Principal Investigators (Field Based)

ERM; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 90,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical & dental insurance

401(k)

Life & disability insurance

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Principal Investigator to lead on-site cultural resource mitigation and compliance during construction for projects in Northern Nevada and Southern Idaho. The PI will guide field decisions, coordinate with managers, and ensure regulatory compliance while managing diverse crews in rugged environments.

The role is full-time for 6 months (60-72 hrs/week) with potential extension, requiring strong field judgment, safety, and effective communication to adapt to changing site

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, or closely related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of Principal Investigator experience in Great Basin archaeological fieldwork.
• Be permitted as a NV BLM Principal Investigator Statewide for Prehistoric and Historic.
• Experience with mitigation for infrastructure projects.
• Strong familiarity with Section 106, NHPA, and BLM, NV, and ID agency permitting requirements.
• Ability to identify prehistoric and historic-period archaeological materials and features.
• Experience using GPS units, Survey123, ArcGIS, or similar field data collection tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead mitigation by following the Historic Properties Treatment Plan and site specific plan(s).
• Communicate and make live-time decisions on changes to site plans for data quality, regulatory compliance, and schedule drivers.
• Be a safety leader on field crews in active construction environments.
• Identify, document, and evaluate archaeological materials and features with in-field NRHP eligibility assessment.
• Implement unanticipated discovery procedures per project permits.
• Coordinate in real time with project managers and cultural resource leads.
• Maintain compliance with cultural resource permit conditions and environmental commitments.
• Oversee daily field notes, photographs, and GPS data collection.
• Collect data to support future reporting and updates to the BLM.

Skills

Field leadership

In-field decision making

Clear communication

Safety leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Archaeology/Anthropology

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

GPS

ArcGIS

Survey123

Job description

ERM is hiring Principal Investigators to lead on-site cultural resource mitigation, compliance and mitigation support during the construction phase of our client’s transmission and distribution project in Northern Nevada and Southern Idaho. The PI will work closely with project managers to understand client risk decisions, schedule drivers and methods to be used at specific sites. The candidate will be required to make in field decisions and communicate method changes in real time. The successful PI will lead teams that could include members from ERM, project term-hire, and subconsultants, and coordinators to implement mitigation, delineate, analyze, and implement avoidance measures for cultural resources to support uninterrupted project progress while maintaining regulatory compliance. This role requires strong field judgment, clear communication, and the ability to work safely and effectively in active construction and diverse, rugged environments. The position requires the ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively with project teams, and make sound, real-time decisions in the field. Successful candidates must be flexible and responsive to a changing work environment where schedules, site locations, and tasks fluctuate according to the needs of the project. This is a full-time (60-72 hours/week), limited-term role with a duration of 6 months and the possibility of extension.

Responsibilities

• Lead mitigation by following the Historic Properties Treatment Plan and site specific plan(s)
• Communicate and make decisions in live time on changes to the site specific plan that are in the best interest of obtaining data, BLM requirements, and schedule drivers
• Be a leader in safety
• Identify, document, and evaluate archaeological materials, features, and isolated finds and have the ability to provide preliminary in field assessment of NRHP eligibility
• Implement unanticipated discovery procedures in accordance with project permits
• Coordinate in real time with project managers, and cultural resource leads.
• Maintain compliance with cultural resource permit conditions and environmental commitments
• Oversee the completion of daily field notes, photographic documentation, and GPS data
• Collect data to support future reporting, summary updates to the BLM, and updates of field forms
• Assure quality control for all crew members collected data and methods
• Assist with preparation of documentation and technical memoranda
• Communicate findings, compliance concerns, and work status to project managers and senior archaeologists
• Support coordination with Native American tribal monitors, when applicable
• Other duties as assigned or required
• Compliance with ERM’s rigorous safety program

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a closely related field preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of Principal Investigator experience in Great Basin archaeological fieldwork
• Be permitted as a NV BLM Principal Investigator Statewide for Prehistoric and Historic
• Experience with mitigation for infrastructure projects
• Strong familiarity with Section 106, NHPA, and BLM, NV, and ID agency permitting requirements
• Ability to identify prehistoric and historic-period archaeological materials and features
• Experience using GPS units, Survey123, ArcGIS, or similar field data collection tools
• Valid driver's license with a satisfactory driving record
• Ability to work safely in active construction environments and outdoor field conditions

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree required.
• Qualification under the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards (36 CFR Part 61) in Archaeology.
• Experience working in remote areas for extended periods
• Demonstrated ability to support projects requiring sustained field engagement
• Experience working alongside Native American tribal monitors
• Permittable as PI for ID BLM
• OSHA 10- or 30-hour construction safety training
• Wilderness and Remote First Aid Training

Work Environment

This position is field-intensive and may involve:

• Long hours in outdoor environments and temperature extremes
• Walking or hiking on uneven terrain while carrying field equipment
• Working in active construction sites around heavy equipment

Candidates must be physically capable of performing required field duties safely

Pay Transparency

For the Principal Investigator position, we anticipate the annual base pay of $89,900 – $126,200, $43.22hr – $60.67/hr USD, limited-term, non-exempt. An employee’s pay position within this range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs. We also may have instances where employee’s fall outside of the range based on the factors noted above. This job may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/Flexforce employees are NOT bonus eligible).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical, dental, vision, 401(k), life & disability insurance to benefits eligible employees.

Benefits Eligibility is limited to Regular employees regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week. Fixed-Term employees (including Flexforce) who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours a week or more are eligible for a limited benefits package. Casual employees are NOT benefits eligible. See your recruiter for more details.

Who We Are

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world‑class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Thank you for your interest in ERM!