Staff Archaeologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Staff Archaeologist to support cultural resources management work in the Northeast Region. You will perform both field and office-based archaeological work while serving in a field leadership capacity on assigned projects. You will routinely serve as a field lead for small crews of archaeological technicians during survey, site recording, and monitoring projects. In this role, you will be expected to work with increased independence in the field while supporting safe, efficient, and high-quality data collection.

You will also support office-based efforts, including laboratory work, site form preparation, data management, and contributions to technical report development and QA/QC.

This is a full-time, field-based position. Weekly work hours will vary depending on project needs, ranging from lighter schedules to over 40 hours during peak field seasons. Candidates must reside within driving distance to our Amherst, MA office and be willing to travel up to 100% of the time.

Applicant must be willing to participate in a drug testing and alcohol screening as part of the pre-employment process, as some projects require such screenings.

• Depending upon project, an element of your job may be to independently Supervise a small crew while conducting environmental fieldwork. This includes:

• independently assigning and directing the activities of others on behalf of SWCA, often in remote areas without immediate guidance from senior managers, to ensure quality and on-time delivery;

• ensuring that employees understand their responsibilities and delegated tasks and being held accountable if crew members under your supervision are not performing their activities correctly, productively, and safely;

• serving as a conduit of communication between employees and senior managers, including communicating issues to relevant senior managers;

• receiving and resolving complaints from employees in the field; and
• monitoring team productivity and offering timely performance guidance, including determining when corrective action is needed and delivering appropriate feedback.

• Serve as field lead on archaeological survey, testing, monitoring, and site documentation projects
• Communicate regularly with Field Directors, Project Managers, and GIS staff through scheduled field status updates
• Participate in technical writing support, including contributions to reports and QA/QC of field and laboratory data
• Assist with and/or lead field mapping tasks, including GPS data collection using handheld units and mobile data collection platforms
• Maintain a strong focus on field safety, proactively identifying hazards and ensuring compliance with SWCA safety protocols

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, or related field
• Completion of an accredited archaeological field school or equivalent training
• Two (2) or more years of professional field archaeology experience
• Demonstrated ability to lead or support supervision of field crews in archaeological projects
• Ability to travel and conduct fieldwork for long hours in variable and sometimes extreme environmental conditions (heat, humidity, rugged terrain, dense vegetation)
• Ability to carry equipment weighing up to 40 pounds
• Valid driver's license, ability to pass Motor Vehicle background screening, and access to reliable transportation

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, or related field
• Experience serving as field lead or crew chief on cultural resource projects
• Experience with GIS/mobile data collection tools (ESRI Field Maps, Survey123) and Trimble GPS units (TerraSync and/or ArcPad)
• CPR and First Aid certification

Additional Information:

• Estimated field time is approximately 90-100%
• Work schedules may include up to 12-hour days, 6 days per week during peak periods
• Overtime (hours over 40 per week) is paid at time-and-a-half
• Single occupancy hotels paid directly by SWCA
• Per diem provided for full travel days, unless otherwise specified
• Company vehicles provided for project work
• Opportunity for advancement within SWCA

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.

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 Amherst-based position can expect an hourly pay rate of $23.95 to $30.64/hour. 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.

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.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged 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.

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.