Principal Technical Consultant, Paleontology

ERM•Denver, CO

7d•Remote

About The Position

ERM is seeking a highly motivated Principal Technical Consultant, Paleontologist to join our Cultural and Paleontological Resources Services team. This full-time, salaried position can be based from a local ERM office or remotely within the Great Basin or Rocky Mountain regions. In this senior leadership role, you will provide technical oversight, mentorship, project leadership, and regulatory expertise while supporting major energy and infrastructure projects across the United States. You'll help clients navigate complex paleontological resource requirements while contributing to the growth and success of ERM's multidisciplinary consulting practice. As a Principal Technical Consultant, Paleontologist, you will serve as a recognized technical leader responsible for ensuring high-quality paleontological consulting services, regulatory compliance, and successful project delivery. Your expertise will support critical environmental reviews, agency coordination, mitigation planning, and resource management efforts while developing the next generation of paleontological professionals.

Requirements

Graduate degree in Paleontology, Geology, Biology, Anthropology, or a closely related field of study.
6-8 years of related mitigation and environmental due diligence experience, or equivalent experience.
Ability to be listed as Principal Investigator on BLM Paleontological Resources Use Permits, state permits, and similar authorizations within the Great Basin and/or Rocky Mountain subregions.
Demonstrated field experience and principal-level project oversight within the Great Basin or Rocky Mountain subregions, including inventory, survey, salvage, and data recovery efforts.
Experience serving as primary author and/or third-party reviewer of agency-reviewed technical reports, including paleontological resource reports, mitigation plans, and environmental review documents prepared to meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.
Experience working directly with regulatory agency personnel while representing clients.
Ability to work effectively within teams of cultural heritage specialists and multidisciplinary technical professionals.
Ability and willingness to travel occasionally to project sites throughout Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and other locations.
Previous experience using mapping and field technologies, including GPS equipment, ArcGIS Field Maps, Survey123, and related applications.
Driver's License Required: This position requires a valid driver's license and/or the ability to operate a company vehicle due to the nature of job duties, which include frequent travel to various client locations across a large geographical area.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving as Field Director or Principal Investigator on cultural resources federal and state permits throughout California and the Southwestern United States.
Previous laboratory analysis, fossil screening, plaster jacketing, and curation processing experience.
Previous experience supervising personnel and direct reports.
Demonstrated business development experience and success growing client relationships and project portfolios.
Experience managing complex, multi-disciplinary environmental consulting projects.

Responsibilities

Serve as Permit Administrator and/or Principal Investigator on BLM Paleontological Resources Use Permits and applicable state permits, and provide technical-level quality assurance and quality control of deliverables prepared by qualified paleontologists and resource specialists.
Oversee a team of paleontologists conducting desktop studies and field investigations, including reconnaissance and pedestrian surveys, fossil salvage and collection efforts, and construction monitoring.
Lead, manage, mentor, and develop mid-level and junior paleontologists and cultural resources specialists, including participation in hiring, mentorship, engagement initiatives, and coordination across the broader cultural and paleontological resources practice.
Collaborate with Paleontology Principal Investigators, Regional Leads, the Consulting Director for Archaeology, Area Managers, and Managing Partners to drive technical excellence and team success.
Serve as primary author, senior reviewer, or task manager for paleontological resource studies supporting large-scale capital projects, ensuring work is completed within scope, budget, schedule, and quality expectations.
Manage projects ranging from multi-state linear infrastructure developments to smaller site-specific investigations.
Strengthen existing client relationships and develop new client partnerships that contribute to significant revenue growth.
Identify opportunities to cross-sell cultural and paleontological resources services to existing and prospective clients.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including environmental planners, archaeologists, biologists, wetland specialists, GIS specialists, and engineers to deliver integrated solutions for energy-sector clients.
Represent ERM in communications and meetings with clients, regulatory agencies, stakeholders, teaming partners, and subcontractors.
Identify subcontractor needs and manage subcontractor quality, schedules, and deliverables supporting cultural and paleontological resource services.