Project Level Paleontologist

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Project Paleontologist to support our West Region that includes California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington. The Project Paleontologist is a core member of the program, responsible for preparing defensible paleontological resources reports and other related documents, serving as a technical specialist for multi-disciplinary projects, leading field and laboratory efforts as needed, supervising and mentoring or training junior staff, developing client and agency relationships, contributing to and on-occasion leading proposals, and executing all stages of project implementation on-time, within scope, and within budget. This is a regular, full-time position and is a wonderful career -growth opportunity for the right candidate to join SWCA’s expanding paleontology practice. The position will report into our Pasadena, CA office.  SWCAis open to highly-qualified candidates who prefer to work remotely (= distributed) in adjacent states (e.g., Nevada, Arizona) and who are willing to travel for project work, or internal and external meetings, approximately 15-20% of the time.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 1,850+ staff, employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services.  Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

• Assistant Project Paleontologist - Typically with up to three (3) years of relevant experience and expertise.
• Associate Project Paleontologist - Typically with up to five (5) years of relevant experience and expertise.
• Project Paleontologist - Typically with up to seven (7) years of relevant experience and expertise.

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

• Act as the project-level paleontology professional on project teams, serving as a permitted Field Agent or Principal Investigator, working under the direction of other Principal Investigators, Project Managers, Environmental Planners, and/or the Paleontology Team Lead.
• Lead or assist on small- to medium-sized 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.
• Assist in the preparation of proposal scopes and budgets; lead small- to medium-size proposals 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, and communicate technical needs to Principal Investigators, Project Managers, Environmental Planners, and/or the Paleontology Team Lead.
• 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.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of technical methodologies, tools, and standards.
• Develop and nurture productive relationships with relevant regulators, industry experts, academics and clients.
• Build collaborative relationships across offices/geographies to share resources and expertise.
• 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 preferred. A B.S. may be accepted if the candidate has at least two full years working as an assistant to a Principal Paleontologist with administrative and project management experience and reporting experience in one or more states in the West Region (California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington).
• Three (3) years of professional consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and agencies, with increasing levels of responsibility required; 5-7 years preferred.  
• 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, Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and/or Washington. 
• Must meet the criteria to be approved as a “Principal Investigator” or “Field Agent” on the California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, and Washington BLM Paleontological Resource Use permits and other local state-level permits.
• Laboratory techniques, including fossil identification, matrix screening, and fossil preparation, and museum curation experience.
• Field skills, including ability to locate, document, excavate, and identify fossils while documenting their geographic, taphonomic, and stratigraphic context. 
• Prior experience with paleontological mitigation projects including 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 are seeking an opportunity to work in a culture of exceptionally skilled and diverse professionals who embrace sound science and creative solutions, then SWCA will be a great fit for you!  If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please email accomodations@swca.com or call 480-581-5378. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges on all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Pasadena, CA - based position can expect a salary of as an Assistant Project Paleontologist has an hourly pay rate of $29.84 - $37.87, Associate Project Paleontologist an hourly pay rate of $33.28 - $42.46/hour and a Project Paleontologist an hourly rate of $37.01/hour - $47.33/hour. 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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