Archaeologist

Title: Archaeologist

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States

Job Description:

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States.

ESA seeks a highly motivated Archaeologist in the Seattle area with 3+ years of experience performing cultural resources surveys, testing, data recovery, and monitoring, recording, recordation of archaeological resources, and preparing environmental permit applications and supporting documentation.  Candidates must be located in and/or around the Seattle, Washington metropolitan area for on-site field work for further consideration.  The ideal candidate will be available to work on a hybrid schedule from ESA’s Seattle office.

Who You Are 

• ESA is currently seeking a highly qualified and experienced Archaeologist to manage projects for a growing group of cultural resources specialists within our Northwest Cultural Resources Group. The selected candidate will manage and carry out archaeological investigations and technical document preparation on a wide range of interesting projects throughout the region and will be part of an interdisciplinary team working with Water, Energy, Community Development, Transportation, Airports, Natural Resources, and Environmental Hydrology experts.
• Successful candidate should have excellent technical skills, writing, time/budget management, and organizational capabilities; agency coordination and client service experience; proficiency in the management of archaeological and tribal resources within the context of NEPA/SEPA, Section 106, and Executive Order 21-02; experience conducting WISAARD and OARRA records searches; experience with leading archaeological survey and testing projects, documentation, evaluation, and treatment of precontact and historic-period archaeological resources. GIS experience is a plus.
• Qualified candidates must hold a graduate degree in archaeology, geoarchaeology, or a closely related field and possess the ability to lead survey crews and produce well-written and technically supported cultural resources documents. The successful candidate possesses SOI (Secretary of the Interior) qualifications. This position requires the ability to work collaboratively with clients and interdisciplinary teams to deliver projects on time and within budget in a fast-paced work environment. Excellent organizational and strong problem-solving skills are required.
• The candidate will demonstrate a clear understanding of project management principles and practices and be responsible for the delivery of high-quality work products. Preference for candidates who have the knowledge and skillset to mentor junior staff members.
• You enjoy fieldwork and can walk long distances carrying a backpack; and are able to lift at least 40 pounds. Candidates should be confident working outside, in remote and rural settings, as well as in urban environments. Physical outdoor work may include, but may not be limited to, extensive field work and site visits in all types of weather, traversing uneven ground and sometimes steep terrain in forested environments, fields, arid lands, along stream banks, and in coastal/intertidal areas. Fieldwork is anticipated to be up to approximately one week per month.
• You possess a valid driver’s license and have experience driving 4WD vehicles off-road.
• We may request a writing sample as a stage in the interview process.
• Ability to pass a background and DMV record check.

What You Will Do for ESA

• Independently manage and conduct archaeological resources assessments.
• Lead archaeological resources survey.
• Lead archaeological resources portions of multi-disciplinary projects engaged as part of a larger team of varied experts.
• Manage and conduct archival research, development of historic and cultural contexts, archaeological survey and resource documentation, resource evaluations, and impacts analysis meeting NEPA/SEPA, Section 106, and Executive Order 21-02 requirements.
• Serve as primary author of archaeological resource assessment reports.
• Receive minimal direction for most tasks and receive direction on unusual or difficult assignments.
• Supervision of small project teams.
• Participate in and/or lead client meetings.
• Prepare draft scopes of work and budgets for small and mid-size projects and for selected tasks on large projects.
• Communicate with senior staff and teaming partners to support environmental analyses and permit compliance.
• Collaborate with architectural historians, paleontologists, and other specialists and incorporate work products into technical reports.

What’s Special About Our Northwest Cultural Resources Team

Our Cultural Resources Team includes precontact and historical archaeologists, geoarchaeological specialists, tribal engagement specialists, architectural historians, and historians that provide expertise for many local, state, and federal agencies throughout the Northwest. Our work matters because we assist agencies in ensuring that our nation’s history and that of the tribal communities with whom we work are protected where possible and treated with respect. We value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration.

ESA has established multiple pay ranges tailored to the economic factors in the geographies in which ESA staff reside. For this position, the range is approximately as listed based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by several factors including but not limited to an individual’s related experience, education, skills, and the city in which the applicant lives.  

CA Pay Transparency Clause

$82,000 - $118,000 USD

Who We Are 

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.