The cultural and historic resources of a community tell the story of its past, a past that makes any single community distinct from all other places. From lumber mills to schools, sacred landscapes to archaeological sites, rustic cabins to office towers, our historic and cultural resources provide everyone with a tangible link to persons and events that have shaped our communities and ourselves. Preserving these physical reminders of our past creates a sense of place, the result being an environment that instills civic pride and community spirit.
By preserving significant cultural and historic resources, we are able to learn from past achievements (as well as mistakes) in order to improve, enrich, and even enliven, the Washington state that is passed to future generations. To learn more about the vision and role of historic preservation in the State of Washington, download our current Statewide Historic Preservation Plan.
What you will be doing:
The geographic information system (GIS) Program is a specialized program area with specific complex components and discrete tasks which distinguish it from the main body of the agency. You will provide stakeholders with information and interpretation of activities and perform specialized technical duties in support of GIS Program activities that may also include legacy cultural resource recordation projects, GIS quality control projects, and other assigned GIS projects.
With your marketable skills and knowledge of GIS, you will be able to work independently with little GIS instruction. You will be working to support several DAHP program areas. Your role involves specific projects that require collaboration with DAHP program area staff and daily data entry tasks related to each program area. Your support of the GIS program will enable the agency to meet its state and federal statutes. You will be performing work requiring knowledge and experience that is specific to cultural resource preservation and GIS.
Why you would want this job:
In addition to a comprehensive benefits package we also offer a flexible work environment.
You will be working with a small state agency with close connection to its mission and stakeholders. If you love to learn and grow, you will enjoy the various types of GIS projects you work on as they will expose you to a variety of subject matter experts as well as provide insight into state, federal and local regulatory review processes.
Duties
Some of what you will enjoy doing includes:
- Use spreadsheet and geospatial data base software to develop and maintain records.
- Use graphics desktop publishing software (e.g. as GIS, and Adobe software).
- For specific stakeholder organizations, review archaeological inventories, surveys, historic property inventories, cemetery inventories, traditional cultural property inventories, register nominations and other GIS datasets, assess data against DAHP reporting standards and guidelines, request more information from inventory authors when needed to meet standards, record inventory data within DAHP’s central repository, and map locational data.
- Provide data entry for SEPA reviews, cemetery inventories, tax credit program, and permits.
- Point of contact for projects related to GIS Program projects and maintains regular updates to GIS Program stakeholders regarding assigned project activity progress.
- Compose correspondence and informational material related to assigned GIS projects, procedures and operations.
- Compile and distribute information relative to program activities, confer with other DAHP programs and outside agencies.
- Interpret statistical data, historical activity reports, and other materials in the functional area.
- Coordinate arrangements for program activity meetings and collaboration sessions.
- Schedule and set up video conferencing and may include note taking and meeting minute distribution.
- Schedule appointments and meetings.
- Prepare narratives and statistical information regarding program operations within monthly project performance reports.
- Perform complex word processing tasks such as merging and sorting, integrating text with graphics, spreadsheet and data base files, uploading and downloading and creating footnotes and outlines.
- Work collaboratively with agency staff and GIS Program Manager to appropriate project parameters, deliverables, establish completion dates and work plans specific to funding organization.
- Maintain and monitor assigned GIS project budgets and inform supervisor of status.
Qualifications
REQUIRED:
A Bachelor’s degree in historic preservation, cultural anthropology, archaeology, cartography, geography, photogrammetry, geographic information systems, computer sciences, remote sensing, land survey, civil engineering, natural resources or closely related field
AND
Includes at least one course in cartography and one course in computer sciences or geographic information systems.
OR
A Bachelor’s degree in a non-related field
AND
Completion of a yearlong undergraduate GIS Certificate program from an accredited University.
*Experience may substitute for education
Competencies – Incumbent must be able to:
- Independently manage time, priorities, and resources to achieve goals.
- Develop creative solutions to difficult problems.
- Be responsible for the quality and timeliness of work, and achieve results with little oversight and direction.
- Make timely, informed decisions that take into account the facts, goals, constraints, and risks.
- Examine data to grasp issues, draw conclusions, and solve problems.
- Convey ideas and facts orally and in writing using language the reader will best understand as well as grasp the meaning of information written in English, and apply it to work situations.
- Be flexible with staff and search for solutions to staff issues.
- Partner with stakeholders to identify and resolve complex and sensitive problems.
- Earn trust and respect through consistent honesty and professionalism in all interactions.
- Diligently attend to details and pursues quality in accomplishing tasks.
- Identify, collect, and organize data for analysis and decision-making.
- Resolve difficult or complicated challenges.
- Use mathematical techniques to calculate data or solve practical problems.
PREFERRED/DESIRED:
- Two years of experience in GIS.
- Knowledge of archaeology and historic preservation for the following laws as well as understanding of the regulatory consultation workflow: National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106, Section 304, Executive Order 11593 (Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment), Executive Order 05-05, Abandoned and Historic Cemeteries and Historic Graves (RCW 68.60), , Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1979, Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, , Archaeological Sites and Resources (RCW 27.53), Archaeological Excavation and Removal Permit (WAC 25-48), Abandoned and Historic Cemeteries and Historic Graves (RCW 68.60), Registration of Historic Archaeological Resources on State-Owned Aquatic Lands (WAC 25-46), Aquatic Lands – In General (RCW 79.90.565), and Archaeological Site Public Disclosure Exemption (RCW 42.56.300).
Supplemental Information
Please provide the following documents in order to be considered, failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:
- A letter of interest, describing why you are the best candidate and how you meet the specific qualifications for this position;
- A current resume, detailing experience, and education;
- A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)
By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.
The State of Washington celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.
You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.
Persons with a disability who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.
Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact Angie Anderson at (360) 407-8446 or jobs@des.wa.gov.