Principal Investigator

HDR • Austin, TX

9h

About The Position

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

At HDR, our employee‑ownership model shapes everything we do, including how we support and care for our people. Our diverse service lines, including Water, Architecture, Building Engineering Services, Field Services, Power, Waste, Industrial, and Transportation reflect our commitment to shaping resilient, sustainable, and forward‑thinking communities around the world. Across these disciplines, our teams design and deliver solutions that safeguard public health, enhance quality of life, power innovation, and drive responsible growth. Whether advancing clean water, creating healing and learning environments, engineering next‑generation facilities, or building the infrastructure that moves people and energy, our work is rooted in technical excellence and a shared sense of purpose. Our employee‑owners collaborate across specialties, combining creativity, precision, and deep expertise to solve the most complex challenges facing our clients and communities.
In the role of Principal Investigator, we'll count on you to:
Manage archaeological surveys that include shovel testing, auger testing, mechanized trenching, site delineation and documentation, feature and artifact identification and analyses, photography, and mapping.
Possess the technical knowledge to supervise junior archaeological staff in field and office settings.
Prepare archaeological site descriptions and conduct NRHP eligibility evaluations.
Manage the production of professional quality deliverables that meet state and federal regulatory standards.
Possess the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate with regulatory agencies and project stakeholders.
Work with multi-disciplinary teams in HDR Business Groups, including Resources (strong focus on Power Market Sector), Transportation, and Water in the South Central (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana) region and nationally to help plan, staff, and execute major cultural resource management efforts
Perform other duties as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, Architectural History or closely related field
• A minimum of 5 years experience in cultural resource projects
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite
• Must demonstrate knowledge of and experience with project compliance-related activities including consultation, quality assurance and reviews
• Willingness to work under varied weather conditions
• Successful candidates must be familiar with field study design and documentation, regulatory framework for cultural resource management, and GIS utilities
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must
• Must be able to record cultural resources in the field without any physical assistance (this could include hiking short distances in scrub and native vegetation).
• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds without assistance.
• Must be able to effectively communicate in person, by telephone, and email.
• Must be able to effectively work in minimally supervised and/or unsupervised environments.
• Work hours other than 8 to 5 which may include weekends,
• Must have a valid Driver’s License.
• Be able to operate a vehicle day or night.
• Approximately 50% travel required.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a related field and a minimum of five years’ experience
• Must have experience identifying and recording pre-contact and historic resources
• Must be able to perform physically demanding tasks in adverse environmental conditions (e.g., rugged terrain, remote locations, hot and cold temperatures)
• Must also have good organizational skills, a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and willingness to learn, and execute new tasks
• Must be able to effectively work in minimally supervised and/or unsupervised environments.
• May be required to submit both a writing sample and verifiable references
• Experience managing archaeological teams comprised of project archaeologists and field crew chiefs.
• National Historic Preservation Act - Section 106 coordination management

Responsibilities

• Manage archaeological surveys that include shovel testing, auger testing, mechanized trenching, site delineation and documentation, feature and artifact identification and analyses, photography, and mapping.
• Possess the technical knowledge to supervise junior archaeological staff in field and office settings.
• Prepare archaeological site descriptions and conduct NRHP eligibility evaluations.
• Manage the production of professional quality deliverables that meet state and federal regulatory standards.
• Possess the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate with regulatory agencies and project stakeholders.
• Work with multi-disciplinary teams in HDR Business Groups, including Resources (strong focus on Power Market Sector), Transportation, and Water in the South Central (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana) region and nationally to help plan, staff, and execute major cultural resource management efforts
• Perform other duties as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees