SENIOR PALEONTOLOGIST

Lithosconsultants; United States; Remote; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Lithos is seeking a full-time Senior Paleontologist to support projects across the Western United States, reporting to one of three regional offices. The candidate will manage medium to large projects, write technical reports, supervise staff, and maintain client and agency relationships.

Key duties include supervising field and desktop teams, providing QA/QC for data and reporting, training staff, and staying current with regulations affecting paleontological resources and industry best

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in paleontology, geology, biology, or related field.
• 5+ years of paleontological investigation experience in western US.
• Experience leading remote paleontological surveys and field/lab work.
• Ability to be listed as PI or Agent on federal paleontological permits.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects and ensure high-quality, on-time deliverables; may support Lithos’ cultural resource team.
• Supervise and coordinate field and desktop paleontology teams regionally or nationally.
• Provide QA/QC for field data and reporting.

Skills

Project management

Staff supervision

Technical reporting

Field paleontology

Education

MS or PhD in paleontology/geology

Job description

Hire Type: Full time, Salary, pay dependent on experience

Salary Range: $85,000-$125,000

Location: Remote, reporting to one of three operating regions:

Rocky Mountain Region; Pacific Northwest; West Coast

Job Description

Lithos is seeking a full-time Senior Paleontologist to support projects in the Western United States reporting into one of three main locations; Rocky Mountain Region, Pacific Northwest, and the West Coast. The senior paleontologist will be integral to the management and growth of Lithos as a company by serving as a project manager or Senior Project Manager for medium to large size projects, writing technical reports, supervising staff, and communicating and maintaining relationships with clients and agencies.

Duties will include:

• Manage various sized projects and ensure clients receive high-quality, scientifically sound, and on-time deliverables. Management responsibilities could include supporting Lithos’ cultural resource team.
• Supervise, coordinate, and manage local, regional, and/or nationwide paleontology team members conducting both field and desktop research
• Provide technical oversight and quality assurance/quality control for field data and reporting
• Train, lead, and mentor staff and associate level personnel and actively engage in professional development
• Interface with clients, agencies, and external stakeholders
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulations affecting paleontological resources and general industry trends and best management practices in mitigation paleontology
• Demonstrate technical excellence in field fossil identification and paleontological and geologic methodologies.
• Excellent knowledge and working relationship with repositories and agencies to perform record searches and fossil curation
• Direct collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; formulate management recommendations and/or mitigation measures
• Perform and oversee proposal and budget preparation

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree (MS or Ph.D.) specializing in paleontology, geology, biology, or a closely related field
• 5+ years of professional experience conducting paleontological investigations in one or more states in the western United States
• Demonstrated experience conducting and leading remote paleontological resource surveys, identifying fossils in the field, fossil collection and laboratory preparation, analysis and museum curation, and technical reporting
• Ability to be listed as Principal Investigator or Agent on federal paleontological use permits
• Working knowledge of the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, and/or the California Environmental Quality Act
• Demonstrated experience managing projects and staff

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience conducting paleontological investigations in one or more states in the western United States
• Vertebrate Paleontology background (education or equivalent work experience)
• Working relationships with paleontological technical experts in one or more of the states listed above
• Experience with paleontological excavations in large quarries preparing and removing vertebrate jackets.