Lead Archaeologist

About the opportunity

SWCA’s Wyoming/Montana operation is seeking a Lead Archaeologist,  reporting into our Sheridan, WY office, to support our growing cultural resources practice. In this key role, you’ll collaborate with Directors, Team Leads, and Project Managers to coordinate projects and deliver high-quality cultural resource management services across the region.

As a Lead Archaeologist, you’ll oversee and manage cultural resource projects from start to finish, serving as the primary author of technical reports, research designs, and related documentation. You’ll provide mentorship to staff, ensure compliance with QA/QC standards, and foster a collaborative, supportive team environment. This role also involves managing budgets, proposals, client relationships, and project teams—requiring strong project management skills and effective delegation.

This is a regular, full-time salaried position reporting to a Senior Cultural Resources Lead and offers the flexibility of a hybrid work arrangement from Sheridan, WY office. Highly qualified remote (= distributed) employees based in Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado will be seriously considered.

Application Deadline: We will begin reviewing applications immediately and schedule interviews with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until we identify a strong pool of candidates and may close without prior notice. We sincerely appreciate the time and effort of all applicants and will thoughtfully review each submission.

What you will accomplish

• Lead authorship of technical reports, research designs, and other documentation.
• Oversight of field research, data collection, analysis, and report production.
• Training and mentoring of staff in research protocols, technical reporting, and site recording.
• Problem-solving and process improvement to enhance project efficiency and effectiveness.
• Collaboration with local and regional teams to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Cultivation of strong relationships with agency contacts, clients, and stakeholders.
• Project management duties, including budgeting, proposal preparation, and client management.
• Demonstrated commitment to scientific integrity and SWCA's Mission, Vision, and Values.
• Drives compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Minimum of a master’s degree in Archaeology or Anthropology.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of cultural resource management experience, with academic or research-oriented supervisory experience considered.
• Ability to be listed as a Principal Investigator on agency permits for Montana and/or Wyoming (requires 3-4 months of experience per state and SHPO report authorship)
• Thorough knowledge of NEPA and Section 106 regulations.
• Registered Professional Archaeologist status or eligibility.
• Experience with content review of reports and project scheduling/budgeting.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with project teams.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20% of the time.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 100% employee-owned company that offers a full range of environmental services. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges, all while staying true to our commitment to employee ownership. At SWCA, we live our core values every day: we collaborate as #OneSWCA, we’re #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities. With offices across the country, we’re proud to be one of the largest environmental compliance firms in the U.S. and to rank among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

We offer a supportive, team-focused work environment, competitive pay, and great benefits—including a 100% employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) to help you build a strong financial future. At SWCA, we’re committed to helping our team members grow into industry leaders. Our award-winning Career Landscape program offers a clear and structured path to meaningful career development. We support your growth through conference attendance, internal and external training, education reimbursement, and bonuses for qualifying publications. All regular-status employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, wellness, life, and disability coverage, as well as access to our Employee Assistance Program. Employees may also participate in SWCA’s 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency. In alignment with this commitment, we post good faith pay ranges in all job postings.

An employee in this Sheridan, WY - based position can expect a salary of $77,662/year to $101,228/year. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers. 

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