Archaeologist​/Crew Chief

Position Title: Environmental
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Position Type: Exempt/Full time/Regular

Zia Engineering and Environmental Consultants, LLC (Zia) is growing our team and seeking an experienced Principal Investigator for our Las Cruces, NM office. The successful applicant will help lead cultural resources field investigations in New Mexico and the Southwest and work collaboratively with existing Zia personnel. Duties for this position will consist of supervisory fieldwork responsibilities including but not limited to block and linear archaeological surveys, construction monitoring, National Register of Historic Places eligibility testing, and data recovery investigations.

Additionally, the individual will participate in laboratory processing and curation preparation activities associated with projects and conduct artifact analysis. Other duties will include:

• The applicant will implement archaeological survey, excavation, and monitoring projects responsibilities of which include:
  • direct fieldwork in-person and supervise field crews;
  • review the field crew’s daily logs and other field forms, notes, and collected GIS data for quality control;
  • assist with laboratory analysis for collected materials and coordinating with our laboratory manager for collections processing, analysis, and curation; and,
  • assist with pre-field research and logistics.
• The applicant will have excellent written and oral communication skills and will use these skills to work collaboratively with existing Zia personnel, organize and manage field crews, and oversee productive, efficient field investigations.
• The applicant must be qualified to be permitted as a Crew Chief/Field Supervisor in New Mexico on Bureau of Land Management and State of New Mexico lands.
• Bachelor’s degree in archaeology, anthropology, or related field
• Qualified to be permitted as a Crew Chief in New Mexico
• Ability to clearly define and follow federal, state and local regulatory requirements
• Ability to operate field equipment, including GPS equipment, cameras, and tablets
• Ability to manage field crews and to logistically support project decisions
• Excellent writing skills (writing samples will be requested)
• Willingness and ability to travel to a project location for several consecutive days
• Team-oriented attitude and approach
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and have active personal automobile liability insurance by first day of employment.

Preferred Skills:

• Bachelors or higher degree in anthropology, archaeology, or a closely related field
• Demonstrable experience supervising field crews during archaeological studies
• Prior experience with Trimble GPS
• Familiarity with GPS and GIS data collection in the field
• Familiarity with Section 106 processes and NRHP eligibility criteria for sites
• Ability to endure adverse environmental conditions, including hot and cold temperatures, precipitation, and challenging terrain for sustained durations
• Excellent attention to detail, a positive work ethic, reliability, and commitment to working both independently and in a team environment
• Strong organizational skills with task and time management
• Excellent leadership skills in the field

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met in order to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

• Regular fieldwork or on-site inspections are required, which necessitates ability to frequently travel/drive a vehicle (sight, hearing, and manual manipulation of driving mechanisms), cognitive ability to plan travel, use maps or GPS navigation systems.
• May require ambulation and movement to enable walking or hiking 6-10 miles per day on rough and/or hazardous terrain and occasional climbing, crouching, kneeling, balancing on rough terrain. Fieldwork may involve exposure to conditions of rain, sun, heat, wind, dust, etc., with exposure to animals, plants, wet conditions, biting insects, poison oak, etc. May require use of respiratory equipment.
• Some fieldwork may require carrying loads up to 25 pounds and/or work around heavy construction equipment.
• Vision is required to observe environmental phenomena and record and translate observations into…