Cultural Resources Lead - Senior Archaeologist

Freese and Nichols is actively seeking Cultural Resources Lead - Senior Archaeologist for immediate, full-time employment in Fort Worth, Dallas or Austin, Texas. This is a newly created role, giving you the chance to shape and build our cultural resources team from the ground up while expanding service offerings, leading projects, and developing innovative approaches that strengthen our environmental capabilities and client partnerships.

What You’ll Do

• Manage projects and tasks with small- to large-scale field efforts (survey, testing, data recovery, and monitoring) while navigating intensive schedules.

• Execute archival research; manage data collection and compilation; and support GIS mapping to meet project needs.

• Serve as a primary author and/or senior reviewer to deliver clear, defensible technical reports.

• Lead state and federal archaeological permitting and support compliance within applicable regulatory frameworks, including NEPA and NHPA.

• Supervise personnel in the field, office, and laboratory by providing direction, coordination, and oversight as needed.

• Balance multiple tasks and communicate priorities across teams, including field personnel and project managers.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients (private, local government, state, and federal) by leading recurring status meetings, milestone check-ins, and day-to-day coordination.

• Support delivery and growth by contributing to proposal technical approaches and cost estimates, managing forecasting/tracking/accounting updates and invoicing inputs, and building client relationships that expand cultural resources services in Texas and Oklahoma.

Qualifications

Required

• BA/BS degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, History, or a closely related field.

• Registered Professional Archaeologist or Registered Archaeologist.

• 10+ years of relevant experience (or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education) in historical and/or precontact archaeology and cultural resources management.

• 3+ years of experience in a supervisory capacity in the field or in the office.

• Willingness to travel and conduct fieldwork throughout Texas and Oklahoma, and a valid U.S. driver’s license.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, History, or a closely related field.

• Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s professional qualification standards in Archaeology.

• 15+ years of experience in historical and/or precontact archaeology and cultural resources management.

• Experience preparing THC documentation (including EIRs and ISMNDs) for cultural resources and tribal cultural resources, including implementing Sections 106 and 110 of the NHPA and applying regional/local cultural resources regulations.

• Proven ability to lead proposals and win work, build and grow cultural resources services, and develop staff; experience leading tribal consultation and familiarity working with tribal representatives in Texas and Oklahoma.

About Freese and Nichols

At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values (Learn continuously, Engage as family, Act with integrity, Deliver quality, and Serve always).  Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values.

We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service.  For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need:  developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more.

Besides our comprehensive benefits package (see more at Benefits That Work for You), we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina.  We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday.

Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado. Learn more about working here at Working at Freese and Nichols.

Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.

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