Lead Architectural Historian

WSP in the U.S.; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical benefits

Retirement savings plan

Disability and life insurance

Job summary

WSP in the U.S. is seeking a Lead Historian Director for their Reno, NV office. The candidate will provide leadership in historian practices and ensure compliance with environmental, historic preservation, and safety regulations.

Your impact includes overseeing complex projects, fostering compliance with laws, and developing business strategies for historian services. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural History or related field, with significant experience in the discipline.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of relevant post-education experience as an historian or similar role.
• Strong working knowledge of environmental and preservation regulations.
• Proven ability to uphold workplace safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive leadership for historian functions across multiple projects.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws and guidelines.
• Oversee project budgets and timelines.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Interpersonal communication

Knowledge of environmental laws

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Architectural History, History Preservation, or related field

Master's Degree (preferred)

Tools

Office automation and communication software

Job description

Job Summary

WSP is seeking a Lead Historian Director to join our Reno, NV office.

Provides leadership within a sector of the organization to ensure historian practices, subject matter, technical deliverables, and programs are delivered with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry and company standards. Responsible for SME innovation and administration; ensuring corporate compliance with all Local, State, and Federal environmental, historic preservation, and safety regulations; and providing pragmatic direction to address current and future project challenges in a rapidly‑changing and complex business climate.

Your Impact

• Provide proactive and strategic leadership for the scientific discipline and function, offering direction, expertise, and support to ensure project and work site deliverables are successfully achieved within the business sector.
• Support projects across California, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon.
• Oversee the appropriate use of quality control standards and procedures for research and data collection, accurate documentation, and the analysis of historical data to determine exact locations of project areas, site impact, and associated physical and historical sensitivities.
• Lead larger‑scale, more complex historical preservation and architectural history projects, ensuring contributors know what they are required to do and by when, preparing and overseeing relevant project budgets, monitoring external events, tracking hours and expenses, ensuring profitability and satisfactory performance, and supervising subcontractors, contract work, and employees.
• Responsible for the contribution and management of multidisciplinary project teams in all phases of the execution and delivery of siting and licensing for assigned business sector production projects, as well as history preservation resource planning and architectural history projects.
• Actively foster compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, preservation guidelines, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Assist with the preparation of an annual update to business tactical action plans within the specified area.
• Support the overall long‑term strategy, growth, and pipeline development of Historian work for WSP in assigned area of responsibility, focusing on opportunities in all disciplines (planning, design, strategic consulting, and program management).
• Lead technical aspects of contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings.
• Ensure that scientific discipline certifications, accreditations, and value proposition is developed and continuously improved.
• Conduct needs analyses and client value surveys to align the scientific discipline’s function with business and project strategy, identifying and addressing any skill gaps or risks within the sector business operations.
• Schedule scientific discipline meetings, providing updates and recommendations to ensure that all reasonable and proper measures are taken to inculcate discipline expertise and innovation into project work.
• Serve as one of the scientific discipline’s lead representatives/liaison to a variety of external entities including Federal, State, and Local Agencies, Clients, Subcontractors, industry‑related groups, and various government and community entities.
• Develop and inform proposal and project scopes, timelines, pricing, and budgetary metrics.
• Interpret and summarize data, including reports and documents that result in sound scientific and regulatory conclusions to minimize or negate impacts to resources of historic, cultural, and scientific significance.
• Develop a client base for providing high‑level historian services, including identifying additional business development opportunities and cross‑selling of other WSP capabilities.
• Manage and provide performance guidance and leadership to assigned staff.
• Remain current in latest historian practices, methods, procedures, subject matter, and techniques.
• Collaborate with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide “trusted advisor” service and future‑ready solutions for clients.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision‑making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural History, History Preservation, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of relevant post‑education experience working as an historian, architectural historian, or similar role.
• Strong working knowledge of relevant environmental laws, historical/architectural preservation regulations, compliance practices, record‑keeping requirements, and the business impact upon the organization.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to effectively, persuasively, and tactfully interact with employees at all levels of the organization.
• Tactical lateral thinking and strong analytical skills with attention to detail and prioritization of responsibilities in a pressured work environment.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including senior management, clients, and company‑wide staff, including those with whom no formal hierarchical relationship exists.
• Advanced proficiency with office automation and communication software, technology, and tools used in the corporate environment.
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• Strong ability to quickly adapt to change and demonstrate flexibility to a variety of schedules and hours to meet business needs.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project‑specific requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Essential professional licensure/certification.
• Experience in managing the review of documents and preparation of discipline‑specific deliverables, certifications, processes, and plans in a multi‑project environment is highly desirable.

Benefits

Employees are afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

Equal Opportunity Employer

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

Authorization

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.