This posting will be used to fill a Full Time, Permanent, Program Specialist II (Archaeology Laboratory & Collections Manager)
within the Department of Planning and Zoning for Anne Arundel County Government. This position is within the Cultural Resources Section and reports to the Preservation Stewardship Program Manager.
This is a program management support position in the field of cultural resources management, planning, and program management, requiring knowledge of a range of program issues to perform a variety of assignments.. The position is based at the County Archaeology Laboratory in Londontown and the collections warehouse in Annapolis, but duties will require remote and off-site work locations within the County. The position includes requirements for administrative management, community engagement, collections management, and research programming.
The Preservation Stewardship Program was established to promote, facilitate, and enable the preservation, discovery, and stewardship of public and privately-owned cultural resources, historic structures, and archaeological sites in Anne Arundel County. The program is also responsible for the management of the County’s official repository of curated archaeological collections within the County. This is a soundly humanities-based program that seeks to raise awareness and appreciation of local heritage.
Since its inception, the Program has undertaken numerous projects and extensive public programming related to local history, archaeology, heritage and preservation. The Program also supports academic development of humanities scholars, through its student internship program in local history and archaeology. As part of the Anne Arundel County Cultural Resources Section, the Program undertakes a wide range of programming initiatives including inter-agency workshops, weekly volunteer laboratory days, as well as traveling archaeology exhibits which it brings to local history and archaeology events to engage the public about their local heritage. Program team members regularly hold hands-on fieldwork experiences for the public, workshops, lecture series, and host several school programs annually including field trips for local school students where they can learn about archaeology by participating alongside professional archaeologists and heritage professionals on an active archaeological site and handling real artifacts.
NATURE AND VARIETY OF WORK
The successful candidate will have an opportunity todirect the processing, analysis and curation of artifacts within the County repository and facilitate public engagement to promote the stewardship of the archaeological and historic resources in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
In general, the occupational field of program management work involves directing or carrying out assignments in one or more programs that are directly related to the department's/agency's mission of providing services to County residents. This field of work is distinguished from management-support functions such as personnel, budgeting or other administrative-type tasks which are designed to facilitate the activities of other employees providing direct services. Most contacts are with employees in the same or different departments and agencies of the County government, State and Federal agencies, and non-profit and private sector organizations. The purpose of the contacts, which normally are of a cooperative nature, but can be difficult, with both parties working toward mutual goals in planning, coordinating, or resolving program operating problems.
An employee in this class utilizes knowledge of program management support and program subject matter principles, techniques, functions, regulations and procedures in planning, organizing, directing and evaluating or carrying out assignments in one or more programs. The employee independently plans and carries out the aspects of program development, implementation and evaluation, and resolves problems and deviations in accordance with policies and program practices. The supervisor helps with unusual situations and reviews methods and approaches used in carrying out the employee's program support activities for conformance to policy and established requirements. The employee adapts standard program practices and procedures to meet situations or cases not fully covered by existing guidelines, and modification of current guides. Decisions involve conditions and factors that must be identified and analyzed to determine relationships with existing criteria.
Work output affects the social, physical or emotional well-being of program participants or recipients of services. The work is primarily sedentary, is performed in an office environment and presents no significant hazards.
While some employees may direct programs of limited scope and/or supervise other employees, this is atypical of the class.
The artifact processing and curation operations of the Anne Arundel County Archaeology Laboratory. The position is responsible for setting artifact processing and curation priorities and procedures as well as tracking the processing, curation, and conservation needs of artifacts in the County’s collection. The Collections Manager is responsible for the supervision and direction of interns and volunteers during laboratory activities. They are also responsible for the intake and quality verification of archaeological collections that are submitted to the County archaeological repository for compliance projects.
The person in this position contributes to research, reporting, fieldwork, and public programming initiatives through the Preservation Stewardship Program.
Specifically, the Archaeology Laboratory & Collections Manager directs
(Note: The duties and responsibilities enumerated in this class specification are for the purpose of determining a common set of minimum qualifications and salary level for all positions in this class. They are not intended to include all of the essential functions of all positions in the class.)
Directs the processing and curation of artifacts at the Anne Arundel County Archaeology Laboratory and its curation facility using established best practices.
Determines priorities for artifact processing, curation, and conservation, and tracks artifact processing and conservation status.
Supervises volunteers, interns, and County contractors involved in laboratory and collections work.
Maintains the County’s archaeological accessions database, and accessions new collections donated to the County.
Maintains laboratory supplies in good working order and reports supply needs to the Program Manager.
Supports the Archaeological Sites Planner with Joan Cass Beck Collection management and acquisition.
Provides technical assistance on cultural resources review for County-led development projects, as needed.
CLeads or contributes to research and report writing.
Participates in the development and execution of Preservation Stewardship Program fieldwork and public programs.
Organizes paper and digital records related to the County’s artifact collections.
Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS
Specifically, the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the Archaeology Laboratory & Collections Manager position include the following:
Knowledge of federal, state and County laws, rules, and regulations related to archaeological investigations and curation standards;
Knowledge of the County's historic and archaeological resources, familiarity with common archival resources relevant to County history, strong artifact knowledge (both identification and curatorial needs,) and a thorough understanding of the County's heritage themes;
Demonstrated experience with customary archival and artifact management software platforms or tools used in the CRM industry;
Ability to convey best practices and professional oversight, in support of volunteers, interns, students and citizens participating in OPZ/CR-sponsored research and archaeological projects;
Ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the office if necessary;
Strong organizational and planning skills;
Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team;
Skill in the use and application of office technologies such as the Google platform and ArcGIS.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in public or business administration or a related field; and two (2) or more years of experience in program management or program management support work in the field of cultural resources management, planning, and program management, requiring knowledge of a range of program issues to perform a variety of assignments.
NOTE: The two (2) or more years of experience in program management or program management support work in the field of cultural resources management, planning, and program management, requiring knowledge of a range of program issues to perform a variety of assignments may be substituted with a Master’s Degree.
Preference will be given to the following:
1.) Experience conducting historic, archival, and archaeological research in the region.
2,) Demonstrated experience with laboratory processing of collections, artifact curation and conservation.
3.) Demonstrated experience in managing interns and volunteers.
4.) A valid non-commercial Class C motor vehicle license or an equivalent license from another State.
