Position Despcription - Minnesota



State of Minnesota Minnesota Indian Affairs CouncilPosition DescriptionEmployee Name: Agency/Division: Minnesota Indian Affairs Council Job Classification: Working Title: Dakota Cultural Resources Specialist Position Number:Established/Revised By: Shannon Geshick – Executive DirectorDate: 7/24/2020Appraisal Period: [month to month]Employee’s Signature: ______ ___Date _________________(this position description accurately reflects my current job)Supervisor’s Signature: Date _________________(this position description reflects the employee’s current job)Position Purpose: This position exists to insure, direct, and fulfill statewide compliance of projects on, or in all public or private lands or waters in Minnesota in relation to the requirements of Minnesota Statute 307.08 (Private Cemeteries Act) and Minnesota Statute 138.40 (Field Archaeology Act), and other laws and regulations including Federal Public Law 101.601, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act with special emphasis on traditional Dakota cultural resources to include history and knowledge of sacred sites.Reports to:Executive DirectorIndian Affairs Council Board of DirectorsSupervises: Budget: Clientele:MIAC Board members and Executive Director, Minnesota’s eleven Tribal Nations (Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Lower Sioux Indian Community, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Prairie Island Indian Community, Red Lake Nation, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Upper Sioux Community, and White Earth Nation), the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, members of state government and legislature, Office of the State Archaeologist, government agencies (Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Historical Society, Natural Resource Conservation Service, US Army Corp of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Bureau of Indian Affairs, US Forest Service, National Park Service), Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, State Historic Preservation Office, County Historical Societies, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, local units of state government (cities and counties), corporate and private developers, city and county coroner’s offices, universities, law enforcement departments, professional archaeologists, the American Indian community and the people of Minnesota.POSITION DESCRIPTION BPrincipal Responsibilities and Tasks:Ensure American Indian burial and archaeological sites protection in compliance with MN Statute 307.08 and 138.40. Priority: A (35%)Percentage of Time: ADiscretion: ACoordinates activities and collaborates with tribal nations, Office of the State Archaeologist, government agencies and private entities to preserve and protect American Indian burial and archaeological sites.Conduct reviews and comment on development plans submitted by government agencies and private entities to assess the potential of harm to any American Indian burial or archaeological sites within project area. Conduct and manage appropriate careful record keeping, site assessment, survey, and site monitoring as needed. Identify, contact, and collaborate with appropriate tribal community or communities (Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, Tribal elected officials, and cultural resource directors). Consult with appropriate field experts (osteologists, archeologists, forensic anthropologists). Determines project scope and work to be completed, and effectively communicates needed actions to all involved in a given burial protection and/or recovery project. Develop new methodologies and techniques to aid in the protection and preservation of American Indian burial and archaeological sites in collaboration with tribal communities, the Office of the State Archaeologist and other appropriate experts. Rescues and protects American Indian burial site remains disturbed by development and construction activities in compliance with MN Statute 307.08.Priority: A (35%)Percentage of Time: ADiscretion: AExamine and secure impacted sites and collaborate with all effected partiesConduct appropriate careful record keeping, site assessment, survey, and site monitoring as neededDetermine project scope and develop a plan of action for work to be completed in close collaboration and consultation with contractors. Identify, contact, and collaborate with appropriate tribal community or communities impacted by burial/cemetery disturbance. Mitigate damage to site and recover remains if possible by directing the project according to state and federal laws. Consults with local law enforcement agencies that may have responded and/or the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and in special cases, notifies the appropriate agency.If mitigation and recovery is not possible, arrange to have burial recovery completed by an experienced and approved consultantDevise, advise, assist, direct, and establish directives for the burial recovery process. Oversee and manage internal and/or external field crews of burial recovery and archeology technicians. Collaborate with public and private landowners or developers to inform them of the process, provide options, and coordinate most effective and least intrusive burial recovery project. Direct work onsite and manage entire project process from start to finish. Facilitate the burial recovery process and make sure it is completed in a respectful, effective, and efficient manner. Manage and Direct all work at the MIAC Osteology Laboratory and RepositoryPriority: A (20%)Percentage of Time: ADiscretion: ADetermine priorities and direct work to comply with federal Public Law 101.601, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and MN Statues 307.08 and 138.40Set agenda, coordinate, and attend weekly meetings and work with laboratory and repository staff to develop proper cultural and security protocols. Maintain and manage an active database with information on Minnesota’s American Indian burial sites. Provide direction to lab manager for oversight of repository in MIAC collection. Coordinate analysis of human remains as necessary with lab manager, forensic anthropologist, and other staff. Providing public education and answering questions from the publicPriority: B (10%)Percentage of Time: BDiscretion: ACollaborate with the Office of the State Archaeologist and other agencies in the creation of public educational initiatives. Participate and create public engagement opportunities.Provide and facilitate trainings in cultural resource management and osteology.Train staff representing federal, state, county, and local governments. Note: Responsibilities 1, 2, 3, & 4 are essential functions of the position.POSITION DESCRIPTION CNature and ScopeRelationships:This position must maintain a close working relationship with Tribal Nation Governments, American Indian communities, and a diverse array of public and private partners on the local, state, and federal level. Federal and state regulations require that this position establish, develop, and manage these relationships through regular and effective communication, collaboration, coordination, consultation, and negotiation. State laws, rules, and regulations require specific policies and procedures in resolving cultural resource issues. This position makes appropriate decisions regarding burial, archaeological or historic sites that are related to American Indian history or religion as its expert in this highly technical field of expertise. This position must be able to establish working relationships and advise legislators on all issues pertaining to the cultural resources division. Incumbent must be able to assist the Executive Director in brokering relationships with legislators and must be comfortable providing testimony to the legislature on issues affecting Indian cultural and cemetery sites. Incumbent is also expected to consult with the Executive Director on relevant legal issues and be willing to confer with the Attorney General’s Office when requested. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:This position must possess considerable knowledge and experience in working with all the Tribal Nations of Minnesota as well as have the ability to communicate effectively on behalf of the state with Tribal leaders and the American Indian community at large. The position must possess extensive, detailed knowledge and experience working with Minnesota Statute 138 (Field Archaeology Act and Historic Sites Act), Minnesota Statute 307.08 (Private Cemeteries Act) and other laws and regulations including Public Law 101.601, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act..Minimum of five years of actual field experience evaluating American Indian archaeological sites (both pre-contact and historic).Strong oral and writing skills to effectively communicate the process, evaluations, determinations and findings to others. Human relations skills, combined with required educational attainment and experience, are necessary for effective oral and written contacts with individuals and groups who may have vastly varied social, educational, and cultural backgrounds with widely varied missions and goals. The position also requires both highly technical and managerial skills to negotiate resolution of sensitive issues.The incumbent in this position must be able to lead a burial recovery leadership team, manage multiple teams of field workers, and act as a site foreman/site manager. This position is also required to make decisions related to site management, and must direct work under strict deadlines and requirements governing burial recoveries and reburials.In addition to these minimum qualifications, this position must have a detailed understanding of American Indian culture and traditional practices and beliefs with special emphasis on Dakota cultural resources as well as experience conducting archaeological surveys and evaluations of American Indian archaeological sites in Minnesota.Problem Solving and Creativity:This position must be able to balance the needs and responsibilities of sometimes conflicting cultural resource issues and parties and exhibit positive behavior and utilize problem solving skills in resolving issues with diverse communities.Freedom to Act:The incumbent in this position has as much freedom to act, under the provisions of the laws in which they operate, as to necessary to carry out their job. The incumbent also receives delegated authority from the MIAC Executive Director and the MIAC Board of Directors in order to respond to issues dealing with the protection of American Indian burial sites. Unusual circumstances are reported to the MIAC Executive Director for coordinated agency response. Environmental Factors: The work environment varies depending on the task, but mainly consists of both inside (office) environments, and outside field work conducting burial recoveries and archeological work. Field work can include physical labor, including hand-screening dirt, shoveling, and using a wheelbarrow. The field season is typically early-spring through late fall, but some sites have remained operational throughout the winter season. Incumbent should be prepared to work outside in all weather conditions. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download