Burns & McDonnell
Senior Cultural Resources Specialist - Principal Investigator
1850 N Central Ave Ste 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004
On-site · Full-time
First seen by offpeak October 7, 2026
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- Bachelor’s degree in archaeology, anthropology, or a closely related field from an accredited program required.
- Graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, or a closely related field required for archaeological PI responsibilities under the Secretary of the Interior’s professional qualification standards.
- Meet the Secretary of the Interior’s professional qualification standards for archaeology and demonstrate current eligibility for, or ability to obtain, Arizona State Museum approval as an archaeological PI on Arizona Antiquities Act permits.
- Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) status preferred, not required.
- Minimum 8 years of relevant experience, or 7 years with a Master’s degree, with archaeological survey, monitoring, testing or data recovery, research designs, reporting, and supervision; a related master’s degree may be substituted for one year of experience under the applicable company qualification policy.
- Ability to qualify for and maintain applicable state and federal archaeological permits and authorizations needed for assigned work.
- Cultural resources consulting experience preferred, including work on utility, renewable energy, mining, or other infrastructure projects.
- Experience conducting cultural resources work for or in coordination with federal agencies preferred.
- Knowledge of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Arizona Antiquities Act, and relevant state, federal, and Tribal requirements and consultation processes.
- Knowledge of Southwestern archaeology, archaeological research methods, and defensible field and reporting practices.
- Ability to resolve technical issues, communicate decisions, and recognize when permit conditions or agency consultation require escalation.
- Ability to participate in fieldwork and site visits as required for assigned responsibilities, with appropriate field safety planning.
- Strong writing and communication skills, including experience with technical reports, research designs or treatment plans, and proposal scopes.
- Experience directing teams, mentoring staff, and giving constructive technical review comments.
- Detail-oriented review of field records, analyses, figures, and final deliverables.
- Experience with field data collection and GPS/GIS workflows used on archaeological projects.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and collaborative document and project tracking tools.
- Ability to adapt field and office plans to changing client needs, agency comments, and project schedules.
- Willingness to travel throughout Arizona and the Southwest as project commitments require.
- Valid driver’s license and ability to meet the Company’s Motor Vehicle Safety Policy requirements for driving privileges.