Principal Investigator

Olsson; Minnesota; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Olsson seeks a Principal Investigator to plan, oversee, and support cultural resources investigations across the U.S. You will direct scope, planning, and deliverables, guiding teams and subconsultants while ensuring regulatory rigor and innovation in environmental design.

The role emphasizes mentorship, strategic direction, and collaboration with federal agencies, clients, and project teams. Minnesota-based or remote work options support a broad applicant pool.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, or closely related field from an accredited institution.
• 12+ years of relevant post-education experience in Section 106/110 Compliance.
• Experience in cultural resource management in the Midwest or South.
• Experience in leading and mentoring others.
• Innovative and proactive approach to problem solving.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development, including participation in professional organizations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a firmwide subject matter expert, providing internal and external leadership on cultural resources compliance.
• Provide strategic direction and consultation to project teams and clients on complex issues, regulatory pathways, and technical methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal environmental regulations, including NHPA, ARPA, and NEPA requirements. Plan, scope, prepare and review field investigations analyses, technical reports, and documentation.
• Maintain a strong external reputation as a technical leader, contributing to the profession through publications, conference presentations, and participation in scientific or regulatory working groups.
• Promote efficiencies and uphold quality standards, ensuring deliverables meet the highest levels of scientific rigor and regulatory defensibility.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, scientific partners, and industry organizations, to stay informed of evolving policies and opportunities for collaboration.
• Represent the firm in professional organizations, advisory committees, or regulatory forums to elevate both the environmental discipline and the firm’s visibility.
• Lead and manage projects from early planning through implementation, including scoping, technical strategy, budgeting, scheduling, and quality oversight.
• Mentor and develop staff, fostering technical growth, scientific excellence, and consistency across the firm.

Skills

Team collaboration

Mentoring

Regulatory compliance

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

Graduate degree in archaeology/anthropology or related field

Job description

We are Olsson. We engineer and design solutions that improve the world around us. As a company, we promise to always be responsive, transparent, and focused on results – for our people, our clients, and our company.

We’re a people-centric firm, so it’s no surprise our greatest asset is our people. The impact this creates is an environment that encourages our people to grow and be creative with their talents. This approach builds a culture that is uniquely Olsson. It allows us to grow our people as we grow our business. This, in turn, creates a lasting impact on the world around us.

Job Description

At Olsson, we help our clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes with ease. We ensure proactive compliance with key environmental laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Projects span the U.S. and include transportation, energy, and other infrastructure projects that require compliance with the NHPA and the National Environmental Policy Act.

As the Principal Investigator you will plan, oversee, and support cultural resources investigations and overall responsibility for archaeological investigations. These investigations and coordination with federal agencies may be performed by Olsson’s staff archaeologists or through the use of subconsultants. The Principal Investigator will scope, plan, direct, and oversee this work. Additionally, this role emphasizes technical excellence, mentorship, regulatory expertise, and high‑level review of deliverables. The Principal Investigator provides strategic direction on environmental design, analysis, and compliance activities across the firm, with a focus on technical performance, innovation, and regulatory rigor.

Key responsibilities:

• Serve as a firmwide subject matter expert, providing internal and external leadership on cultural resources compliance.
• Provide strategic direction and consultation to project teams and clients on complex issues, regulatory pathways, and technical methodologies.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal environmental regulations, including NHPA, ARPA, and NEPA requirements. Plan, scope, prepare and review field investigations analyses, technical reports, and documentation.
• Maintain a strong external reputation as a technical leader, contributing to the profession through publications, conference presentations, and participation in scientific or regulatory working groups.
• Promote efficiencies and uphold quality standards, ensuring deliverables meet the highest levels of scientific rigor and regulatory defensibility.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, scientific partners, and industry organizations, to stay informed of evolving policies and opportunities for collaboration.
• Represent the firm in professional organizations, advisory committees, or regulatory forums to elevate both the environmental discipline and the firm’s visibility.
• Lead and manage projects from early planning through implementation, including scoping, technical strategy, budgeting, scheduling, and quality oversight.
• Mentor and develop staff, fostering technical growth, scientific excellence, and consistency across the firm.

We have one current opening and will consider candidates located in any of our office locations or remote.

Qualifications

You are passionate about:

• Working collaboratively with others.
• Having ownership in the work you do.
• Using your talents to positively affect communities.

You bring to the team:

• Ability to contribute and work well on a team.
• Graduate degree (e.g., M.A, M.S, or Ph.D.) in archaeology, anthropology, or closely related field from an accredited institution.
• 12+ years of relevant post-education experience in Section 106/110 Compliance.
• Experience in cultural resource management in the Midwest or South.
• Experience in leading and mentoring others.
• Innovative and proactive approach to problem‑solving.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development, including participation in professional organizations.

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Additional Information

Olsson specializes in engineering and design, client advisory services, planning, field services, and environmental. Improving the world has been our mindset from the very beginning, back when Olsson first opened for business in 1956. And it will be our mindset for years to come.

As an Olsson employee, you will:

• Be empowered to build your career with tailored development paths
• Have the possibility for flexible work arrangements
• Engage in work that has a positive impact on communities
• Participate in a wellness program promoting balanced lifestyles

In addition, full‑time employees will receive our traditional benefits package (health care, vision, dental, paid time off, etc.) and the opportunity to participate in a bonus system that rewards performance.

Olsson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage qualified minority, female, veteran, and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions. We do not discriminate against any applicant for employment or any employee because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, disability, age, military status, or other protected status.

Olsson understands the importance of privacy and is committed to protecting job applicants’ personal information. Pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, the “CCPA”), this notice explains Olsson’s practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information for job applicants residing in California. Please read this Notice carefully to understand our privacy practices.

For more information about the types of information we collect and how we use it in connection with your general access and use of our website, please review our general California Privacy Notice here .

Olsson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage qualified minority, female, veteran, and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions. We do not discriminate against any applicant for employment or any employee because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, disability, age, military status, or other protected status.

Voluntary Self‑Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self‑identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Olsson’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A \"disabled veteran\" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

A \"recently separated veteran\" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An \"active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran\" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An \"Armed forces service medal veteran\" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.