Staff Archaeologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants • Amherst, MA

1d • $24 - $31 • Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• 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

Nice To Haves

• 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

Responsibilities

• Independently Supervise a small crew while conducting environmental fieldwork.
• 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

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees