Job Listing
🔗Plains Archaeological Collections Intern – 680 hours
Website National Park Service/NCPE Internship Program
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is a leader of water development projects in the Western United States and has also contributed significantly to our knowledge of the nation’s prehistory and history. Archaeological sites, historic buildings and structures, landscapes, and objects are the fabric of our national heritage. Collectively known as cultural resources, they are our tangible links with the past. As an agency of the Federal government, Reclamation is responsible for protecting and managing these irreplaceable resources in a spirit of stewardship for future generations.
The successful candidate will be stationed at the Kansas Historical Society (KHS), Cultural Resources Division in Topeka, Kansas. The KHS is home to the Kansas State Archives and the Kansas Museum of History. The KHS administers state-owned historic sites and collects and preserves the story of Kansas history. KHS is a repository for the Bureau of Reclamation’s archaeological collections which were excavated from sites in north-central Kansas ranging in age from the Archaic, Woodland, and Plains Village periods. The collection size is estimated at 28 cubic feet, or 28 boxes.
This opportunity provides exposure to the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) curation procedures, standards, and collections management fundamentals. The intern will organize the collections by identifying, sorting, labelling, tagging, and re-housing artifacts for long term storage. The intern will perform catalog data entry, select and photograph diagnostic objects, and share backed-up data with Reclamation’s specialist for future import into the DOI’s Interior Collection Management System (ICMS). In addition, the intern will examine associated cultural resource records and may scan records for submission to Reclamation and the KHS repository.
Location: Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099. https://www.kshs.org/
Duration: 680 hours (c. 17 weeks) must be completed by August 23, 2024. Work may begin as early as January 2024, with a flexible start date depending on intern availability.
Schedule: Access to the building is restricted to business hours Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm with some days limited to 3:30 pm depending on facility staff availability. A flexible part/full-time schedule may be arranged to accommodate intern availability.
Other Information: Housing and transportation are not provided. Public transit is available to the facility on Route 6: https://www.topekametro.org/routes-and-detours.
This position is funded by the National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE), in cooperation with the National Park Service. Program eligibility requirements apply; visit https://preservenet.org/ncpe-internships/ for details and instructions on how to apply.
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NCPE Internships: Eligibility & How to Apply
Benefits
All NCPE interns received an hourly stipend, the rate is listed at each position description. Additionally, interns receive paid time off (PTO), paid Federal holidays if working full-time, and access to NCPE's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for career and personal counseling, coaching, and referrals. Project sites may also offer a housing allowance and/or commuting stipend; this information is also listed in the description or offered during the interview.
As an organization operating under Public Land Corps Act (PLC) authority, many NCPE positions qualify the intern for Federal Hiring Preference if (1) they complete a minimum of 640 hours at one or more qualifying conservation project(s); (2) are between the ages of 16 and 30 years (35 if a veteran); and (3) apply for a Federal position at USAJOBS with PLC noted in the announcement within two years of completing the internship. Find out more about this hiring preference during the interview or contact manager@preservenet.org for details.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program or recently graduated (within the past 12 months) and be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. Interns are not eligible to work more than 1200 hours total in the program; previous interns must stay within this overall limit. The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full time (40 hours per week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. If selected, the exact starting date will be determined by you and the NPS supervisor. The stipend rate is $17.00 per hour unless otherwise listed.
The successful candidate is responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location; some exceptions apply. The supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodation.
The National Council requires all interns working in-person at Federal facilities and/or with Federal employees receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please be advised that you may also be required to wear a mask, depending on the protocols adopted by your work site. Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required if you are selected for a position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about these requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE's Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@preservenet.org.
Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees. Stipends are academic awards and taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.
How to Apply
You may review NCPE's internship opportunities during the Summer and Winter application rounds without registering. Use the search function to find listings by location, keyword, or area of interest/category. Once you identify one or more positions of interest, there is a 3-step application process.
Step 1: Click on the Apply for Job button, then select Universal Application. Click on Register to create a User Account, which requires a username and email. A link will be sent to you from manager@preservenet.org to create a password. We suggest that you add this email to your safe senders list so you don't miss receiving this important link. You will be instructed to Log In to Preservenet using your user name or email and password, which will take you back to the Universal Application.
Step 2: The Universal Application is required to apply for all NCPE internships. You fill out this form only once. In addition to contact information, educational status, work history, and experience, it requires two attachments: (1) the 2 most recent years of academic transcripts. These may be unofficial transcripts if official versions are unavailable. PDF only, labeled Your Last Name_Your First Name_Transcript. (2) a resume or CV (curriculum vitae). Please limit to a maximum of 4 pages; 2 pages preferred. May be .doc, .docx or PDF. Label Your Last Name_Your First Name_Resume. This form may be saved as a draft and completed later. Use the link provided to return to the form.
Step 3: Once you submit the Universal Application, you may browse and apply for NCPE internships using the link provided. Complete the application process by clicking on the Apply for job button found at each internship listing and upload the required Essay. Use the essay to explain why you are applying for an internship, including how your interest areas will benefit the National Park Service (NPS) and how the internship will further your studies and career goals. Be as specific as possible; there is a 400-word maximum length. Submit the essay to finish the application for that position. You may apply for a maximum of 6 internships during this application round. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
Once the deadline for submission has passed, NPS supervisors will review the applications and may contact candidates for a phone interview. Candidates who are not selected will be notified. Please allow about 4 weeks after the deadline before inquiring about the status of your application.
Quick Tips on How to Apply
#1 If you feel you need to bolster your resume or expand your knowledge base in a certain area, consider offering research assistance to an authority at your university and/or design a 1-credit reading course with an eminent scholar or practitioner.
#2 "Experience" is more than paid work. It is any activity that gives you the knowledge and ability to do something well. So include in the Universal Application all relevant research projects, academic extracurricular activities, and volunteer interests to show your initiative, leadership, and competency.
#3 Proofread everything. The qualification most sought after for any job or internship is strong communication skills so start off on the right foot with no spelling or grammatical errors in your application.
Logging in with a Registered User Account and completing the Universal Application is required to apply for NCPE Internships. Please visit the Universal Application page to register for an account and complete the form. After logging in and completing the form, refreshing this listing will display the Job Application to apply online.