The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is a leading voice for US protected waters, is seeking a Maritime Archaeologist, who will work with the Foundation and NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) as the primary point of contact for maritime archaeology and history. Specifically, the Maritime Archaeologist will be responsible for assisting with the sanctuary designation process in the Eastern Region.
In 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration directed the Department of Commerce to move forward with the designation process for five nominated national marine sanctuaries. Three of those designations are located in the ONMS Eastern Region: Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary, Lake Erie Quadrangle National Marine Sanctuary, and Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary. This designation effort supports President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative by expanding the National Marine Sanctuary System, addressing inequitable access to the outdoors and supporting locally led conservation.
This is currently offered as a two-year term position. Position may be extended based on continued availability of funding. The Maritime Archaeologist supports the scope of a federal cooperative agreement award between the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and represents the National Marine Sanctuary System that focuses on public engagement in the designation process of new national marine sanctuaries. The position is embedded within the ONMS Eastern Region and will initially work remotely in the Great Lakes or in the Mid-Atlantic area of New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, until office space is identified.
What You’ll Do
- Support sanctuary designations in the Eastern Region by contributing to sanctuary proposal documents, including the draft environmental impact statement, draft sanctuary management plans, and relevant environmental review analyses.
- Conduct applied research and analysis of maritime archaeological resources and data. Conduct, coordinate, and implement field research on maritime and cultural heritage-based research in ocean and Great Lakes environments.
- Conduct underwater research, including scuba diving and/or use of specialized underwater research technology, such as sidescan sonar, magnetometer, and other remote sensing technologies.
- Support all aspects of the archaeological process from fieldwork to conducting significance assessments consistent with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Have familiarity with Sections 106 and 110 of NHPA. Assist with research and data collection to determine eligibility of sites for the National Register of Historic Places.
- Support diver-based archaeological survey in cold water and support archaeological field survey using sidescan sonar, multibeam and magnetometer operations, deployed from autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), including data acquisition and post-processing.
- Conduct historical research on sanctuary resources.
- Work on development of maritime and cultural heritage protection, education, outreach, and research programs. Develop outreach products and policy documents. Represent the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in professional organizations focused on cultural resource research, preservation, and management.
- Provide content for communications materials, including the development of new content for web pages, social media, exhibits, publications, and other public facing communication efforts.
- Develop, coordinate, and support outreach events and public events highlighting the science data and work of the proposed national marine sanctuaries.
- Identify research grants opportunities.
- Identify and foster outside partnerships.
Required Qualifications
- Four years of archeological work experience that demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles and theories of professional archeology. The work experience must have included archeology field experience, which may include that gained in an archeological field school. Field experience should have included a combination of professional experience in archeological survey, excavation, laboratory analysis, and preparation of written materials. Applicants with such field experience should, after additional experience under the direction of a higher-grade archeologist, be able to demonstrate the ability to be a crew chief, directing the work of others at a single location as a part of a larger archeological project.
- Experience writing reports from archaeological surveys and writing content for public engagement.
- Master's Degree or Ph.D. in a related field (Marine Resource Management, Archaeology, Communications, Education, History, etc.).
Preferred Qualifications
- Able to meet the Secretary of the Interior Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology (36 CFR Part 61).
- Registered through the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA).
- Ability to travel 10%.
Why You Will Love Us
- Generous leave policy, plus paid time off the week between December 25 and January 1; and 12 paid holidays
- Health benefits: Medical with an FSA option; dental, and vision
- Foundation paid Life and Disability Insurance
- Preparing for the Future: 403(B) with employer contribution after one year of service
Compensation and Benefits: $68,000 to $78,000 annually based on experience. The Foundation offers a competitive benefits package.
Closing date: June 10, 2024
