Postdoctoral Research Associate: Geoarchaeology of Drowned Gulf Landscapes

About the role

The Department of Anthropology at Texas A&M University is hiring a Postdoctoral Research Associate to study the geoarchaeology of drowned Gulf landscapes. The position supports cultural resource stewardship of the offshore Coast region and plays a key role in developing best‑practice recommendations for archaeological surveys conducted prior to activities overseen by the Minerals Management Agency (formerly BOEM) under a cooperative agreement with MMA. This role is funded by grant and/or contract funding, which is renewed per the grantor’s provisions; continuation of the position depends on ongoing funding and satisfactory job performance.

Responsibilities

• Analyze extensive legacy datasets from decades of offshore surveys
• Analyze new datasets collected during the project
• Conduct geoarchaeological surveys offshore
• Analyze geoarchaeological samples
• Develop Tribal capacity for submerged landscape archaeology
• Help inform future survey methodologies and technologies
• Perform laboratory analysis of sediment cores and geologic materials
• Participate in offshore research cruises and onshore training workshops
• Conduct geoarchaeological fieldwork and data interpretation
• Develop updated/refined regional paleo‑landscape reconstructions to identify areas with potential to contain pre‑Contact archaeological remains
• Participate in offshore research and data analysis of remote sensing data and geoarchaeological samples
• Visit archival geoarchaeological datasets, collect samples, and analyze sediments and radiocarbon samples
• Engage Tribal communities to seek perspectives on study purpose, design, and results, and incorporate these perspectives into landscape and survey models
• Ensure new and legacy data are properly maintained with metadata to international standards
• Work on quarterly, annual, and final reports and prepare scholarly articles on findings

Qualifications

• Appropriate PhD in a related field
• Open water SCUBA certification
• Master’s degree with ABD classification in Anthropology, Archaeology, or a related field (Geology, Geophysics, Oceanography)

Skills

• Experience with Southeastern archaeology
• Experience with offshore research and sediment core analysis
• Strong track record of journal article publications, external funding, and experience in geophysical data analysis
• AAUS scientific diver
• Experience with GIS, remote sensing, geomorphology, geophysics, geoarchaeology, oceanography, or paleoclimatology
• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Presentation skills
• Analytical skills
• Attention to detail

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance
• Flexible spending accounts