Senior Lead Archaeologist

Description

This Opportunity

WSP has an exciting Senior Lead Archaeologist career opportunity with our Phoenix, AZ team. Are you looking for an exciting career opportunity where you can put your skills and talents to work with an established consulting firm that values its employee's enthusiasm and technical contributions? We encourage you to apply for this opportunity. We are dedicated to providing the atmosphere to allow individuals to grow their career. We'd love you to join our team of friendly, hard-working, dedicated and collaborative professionals. Our ideal candidate is seeking intriguing work and is committed to quality.

Key Responsibilities:

Provides technical assistance and guidance for the collection, identification, compiling, and analysis of artifacts, observational, and spatial data concerning a variety of archaeological and historical sciences. Provides cultural resources support and guidance for multi-site/phase projects to ensure that construction or environmental permitting work done on or near archaeological sites complies with historical preservation laws. Oversees field investigations relating to construction, infrastructure, transmission, energy, pollution control, emergency response, and preserving the quality of the environment by identifying, controlling, and preventing disruption to resources of cultural and scientific significance. Substantiates documentation to advise on project areas by applying and integrating archaeological science to solve environmental challenges. Assists project leadership with environmental impact assessment, corrective/mitigation strategy development, permitting, and/or restoration activities. Ensures that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry standards.

Your Impact

• Determine well-defined data collection methods for identifying and compiling artifacts, observational, spatial, and archaeological data from field sites for projects, investigations, and surveys.
• Use topographic maps, aerial photographs, GPS units, and other maps and tools to determine exact locations of project areas, site impact, and associated physical and archaeological sensitivities.
• Act as primary investigator in excavating, recovering, and analyzing artifacts that support work in cultural resource management to ensure that construction work done on or near archaeological sites complies with historical preservation laws.
• Prepare and assist with completing cultural resources survey reports, data entry, impact assessment, and permitting activities for assigned projects (e.g. CEQA, NEPA, etc.).
• Comply with regulatory requirements pertaining to the data integrity, documentation, procedures, training, monitoring systems, reporting, and record compliance and retention.
• Perform professional archaeological work and conduct investigations, inspections, studies, and surveys to gain further information on a particular cultural resources problem or issue, verify site characteristics, and/or to plan for various historical preservation and environmental issues.
• Prepare data and visualizations such as tables, charts, accurate reports, and illustrations for the interpretation or presentation of data, findings, or analyses.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations that explain research, findings, and recommendations to address, prevent, control, or restore cultural resources problems.
• Provide risk identification and impact assessment, offering input with moderate to high-level threat mitigation and permitting activities projects to minimize or negate impacts to resources of cultural and scientific significance.
• Assist with development and scoping of medium-sized projects.
• Assist with overseeing and working with cross-functional teams in executing project work.
• Prepare and implement site Health and Safety Plans (HASPs).
• Interact with regulatory and historical preservation agencies, subcontractors, and clients in a confident and professional manner.
• Conduct research as appropriate and assist with proposal development.
• Work with cross-functional teams in executing project work.
• Remain current in latest archaeological methods, procedures, subject matter, and techniques.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
• Will travel to project sites in Arizona and the West US. Approximately 20% overnight travel.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, historic preservation, or a related field.
• Permitted or the qualifications to be permitted as a Principal Investigator in Arizona.
• 10 years + of relevant post-education experience working in archaeological fieldwork to include site recordation, survey, construction monitoring, and excavation.
• Prior experience with GIS software and Trimble GPS units, sub-meter GPS, R1, ArcCollector, Survey123, and assorted other field applicable technologies.
• Analytical skills and prior experience with research techniques, local/regional prehistoric and/or historic archaeology required.
• Working knowledge and experience with State and Federal protection regulations, preservation guidelines, and consulting processes pertaining to the specific cultural resources position.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal permitting agencies.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to technical reports, preparing cultural resources impact evaluations, siting reports, and environmental permit applications, including field surveys, peer review, and reporting.
• Project management experience with small to mid-level projects including tracking hours and expenses for project work.
• Demonstrated experience supporting the NEPA process and other analysis and preparation of associated documentation.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to a scientific and non-scientific audience.
• Highly capable self-leadership with attention to detail, multi-tasking, and prioritization of responsibilities in a dynamic work environment.
• Ability to work independently and provide guidance and leadership to junior team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
• Proficiency with business writing, office automation and communication software, technology, and tools.
• Developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, and identify the most effective solutions to accomplish objectives of assigned projects.
• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
• Ability and willingness to travel to project sites in Arizona and the West US. Approximately 20% overnight travel.
• Must pass background check