Staff Level Paleontologist (Temporary)

About The Opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Staff-Level Paleontologist to join our Southern CA team. In this temporary position, you will primarily conduct paleontological resource monitoring and fieldwork for projects located in the San Diego County, as well as other areas in Southern California and the western United States.

Responsibilities

• Conduct paleontological resource monitoring and fieldwork for projects in Southern California and the western United States.
• Independently assign and direct the activities of others on behalf of SWCA, often in remote areas without immediate guidance from senior managers, to ensure quality and on-time delivery.
• Ensure that employees understand their responsibilities and delegated tasks and be held accountable if crew members under your supervision are not performing their activities correctly, productively, and safely.
• Serve as a conduit of communication between employees and senior managers, including communicating issues to relevant senior managers.
• Receive and resolve complaints from employees in the field.
• Maintain team productivity and offer timely performance guidance, including determining when corrective action is needed and delivering appropriate feedback.
• Travel is required for this position, including overnight stays, weekend work, and out-of-state travel.

Qualifications

• Education and professional experience in paleontology or geology - possession of B.S. or B.A. degree with an emphasis in paleontology, earth science, or geology or demonstrated equivalent experience is required.
• One year experience monitoring.
• Knowledge of basic field geology skills, such as rock descriptions, measuring stratigraphic columns, and recognizing fossils including trace fossils.
• Ability to conduct fieldwork for long hours in sometimes inclement weather conditions, including walking up to 10 miles per day often in rugged terrain; must be able to carry various types of field equipment and supplies.
• Valid driver's license and a good driving record; must comply with SWCA safety policies.

Preferred Skills

• Fossil preparation and/or museum curation experience.
• Data management and GIS experience.
• Prior experience with paleontological mitigation projects including construction monitoring is highly desirable.

Pay and Benefits

This position is temporary, non-exempt, and hourly. Pay is dependent on experience. Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

An employee in this San Diego, CA-based position as a Paleontological Technician an hourly pay rate of $21.52 - $28.40, Assistant Staff Paleontologist an hourly pay rate of $24.10 - $30.98/hour and a Staff Paleontologist an hourly pay rate of $26.68 - $34.14/hour. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms. If you need assistance accessing SWCA’s website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges on all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

This position is eligible for our wellness paid time off, employee assistance program and wellness program activities.