About the opportunity:
SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks a Staff Architectural Historian to support cultural resources projects in Northern California and potentially throughout the state. As we continue to grow our Cultural Resources team, we ’re looking for a passionate, motivated professional dedicated to delivering high-quality project work and helping our team thrive.
This is a regular, hourly, non-exempt, full-time position with benefits, offering the flexibility of a hybrid work model. The position will report into our Sacramento, CA office.
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.
Our Vision (the North Star), Core Values, and Purpose: Help drive SWCA to be the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership.
We are #OneSWCA and collaborate across all our offices, programs, and disciplines. We are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack. We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. It is imperative for the successful candidate to fit SWCA's unique culture. Do you appreciate sustainability and environmental awareness? Is giving back to your community a priority? SWCA is a team of scientists, planners, technical experts, and corporate services professionals that are committed to our culture.
Our Company Purpose is to preserve natural and cultural resources for tomorrow while enabling projects that benefit people today. You are invited to be a part of our success story.
What you will accomplish:
- Support and contribute to architectural history and historic preservation projects, including multi-disciplinary efforts.
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Conduct historic resource surveys of residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and institutional properties using digital tools such as tablets and photography.
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Perform archival research and write compelling historic narratives and context statements using primary and secondary sources.
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Evaluate historic properties using National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) criteria.
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Prepare high-quality compliance documentation for NHPA/Section 106 review.
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Conduct resource inventories, property descriptions, and draft California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) 523 series forms.
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Conduct project-level reviews to ensure compliance with the Secretary of the Interior ’s Standards.
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Assist municipalities and local governments with planning regulations and preservation ordinances.
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Develop and manage project budgets and supervise field crews and staff.
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Support proposal writing and marketing efforts to help grow our cultural resources services.
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Maintain high standards of technical excellence, ethics, and quality assurance in all project deliverables.
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Oversee and ensure completeness and accuracy in data collection, analysis, and report preparation.
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Perform mid-level peer reviews of technical reports.
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Collaborate with Cultural Resources Directors, Team Leads, Project Managers, and Principal Investigators across the company.
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Work closely with clients to understand project goals and provide strategic recommendations for historic resource management.
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Engage with SWCA ’s Historic Preservation Working Group and architectural historians nationwide.
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Adhere to the safety program and look out for the safety of others, promptly communicating and mitigating safety hazards.
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For this position, depending upon the project, an element of your job may be to independently supervise a field survey crew in the field. This includes:
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independently assigning and directing 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;
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ensuring that employees understand their responsibilities and delegated tasks and being held accountable if crew members under your supervision are not performing their activities correctly, productively, and safely;
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serving as a conduit of communication between employees and senior managers, including communicating issues to relevant senior managers;
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receiving and resolving complaints from employees in the field; and monitoring team productivity and providing timely performance feedback, including deciding when disciplinary action is necessary and delivering discipline.
Experience and qualifications for success:
- Bachelor ’s degree in Historic Preservation, Public History, Heritage Conservation, History, Architectural History, or a related field.
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Minimum of one (1) year of experience in cultural resources management as an architectural historian required; two (2) years preferred.
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Solid understanding of federal and state historic preservation laws and regulations, especially Section 106 of the NHPA and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
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Demonstrated knowledge of U.S. history and architectural history.
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Strong research, writing, and communication skills.
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Valid driver ’s license and ability to meet SWCA ’s driver safety requirements.
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Willingness and ability to travel up to 35% of the time.
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
[email protected] 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 in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.
An employee in this Sacramento, CA-based position can expect a pay rate of $26.94/hour to $34.37 /hour. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA ’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package ( https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.
EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.
SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA ’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.
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