Project Level Archaeologist - Field Director

SWCA Environmental Consultants; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Per diem for project work

Cell phone allowance

Job summary

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks an Assistant or Associate Project Archaeologist - Field Director to lead field crews, supervise surveyors and excavators, and coordinate with project managers.

The role includes developing technical approaches, QA/QC on deliverables, preparing site forms and reports, and ensuring compliance with NEPA, NAGPRA, NHPA. Travel across Southern California with Pasadena/Riverside offices; hybrid/remote options within Southern California.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, or related field.
• Two years of cultural resources field experience, including leading archaeology crews.
• One year of project-management experience across pre-field tasks through final report.
• Eligible to be listed as a qualified Field Director under SWCA's California BLM statewide permit.
• Experience with CRM across project types, sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Experience with archaeology of Southern California.
• Expertise in NEPA, NAGPRA, and NHPA (laws/regulations).
• Experience providing QA/QC review of field documents.

Responsibilities

• Lead or assist projects with technical approach, project management, QA/QC.
• Innovate methods to meet future client needs.
• Encourage team collaboration and information sharing.
• Make project decisions when necessary with sound judgment.
• Develop and manage technical approaches and QA/QC tasks.
• Assist in QA/QC reviews of deliverables.
• Communicate effectively with clients and agencies.
• Complete tasks promptly to ensure client satisfaction and collaboration.
• Follow applicable regulations and standards.

Skills

Archaeology fieldwork

Crew supervision

Project management

QA/QC processes

Technical reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Anthropology/Archaeology

Master's degree in Anthropology/Archaeology

Job description

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an Assistant or Associate Project Archaeologist - Field Director to join our Southern California Cultural Resource Program. Under the supervision of a Cultural Resources Team Lead and Project Manager, this role performs field and office tasks while working with and supervising crew members.

The Field Director will manage all aspects of fieldwork, supervising one or more crews of archaeological surveyors, monitors, and/or excavators. They may also assist with office-based tasks, including preparation of site forms and technical reports in support of a variety of renewable energy, oil and gas, energy transmission, transportation, and land development projects.

Some projects include overtime hours or prevailing wage rates and often require travel and overnight stays. Project-related travel and lodging costs are covered, and per diem is provided for project work requiring overnight stays. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust. In addition, a technical (i.e., cell phone) allowance is offered.

This role supports projects throughout Southern California, with anticipated fieldwork across the region. While the position is affiliated with either our Pasadena or Riverside, CA office, we will also consider hybrid or remote (distributed) candidates located within Southern California.

This requisition can be hired at either level:

• Assistant Project Archaeologist: Two (2) + years of relevant industry experience and expertise.
• Associate Project Archaeologist: Three (3) + years of relevant industry experience and expertise.

This is a regular (with benefits), full-time, hourly/non-exempt position that will be primarily field-based and is a wonderful career-growth opportunity to join SWCA's expanding practice.

Application Deadline

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates are identified. This position may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool is established.

What you will accomplish

• Leads or assists assigned projects with initiative, taking responsibility for the technical approach, project management, and ensuring quality assurance and control. Develops and manages deliverables for more complex projects, managing tasks under the direction of a senior project manager.
• Innovates and adapts methods to meet future client needs, staying ahead in their professional discipline.
• Encourages team collaboration, fostering an environment where team members work together to achieve project goals and share information effectively.
• Makes project management or task decisions, urgently when necessary, using sound judgment to consider trade-offs and ensure project success (within project parameters).
• Develops and manages technical approaches and directs and conducts quality assurance and control tasks.
• Assists with technical reviews of deliverables, ensuring they meet project requirements and professional standards.
• Communicate effectively with clients and agencies, being responsive to their requirements and developing strong professional relationships.
• Completes project tasks promptly, ensuring client satisfaction and resolution of any issues, while contributing to team unity and effective collaboration.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

• Manage and participate in all aspects of cultural resources projects successfully, including budgeting, scheduling, scope development and management, client management, research, fieldwork, report writing, curation.
• Collaborate with other project managers across offices and disciplines to successfully meet client and agency needs.
• Work with clients and agency representatives for successful project implementation.
• Prepare and create technical, high-quality proposals, work plans, reports, and literature reviews with little supervisory oversight.
• Oversee fieldwork and deliverables, adhering to SWCA's Quality Assurance/ Quality Control (QA/QC) program.
• Collaborate with SWCA's managers, directors, and principal investigators on technical and business development efforts throughout the company.
• Maintain SWCA's high standard of scientific ethics and quality assurance and is motivated to identify and resolve problems in creative ways.
• Assist in the continuing development of SWCA's Cultural Resource Program and expand SWCA's professional reputation in cultural resources consulting and research throughout the Southern California sub-region and beyond.
• Take responsibility for team safety, develop safety plans (when applicable), and anticipate potential safety hazards.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, or a related field.
• Two (2) years of experience in cultural resources field activities, including experience leading archaeology crews on a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
• One (1) year of experience in managing projects, including working on a variety of project types and sizes, on all project aspects (from pre-field tasks through final report preparation), in multiple regions, and with a variety of regulatory agencies.
• Eligible to be listed as a qualified Field Director under SWCA's California Bureau of Land Management (BLM) statewide permit.
• Experience in cultural resources management (CRM) with a variety of project types, sizes, regions, and agencies, with demonstrated increasing levels of responsibility.
• Experience with the archaeology of Southern California.
• Expertise in federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to the management of cultural resources (National Environmental Policy Act, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and Section 106 and Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act).
• Experience providing QA/QC review of field documents, site forms, and reports.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of experience in cultural resources field activities, including experience leading archaeology crews on a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Two (2) or more years of experience managing projects, including working on a variety of project types and sizes, on all project aspects (from pre-field tasks through final report preparation), in multiple regions, and with a variety of regulatory agencies.
• Meets the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualifications Standards in archaeology, including at least one year of supervisory experience in prehistory and/or history.
• Demonstrated technical writing skills with a record of completing technical reports in a timely fashion.
• Demonstrated experience working with interdisciplinary team of subject matter experts and planners.
• Experience and interest in business development, proposal writing, and client management.
• Experience supervising junior staff.
• Experience collecting field data utilizing modern mobile technology (tablets, Bluetooth GPS receivers, mobile software).