Archaeology Division Manager

JOB TITLE: Archaeology Division Manager
CLASSIFICATION: Program Associate III
FULL SALARY RANGE: $32.06 to $42.06 ($66,685 to $87,485 annual salary)
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full‑Time, Hourly or Salary‑Exempt About the Watershed Research and Training Center

The Watershed Research and Training Center (WRTC) sustains healthy lands and healthy communities. What started in the early 1990s as a local project to re‑train displaced loggers and mill workers in Trinity County, CA is now a vibrant nonprofit organization working locally, statewide and nationally on a host of landscape conservation and community development issues. In addition to putting dozens of our community members back to work in the woods each year, we lead several forest and watershed conservation programs, coordinate state wood utilization and fire management partnerships, and have played an influential role in state and federal policy‑making and program direction.

We are a team of approximately 70 year‑round staff with up to 80 additional seasonal staff dedicated to caring for people and the landscapes we depend upon.

We are seeking a qualified Archaeologist with experience in cultural resource management (CRM) to support the Watershed Center’s diverse portfolio of natural resource and forestry‑related projects within and near Trinity County, California. This role involves conducting archaeological surveys, evaluations, documentation and monitoring in compliance with federal and state environmental heritage resources regulations, particularly in forested and rural landscapes, including the hiring and management of seasonal staff.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in California pre‑contact history, fieldwork in diverse terrain, and an understanding of how cultural resources interface with forestry and land management practices. The Archeology Division is nested within our Forestry and Fuels Program, but will assist other divisions and programs including in our sector‑leading fire management and watershed programs. This position requires a variable combination of office and field time, dictated by season and project priorities.

Effective coordination with other organizational staff, communication with the program director, and coordination with landowners and project partners are crucial aspects of this position.

• Conduct archaeological field surveys, site documentation, testing, and monitoring on federal, state, and private lands.
• Prepare technical reports (inventory, evaluation, monitoring), site records (DPR 523 forms), and compliance documentation (e.g., National Environmental Policy Act, EPA, CEQA, NHPA Section 106).
• Collaborate with land managers, tribal representatives, environmental scientists, and forestry professionals to ensure cultural resource protection in natural resource projects.
• Lead recruitment and provide field leadership and supervision for seasonal crews (typically 2‑4 staff, though this may vary year‑to‑year).
• Assist in agency coordination with entities such as the US Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Bureau of Land Management, and Native American tribes.
• Evaluate impacts of forestry (e.g., timber harvest, fuel reduction, road maintenance) and ecological restoration (e.g., meadow, instream habitat, floodplain modification) on archaeological and historic resources.
• Contribute to the development of project‑specific resource management plans, mitigation measures, and treatment plans.

• Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum of 3–5 years of archaeological field experience, preferably in California or the western United States.
• Demonstrated knowledge of California pre‑contact and historic archaeology.
• Familiarity with federal and state laws and regulations (e.g., National Historic Preservation Act Section 106;
  Archaeological Resource Protection Act;
  National Environmental Policy Act; California Environmental Policy Act; Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) and California state tribal…