Archaeologist (Natural Resource Specialist 4)

Are you an experienced Archaeologist looking to serve the public? Apply to be our next Archaeologist (Natural Resource Specialist 4) in the Real Property Program by August 13th, 2026! This is a permanent position that will report to our Bend office. This position is eligible for a hybrid remote schedule, expected to work 3-4 days a week in office with frequent travel and field work. 

Make a Difference for Oregon. The Department of State Lands (DSL) manages the lands that help fund our public schools and protects the state’s waterways and wetlands for the many benefits they provide. Our stewardship ensures vital natural and financial resources contribute to a vibrant, healthy Oregon now and forever. Real Property staff oversee approximately 681,000 acres of surface land and 768,000 acres of sub-surface mineral and energy resources. Activities include managing rangelands, agricultural lands, forestlands, and commercial properties to generate revenue for the Common School Fund. The DSL team makes a difference for Oregonians every day. As our Archaeologist, you will, too! 

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the Department’s technical and scientific expert on cultural resource management.  The successful candidate will perform archeological records research, field surveys and testing as needed, and submit technical scientific project reports to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for concurrence.  This position also evaluates applications for authorizations related to the use of school lands or Oregon-owned Waterways and provides due diligence cultural resource evaluations for agency land sales or exchanges.   

This full-time permanent position is represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). 

What’s in it for you? 

• Utilize your field experience and archeological expertise all over the state of Oregon to preserve and protect both valuable cultural resources and state-owned lands and waterways. 

• Join an organization with collaborative and engaged co-workers who care about Oregon’s economy, environment, and communities, and their co-workers. 

• Receive 1-on-1 mentoring and support from natural resource experts. 

• Gain full benefits with 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums paid by the agency for full-time employees, including mental health and alternative care coverage. 

• Accrue 8 hours of sick leave and at least 8 hours of vacation leave per month, with your vacation leave accruals increasing every 5 years. 

• Receive 11 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday, 3 personal business days and other employee benefits such as optional insurances and flexible spending plans. 

• Automatically enroll into the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) after 6 months of full-time service. 

• Earn the initial monthly salary range for this position starting at $6,275 - $9,644 for employees new to DSL; current PERS participating members start at $6,709 - $10,315. 

• Salary offers are made with consideration of the candidate’s education and experience. Visit our Pay Equity and Classification and Compensation pages for more details. 

This position will be located at our Bend office. Preference may be given to applicants already located or willing to relocate within Central Oregon. 

Working Conditions: 

A portion of the work will be in an office setting, fieldwork in remote locations will be required, and travel is an essential function of the position. Overnight stays and/or extended work hours can be expected along with exposure to inclement weather and difficult and uneven terrain. Work is often in remote locations and access to projects often involves unimproved two-track roads and 4-wheel drive. DSL provides agency-maintained vehicles, reimbursement for field gear, and travel expenses for authorized, on-the-job travel and fieldwork. Work hours during field work can be irregular and sometimes long, in all weather conditions.  

What you will be doing: 

As our Archeologist, you will have the opportunity to: 

• Implement and maintain the cultural resource program for the agency. 

• Perform background research of SHPO confidential records prior to ground disturbing projects, land sales/exchanges, or proprietary authorizations. 

• Perform cultural resource field surveys and testing as needed to ensure agency related ground disturbing projects avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts to all pre-contact cultural resource properties. 

• Prepare technical and scientific reports with maps, photos, tables, sites, and isolate forms that discuss project scope, results, resource analysis and provide recommendations to SHPO for concurrence. Report requirements may vary between state and federal section 106 requirements based on project funding.  

• Provide oversight on multiagency cultural resource projects involving DSL lands to ensure projects are in compliance with cultural resource laws. 

• Communicate with DSL management and staff on cultural resource issues and provide guidance and recommendations for land sales, exchanges and ground disturbing activities. 

• Represent DSL at interagency cultural resource meetings and committees, serving as a technical expert on cultural resources. 

• Update GIS database with records from surveys conducted on DSL ownership from SHPO’s OARRA’s database. 

• Maintain confidential records of all cultural resources and associated documentation for surveys completed on DSL ownership. 

For a full description of the duties and working conditions, please email [email protected] to request the position description. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS- to be considered for this position, please ensure you have one of the following combinations of education and/or experience: 

A master’s degree in archaeology, anthropology, history, classics or a closely related discipline with a specialization in archaeology,  

AND 

twelve weeks of supervised experience in basic archaeological field research, including both survey and excavation and four weeks of laboratory analysis or curating; 

AND  

successful design and execution of an archaeological study, as evidenced by a Master of Arts or Master of Science thesis, or report equivalent in scope and quality, dealing with archaeological field research. 

Please see ORS 390.235 for more details on the definition of a qualified archaeologist. 

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES- tell us which of the following skills, experiences, and related talents you have by highlighting them in your application materials: 

• Working knowledge of environmental, rangeland, forestland and natural resource issues and conflicts 

• Demonstrated expertise in state and federal cultural resource laws 

• Skill and experience in reading and interpreting topographic maps and aerial photos 

• Demonstrated experience working with tribal governments 

• Have the qualifications of an Oregon Qualified Archeologist and be in good standing with SHPO to access confidential records and apply for permits upon hire

• Working knowledge of geology, pedology and rangeland plant identification 

• Have or obtain a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record to operate state vehicles for site visits prior to hire. 

• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a variety of terrains 

• Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate with a variety of interested parties, government agencies and the public 

• Knowledge or experience using GPS and GIS 

• Experience in identifying and recording pre-contact & historic resources 

• Knowledge of Pacific Northwest archaeology, history, and regional artifact types 

The Oregon Department of State Lands is committed to seeking and sustaining a culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse working environment. The Department hires staff interested in supporting environmental justice by including communities traditionally underrepresented in public processes. We encourage members of these communities to apply, even if they do not meet 100% of the desired attributes. The Oregon Department of State Lands understands that an authentic focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace will in turn create a workforce aligned to meet the challenge of serving all Oregonians. 

Please be sure to attach a resume and a cover letter of two (2) pages or less describing the above desired attributes you bring to this position, your relevant lived experience, and why you want to work for DSL. 

How to apply:  

• Complete the following required steps: 

• Fill out the application or attach a resume. Please contact the recruiter if you have any questions about how to fill out the experience fields or to attach a document. Your submitted experience fields or attached resume must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each employer, and any relevant volunteer and/or internship experience. 

• Attach a cover letter. Your cover letter should clearly demonstrate how your experience and training relates to the qualities that you have under the “Desired Attributes” section above. 

• Your cover letter must be limited to no more than two (2) pages. 

• Please address your cover letter to Amber McKernan, Real Property Program Manager. 

• Generic cover letters that do not address the qualities that you have under the “Desired Attributes” section may receive lower scores than those that addressed the desired qualities. 

• You must upload your cover letter in the ‘Resume/Cover Letter’ section of the application. 

• Please answer the following questions in your cover letter: 

• What unique lived experience do you have that relates to the desired attributes that you would like to share? 

• Why do you want to work for DSL? 

• Respond to requests. After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and gender identity questionnaire. This screen will come after you submit and will complete the process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, the tasks will come to your Workday inbox. 

• If you are a veteran, you may receive preference. The task to upload your documents will be available after you submit your application. For privacy reasons, please do not attach your military service document(s) to your application or combine it with any other required document attachments. 

To learn more about our work, connect with us on Instagram: @oregonstatelands and LinkedIn. 

Additional Information: 

• This recruitment may be used to fill future positions.  

• The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence software during applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. 

• If you need an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the application or selection process, please contact [email protected] and please be sure to include the job requisition number.   

• For more information about applying for positions with the State of Oregon via Workday, you may visit the Oregon job opportunities website 

• The state of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process. 

• Eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. For more information, please visit Veterans Resources. 

• After you apply, you may be asked to provide additional optional information. Please be sure to check your Workday account for pending tasks or actions under your “My Applications” section. Be sure to check both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment. 

• As an employer, DSL complies with Oregon’s pay equity law. Salary offers are made with consideration of the candidate’s education and experience. For more information on pay equity, please visit the Equal Pay page from BOLI. 

• Agency does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, applicants will be required to complete I-9 documentation and confirm authorization to work in the United States.  

• For questions about the job duties or application process, please contact Human Resources at [email protected]