Remote Archaeologist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Summary
Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.
This position is located in the Ridgecrest Field Office. For information about Ridgecrest CA and surrounding area, click on the hyperlink.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 EST on the 08/31/2026 to be considered.
Note: These are not Law Enforcement positions.
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Duties
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• Engages professionally with the public to provide guidance on responsible OHV recreation, land use rules, permit compliance, resource protection, and public safety.
• Installs and maintains various types of signage on public lands, such as off road vehicle, wilderness, portal, boundary, directional road and trail, and interpretive signing.
• Develops and presents formal and informal interpretation and outreach programs for the general public. These include but are not limited to: guided hikes, educational booths, demonstrations, kiosk/brochure designs, school visits.
• Works with other recreation staff to coordinate work across the field office, to include scheduling of work on weekends, holidays and other peak visitation periods throughout the year.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in a duty status. The incumbent is required to wear the uniform in accordance with applicable policies and be required to sign a condition of uniform wear statement.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and/or shift work.
• You must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.

Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/31/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following:
A. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include experience as a park guide or tour leader; archaeological or historical preservation research work; forestry and/or fire management work in a park, recreation or conservation area; management, assistant, or program specialist work involving the development and implementation of policy related to protection, conservation, or management of park areas or similar operations; Law enforcement or investigative work; Working with the public to provide OHV information; Conducting permit compliance, and safety inspections; Performing maintenance and monitoring of off-highway vehicle use areas. -OR-
B. Education: One full academic year of graduate education related to the occupation such as natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, business administration, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other closely related subjects pertinent to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. One year of full-time graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours. You must include transcripts.-OR-
C. Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined.
Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards.
Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay.
All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.
The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is performed mostly outdoors in rugged terrain; to include very steep, wet, muddy, rough, uneven or rocky surfaces. The position requires physical exertion such as, but not limited to, driving over unpaved roads, walking over rough terrain or inclines, standing for long periods of time, bending, crouching and stooping, digging, hiking, lifting, biking, stretching, reaching, or similar activities. Work may involve early morning hours, night hours, or daytime hours and may require working on holidays. It can require carrying heavy backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, or other loads.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Most work will be performed out of doors, in all types of weather conditions, terrain, and elevations. Work may take place in an extremely remote environment and may require primitive camping and living skills for upwards of two weeks in duration. Indoor duties are performed in a normal office setting.
Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1039 hours anywhere in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (BLM).
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1039 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1039 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.
The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.
Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.