Archaeologist

Archaeologist

Salary: $ - $ Annually

Location:

King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA

Job Type: Career Service (Exec)

Job Number: 2026WH27005

Department: DNRP-Natural Resources & Parks

Division: WLRD - Water & Land Resources

FLSA:
Exempt

Bargaining Unit: C1 : PROTEC
17-DES, DLS, DNRP

Full- or Part-Time:
Full Time

Hours/Week: 40 hours/week

The Archaeologist supports capital projects by identifying and protecting cultural resources through research, surveys, tribal consultation, and regulatory compliance. They integrate findings into design and permitting, monitor construction, manage consultant work, provide staff training, and coordinate countywide processes to ensure consistent, effective cultural resource protection. They work closely with Capital Project teams, project sponsors, the KC Historic Preservation Program, tribes and resource agencies.

• Conduct archival research, field surveys, and consultation with tribal and cultural resource experts to identify and characterize potential cultural and/or historic resources on capital project sites.
• Document findings and define appropriate protections and/or mitigation to avoid impacts to identified resources in compliance with federal, state, tribal, and local regulations (e.g., Section 106, NEPA, state statutes, KC Executive Cultural Resources Policy and Procedures).
• Integrate cultural resource considerations into project design by coordinating with project team members, the King County Historic Preservation Program, Tribal staff and regulatory agencies. Prepare technical reports, permit documentation, and avoidance or mitigation strategies to support timely approvals.
• Provide archaeological monitoring during ground-disturbing activities, implement inadvertent discovery protocols, coordinate with construction teams, and document findings to ensure resource protection while minimizing project delays.
• Provide training and support to WLRD staff on cultural resource topics and applicable laws, policy and guidelines.
• Help scope, negotiate and manage cultural resources consultant contracts to support capital delivery teams. Review consultant deliverables for content and accuracy and concurrence with recommendations.
• Work closely with HPP staff and cultural resource professionals across DNRP to establish consistent processes and procedures that make review, coordination and protection of cultural resource more effective, timely and predictable.

• Master's degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, Cultural Resource Management in accordance with Secretary of Interior standard for professional archaeologists.
• Two (2) years of full-time professional work experience as an archaeologist performing office and field work, including cultural and historical aspects of Native American Tribes of the Northwest.
• Knowledge of relevant state and federal regulations, standards, and procedures related to historic preservation and cultural resource management.
• Knowledge of Geographic Information System (GIS) development and implementation, including Environmental Systems Research Institute programs like ArcGIS Pro.
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience working in situations requiring cross-cultural sensitivity and centering racial equity, social justice principles, and environmental justice.

• Manages Complexity:
  Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Action Oriented:
  Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Plans and Aligns:
  Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Communicates Effectively:
  Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Persuades:
  Using compelling arguments to gain the support and commitment of others.

• Geoarchaeology
• Human Osteology
• Historic Archaeology
• Built Environment Evaluation
• Traditional Cultural Properties
• Lithic Analysis
• Faunal Analysis
• Archaeobotanical Properties
• Remote Sensing

Work Location:

The Capital Delivery/Management & Support Section works in a hybrid model, with days in the office, and field, as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Work Schedule:

This full-time position works a 40-hour work week and is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.

Union Representation:
This position is represented by Teamsters 117.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Employer:

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on…