AJAX search function resets wp_query vars

Question

I have a custom post type called event. On the archive page I implemented a simple search which returns a selection of posts. Before submitting the search form I'm seeing the proper query vars for the archive page. Once I submit the search form those query vars are removed and return an empty string. I have a few conditionals depending on things like current_post and post_count. Can the ajax call re-populate those variables? How do I get those variables back?

<form id="siteSearchForm" action="<?= admin_url('admin-ajax.php') ?>" method="POST">
    <input type="search" name="s" id="search" value="<?php the_search_query(); ?>" placeholder="Search Events" />
    <input type="hidden" name="action" value="eventsFilter" />
    <input type="submit" id="search-submit" alt="Search" value="Search" class="btn btn-white" />
</form>

The JS:

const searchFunctionality = ($) => {
    $('#siteSearchForm').on('submit', function (e) {
        e.preventDefault();

        const search = $('#siteSearchForm');

        $.ajax({
            data: {
                action: 'eventsFilter', // ajax function name
                keyword: $('#search').val(), // search word
            },
            type: search.attr('method'),
            url: search.attr('action'),
            success: function (data) {
                $('.events-wrapper').html(data);
            },
        });

        return false;
    });
};

and finally the AJAX php function:

<?php
add_action('wp_ajax_eventsFilter', 'events_filter');
add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_eventsFilter', 'events_filter');

function events_filter()
{
    $args = array( // match paramters found in pre_get_posts (/theme.php)
        'meta_key'       => 'event_start_date',
        'order'          => 'ASC',
        'orderby'        => 'meta_value',
        'post_status'    => 'publish',
        'post_type'      => 'event',
        's'              => $_POST["keyword"],
        'tag__not_in'    => array(16),
    );

    $query = new WP_Query($args);

    if ($query->have_posts()) :
        while ($query->have_posts()) : $query->the_post();
            get_template_part('template-parts/content/content', 'archive');
        endwhile;

    wp_reset_postdata();
    else :
        echo 'No posts found';
    endif;

    die();
}