Lead Paleontologist

About the opportunity

SWCA’s Southern California operation is seeking a Lead Paleontologist to support its growing practice. The ideal candidate will assist the Directors, Team Leads, and Project Managers with project coordination and quality control for paleontological resource management projects and expand SWCA’s professional reputation in paleontological consulting and research. This is a regular, full-time salaried position and will report to a Senior Team Lead. Salary will be based on individual qualifications and experience. The position will be based out of our Pasadena or San Diego offices but is open to highly qualified candidates who prefer to work from a home office elsewhere in California or adjacent states who are willing to travel for project work, or internal and external meetings, approximately 15-20% of the time. 

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

What you will accomplish

• Lead paleontology projects and/or lead aspects of interdisciplinary projects that include paleontology to ensure projects meet client expectations and are delivered on time and on budget.
• Oversee field research, data collection, laboratory tasks, analysis, and final report production, ensuring these tasks are conducted in accordance with the QA/QC plan.
• Serve as primary author on large technical reports, management plans, and other technical documents.
• Prepare proposal scopes and budgets in their entirety and contribute to large/interdisciplinary proposals.
• Organize and track schedules, budgets, and project key performance indicators to ensure project requirements are met.
• Supervise and mentor personnel in the field, office, and laboratory; assign or delegate project tasks to junior staff.
• Manage quality and completeness of data collection, analysis, and report completion from start to finish.
• Oversee and perform QA/QC of deliverables, including impact assessments and management recommendations; perform technical peer review of documents.
• Develop and nurture productive relationships with relevant regulators, industry experts, academics and clients.
• Build collaborative relationships across offices/geographies to share resources and expertise.
• Take initiative, resolve problems, and create improved procedures to ensure that tasks are completed in the most effective manner.
• Maintain good working relationships with state and federal agency contacts and clients.
• Comply with SWCA and client safety programs, and assist in the development of such programs.

Experience and qualifications for success

• M.S. or Ph.D. in paleontology, geology (with an emphasis on paleontology), biology (with an emphasis on paleontology and experience with geology), or a closely related field is highly preferred. A B.S. may be accepted if the candidate has at least five (5) full years working as an assistant to a Principal Paleontologist with administrative and project management experience and reporting experience in California and/or the western Unites States.
• Eight (8) years of professional consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and agencies, with increasing levels of responsibility.
• Minimum of four (4) years of supervisory or mentorship experience, whether in a field, laboratory, or office setting.
• A commitment to fiscal and scheduling responsibilities for projects of all sizes and scopes.
• Knowledge of local geology and paleontology with paleontological field and reporting experience in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington.
• Experience with and thorough knowledge of CEQA and/or NEPA
• Must meet the criteria to be approved as a “Principal Investigator” or “Field Agent” on one or more BLM Paleontological Resource Use permits in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.
• Laboratory techniques, including fossil identification, matrix screening, and fossil preparation, and museum curation experience.
• Field skills, including ability to locate, document, excavate/jacket, and identify fossils while documenting their geographic, taphonomic, and stratigraphic context.
• Prior experience with paleontological mitigation projects, including preconstruction surveying and construction monitoring, is highly desirable.
• Exceptional technical writing skills and a record of completing and editing technical reports in a timely fashion.
• Past peer-reviewed publication record and conference presentation experience preferred.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changes in project needs, agency requests, and more.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a variety of colleagues, clients, and agency representatives.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response. 

EOE – women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

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 is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. 

An employee in this Pasadena or San Diego, CA-based position can expect a salary of $86,521.50- $112,776.30/year for the Lead Paleontologist position. 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, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

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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