FOIA Analyst – National Park Service Support

Job Description

FOIA Analyst | Heartland Consulting

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Heartland Consulting, located in Washington, DC, primarily on-site at the Main Interior Building. Heartland Consulting provides essential contract support services to the National Park Service (NPS). This position helps fulfill the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), ensuring public access to vital records while safeguarding sensitive information. The work directly contributes to the transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of America’s public lands and heritage.

The TL;DR
• Role: Mid-Level
• Type: Full-Time, Exempt, Contract Support
• Location: In-person, Washington, DC
• Pay: $85000–$115000 yearly
• Mission: Ensure public access to National Park Service records across 420+ park units, protecting sensitive information and promoting transparency.
• Tech Stack: FOIAXpress or equivalent, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, FOIA/case management or records systems

What You’ll Actually Do
• Intake & Tracking: Manage the intake, logging, tracking, and workflow of FOIA requests within agency systems and draft acknowledgment letters.
• Records Coordination: Coordinate and conduct comprehensive searches for responsive records with various NPS offices and custodians, providing guidance on search procedures and identifying eDiscovery options.
• Review & Redaction: Review records for responsiveness, analyze and apply appropriate FOIA and Privacy Act exemptions, perform necessary redactions, and document exemption justifications.
• Response Preparation: Prepare complete response packages, including partial releases, denial letters, and all supporting documentation, flagging sensitive equities for higher-level or legal review.
• Litigation Support: Support FOIA litigation efforts by preparing Vaughn Indices and coordinating as needed with agency counsel or the Department of Justice.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Mid-Level professional with strong knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), its exemptions, procedural requirements, and related authorities such as the Privacy Act.
• Experience: Minimum of three years of full-time professional experience performing FOIA support services or substantially similar FOIA-related functions, including request intake, search coordination, record review/redaction, response preparation, and tracking within a federal agency or comparable complex environment.
• Skills: Excellent analytical, writing, research, and attention-to-detail skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and FOIA/case management or records systems; ability to handle high-volume workloads and strict statutory deadlines while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
• Bonus: Experience supporting the NPS, DOI, or other large federal land-management/natural resources agencies; experience with complex, high-profile, litigation-sensitive, or expedited FOIA requests; experience preparing Vaughn Indices; supervisory, quality control, or team coordination/leadership experience; Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field; specialized FOIA training or certifications; familiarity with federal records management, CUI handling, and privacy requirements.