides professional development and leadership opportunities in cultural resource management including increased exposure and responsibility enacting USFS processes, procedures and compliance measures; assisting in reporting and data entry/quality assurance and control. Expanded opportunities and exposure to additional disciplines (e.g., forestry, wildlife, hydrology, etc.) and projects may exist. 

Archaeology technicians perform a variety of activities to support all stages of project implementation. Crew size will range between 2-6 people.

Primary archaeology field duties will include: 

• Collaborate with Archaeology crew lead and agency staff to support field safety, communication, planning, logistics, quality assurance, field implementation and reporting efforts; Complete field surveys to document, assess and characterize the status of new cultural resources;
• Monitor existing sites and complete site updates and condition assessments;
• Prepare California DPR site records, GIS maps, and photographic records in addition to inputting data to the USFS heritage database.

Contract Timeline:

• Start and end dates may vary according to local conditions: Tentatively mid-May through mid-November.
• Projects are weather dependent and there is always a chance the season will end earlier if weather prevents safe field operations.

Location:
The Tahoe National Forest is found in the north central Sierra Nevada. It stretches from the foothills overlooking the Sacramento Valley on the west across the Sierra crest to the state line. The largest community on the eastern slope is Truckee which provides outstanding recreation year-round and has an abundance of historic and cultural charm. On the Westside of the TNF, Auburn and Grass Valley/Nevada City are the largest communities and provide a wealth of cultural and outdoor recreation opportunities. Throughout the rest of the forest, many small towns, harkening back to the gold rush and Comstock Lode mining eras, provide a variety of amenities, interesting historical sites, and neighborly ambience.

The Tahoe National Forest is the homeland of several Tribal Nations, including the United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, the Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe and the Nevada City Rancheria. As original stewards of the land, tribal communities continue to remain deeply connected to this region.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Wage: $21/hour with overtime at 1.5x hourly rate. Full time, average 40 hours per week.
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance premiums are covered 100% by GBI. Available on the first day of the month following the start of employment.
• Shared housing provided.
• Camping Per Diem: $15/night as necessary.
• Uniform Stipend.
• Paid time off
• Paid federal holidays

Job Qualifications:

At Least one of the Following:

• Bachelor’s degree in anthropology, archaeology or related discipline (by position start date);
• Six months of professional fieldwork experience;
• An accredited archaeological field school and relevant field methods training coursework.

Other Required:

• Possess a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license;
• 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 includes occasionally overnight camping in remote areas for consecutive nights;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work cooperatively as well as independently;
• Proficiency in navigation using GPS, topographic map and compass.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Fieldwork experience & familiarity with the cultural history and forested habitat of the Sierra Nevada 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;
• Ability to safely operate and maintain a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads.