Associate Project Archaeologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Associate Project Archaeologist to support our Midwest operations. This role is a core member of our Cultural Resources Program, responsible for managing small to medium cultural resources projects, including proposals, fieldwork, research, report writing, quality assurance/quality control reviews, and managing client, agency, and tribal relationships.

This is a regular, full-time, salaried position with benefits. Annual pay will be commensurate with individual qualifications and experience. This is a hybrid role with 75% office work, and a potential for up to 25% field work.

This requisition can be filled at two different levels

• Associate Project Archaeologist -- Typically with at least five (5) years of relevant experience and expertise
• Project Archaeologist -- Typically with at least seven (7) years of relevant experience and expertise.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

The Project Archaeologist will manage larger, more complex tasks and projects, while the Associate Project Archaeologist will primarily handle sub-tasks or smaller projects under supervision.

• Manage all aspects of cultural resource projects, including budgeting, scheduling, research, fieldwork, report writing, and curation. More junior candidates will manage sub-tasks and/or smaller projects.
• Work with clients and agency representatives to ensure successful project implementation.
• Assist in developing high-quality proposals, work plans, reports, and literature reviews, with oversight from subject matter experts.
• Nurture and develop client relationships.
• Oversee and conduct fieldwork and deliverables, ensuring compliance with SWCA's Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program.
• Supervise personnel in the field, office, and/or laboratory.
• Take responsibility for team safety by developing safety plans (when applicable) and anticipating potential hazards.
• Collaborate with SWCA personnel across role levels and disciplines.
• Maintain SWCA's high standards of scientific ethics and quality assurance.
• Identify and resolve problems creatively.
• Collaborate as part of an interdisciplinary environmental team.
• Work independently and responsibly to resolve project challenges.
• Takes responsibility for team safety, developing safety plans (when applicable), and anticipating potential safety hazards.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a closely related field.
• At least five (5) years of experience in cultural resource management (CRM), gained through a combination of educational and professional experience, across various project types, sizes, regions, and agencies, with increasing levels of responsibility.
• Proven experience managing CRM tasks, including budgets, scheduling, and scopes of work.
• Familiarity with Section 106 and Historic Preservation regulatory requirements in Illinois or nearby Midwest states.
• Demonstrated experience as a primary report author in a CRM context for diverse project types, sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Valid driver's license and ability to meet SWCA's driver requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) certification or eligibility for RPA status.
• Experience conducting QA/QC reviews of field documents, site forms, and reports.
• Proven leadership experience managing archaeology crews on diverse projects.
• Ability to coordinate personnel and resources within budgetary constraints.
• Familiarity with cultural resource regulations and processes in Minnesota, North Dakota, and/or South Dakota.
• Transmission/Generation experience
• SOI Qualified
• Familiarity with cultural resource regulations and processes in Illinois and/or nearby Midwest states.
• Master's degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a closely related field.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Experience in marketing, business development, client management, and/or leading large proposal efforts.
• Collaborative experience working on interdisciplinary teams of scientists and planners.
• CPR and First Aid certification (training provided if not currently certified).
• Adaptability to changing project needs, agency requests, and evolving priorities.
• Strong ability to work both independently and collaboratively with colleagues, clients, and agency representatives.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven technical writing skills, including primary report authorship, with a strong track record of completing technical reports and projects on time.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 1,850+ staff, employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms.

If you need assistance accessing SWCA's website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Chicago based position can expect an hourly pay rate of $31.36 - $40.02/hr for the Associate Project Archaeologist role and an annual salary of $72,547 - $92,793/year for the Project Archaeologist role. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

SWCA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

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