Senior Paleontologist
The Opportunity:
Tetra Tech Inc., an industry leader and nationally recognized engineering and consulting firm, is seeking a professional, motivated, and technically accomplished candidate to fill a Senior Paleontologist role for our Federal NEPA, Environmental Compliance, and Resource Management and Planning team.
The candidate selected will become a part of the Tetra Tech Environmental Government Services division and will lead the development of a paleontological resources practice supporting Department of Defense and other federal contracts, as well as state, municipal, commercial, infrastructure, energy, transportation, and other sector projects.
The Senior Paleontologist will serve as a senior technical authority for paleontological resources. This position will be primarily focused on the scientific and technical execution of paleontological contract work, including resource assessments, field surveys, construction monitoring, fossil discovery response, fossil salvage and collection, mitigation, agency coordination, repository coordination, and technical reporting.
The ideal candidate will have a dynamic history of paleontological resource management, environmental compliance, geological and paleontological field investigations, and project delivery. The candidate should have experience working with federal, state, and local agencies; engineering and construction teams; land-management agencies; museums and repositories; and private-sector clients.
This is a full-time salaried remote position.
Why Tetra Tech:
At Tetra Tech, we are Leading with Science to solve the world’s most complex challenges. Our industry-leading experts in engineering and consulting are committed to driving positive change in communities around the world. For over 50 years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. Today we stand as a market leader, offering cutting-edge solutions in water, environment, energy, and international development. Our work has improved more than 625 million lives around the world.
Your Impact:
Join Tetra Tech to make a real difference. Our work leverages cutting-edge technologies, advanced analytics, and the expertise of world-class scientists and engineers to create meaningful change around the world. Discover your full potential – join us to advance your career while leaving a lasting legacy.
Responsibilities:
The Senior Paleontologist will serve as Tetra Tech’s senior technical specialist for executing paleontological compliance projects nationwide. The role will combine technical oversight, project delivery, regulatory compliance, staff coordination, quality assurance, and ensuring technical rigor.
• Lead and perform paleontological resource assessments, sensitivity evaluations, field surveys, construction monitoring, fossil discovery response, excavation, salvage, collection, documentation, and mitigation activities.
• Serve as a technical lead, principal investigator, qualified paleontologist, or field supervisor, as appropriate.
• Prepare, review, and approve paleontological assessment reports, survey reports, monitoring plans, mitigation and treatment plans, inadvertent-discovery procedures, technical memoranda, and related deliverables.
• Provide technical support for compliance with the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, NEPA, federal and state regulations, agency policies, permit conditions, and other applicable requirements.
• Support federal and state permitting and authorization for paleontological surveys, monitoring, excavation, collection, and specimen disposition.
• Direct and coordinate field activities, including crew planning, field methods, fossil identification, documentation, excavation, salvage, collection, and specimen handling.
• Monitor construction activities and communicate with project managers, construction personnel, inspectors, and field staff regarding paleontological requirements, discoveries, schedule, and response procedures.
• Evaluate paleontological sensitivity, fossil-bearing potential, project effects, and appropriate treatment or mitigation measures.
• Develop and maintain procedures for specimen documentation, chain of custody, locality confidentiality, repository acceptance, collections transfer, cataloging, and long-term curation.
• Coordinate with qualified repositories, museums, universities, laboratories, fossil preparation facilities, and other institutions involved in specimen preparation and curation.
• Provide technical guidance to paleontologists, paleontological monitors, geologists, archaeologists, GIS specialists, subcontractors, and other project staff.
• Review project work products for technical accuracy, regulatory consistency, completeness, and quality.
• Coordinate with project managers and multidisciplinary teams to integrate paleontological resources into environmental compliance and construction programs.
• Mentor and train junior and mid-level staff in paleontological methods, field procedures, reporting, regulatory requirements, and professional standards.
• Support proposal preparation, scopes of work, technical approaches, and cost estimates when requested, and support Managing Principal Paleontologist with business development and business line growth.
• Maintain current knowledge of paleontological science, resource management practices, regulatory requirements, agency guidance, and industry standards.
• Conduct activities in accordance with internal procedures, applicable legislation, regulations, permits, and professional standards.
• Work safely at all times and report health and safety incidents and concerns.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will be an experienced paleontological resources professional with demonstrated expertise in the scientific and technical execution of paleontological consulting work. The candidate should have experience conducting field investigations, preparing technical reports, supporting regulatory compliance, coordinating with agencies and project teams, and directing paleontological field activities.
• Master’s degree in paleontology, geology, earth sciences, biological sciences, or a closely related field is preferred. A bachelor’s degree in one of these disciplines combined with substantial relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in paleontology, geological sciences, paleontological resource management, environmental consulting, or a related field, is desired.
• Demonstrated experience conducting paleontological assessments, surveys, construction monitoring, fossil discovery response, excavation, salvage, collection, documentation, or mitigation.
• In-depth knowledge of paleontological resource management requirements applicable to federal, state, and local projects.
• Knowledge of the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, applicable federal regulations and agency policies, state paleontological resource requirements, NEPA, and related environmental compliance processes.
• Experience preparing paleontological resource assessments, survey reports, monitoring plans, treatment plans, mitigation plans, inadvertent-discovery procedures, technical memoranda, and technical reports.
• Experience with fossil identification, documentation, evaluation, collection, excavation, salvage, preparation, cataloging, and curation.
• Experience coordinating with federal and state agencies, land-management agencies, construction contractors, engineering firms, museums, universities, repositories, laboratories, and other stakeholders.
• Experience serving as a principal investigator, permittee, qualified paleontologist, project paleontologist, or equivalent technical authority is preferred.
• Federal paleontological permitting experience is strongly preferred.
• Ability to direct field crews and coordinate technical work performed by paleontologists, monitors, geologists, subcontractors, and other project personnel.
• Strong technical writing, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Professional registration or certification in geology, paleontology, or a related discipline is preferred, where applicable.
• Willingness to travel regionally and nationally for project assignments, including field sessions lasting two weeks or longer.
• Current driver’s license and ability to operate a motor vehicle for company business.
• Completion of applicable health and safety training may be required based on project assignments.
• Membership in relevant professional organizations is preferred.
This position requires the candidate to be a U.S. Citizen due to the projects they will be working on.
Background Check ): If this position requires a CAC card, CUI Enclave Access and/or a Security Clearance, a background check will be completed.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The position frequently performs work in a field environment. Field work will involve traversing uneven terrain, standing, and walking for extended periods of time and will require lifting up to 50 pounds. However, the position will also require periods of work in an (remote) office environment. Note that office work can be fully remote.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This work is principally performed in an office environment and the employee will be required to travel for field work to complete site investigations and, attend industry events, and meet with clients or Tetra Tech leadership. The employee may be required to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions as needed to maintain project schedules. Components of the work will also be performed in an office setting, from a home office or in a Tetra Tech office, depending on a candidate’s preference.
Language & Communication Skills: The employee must be fluent in the English language and able to communicate effectively in both oral and written forms. The employee may be required to make presentations at conferences and to clients, and the employee will be responsible for providing high quality written products to include presentations, reports, and proposals.
Other Skills: The employee must be able to perform basic math as needed to support data collection and project management (i.e., overseeing project logistics and providing accurate schedule and progress updates). The employee must have strong computer skills and be able to use common software needed for project management and product development (such as ArcPro, ArcGIS, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project, and ESRI products).
At Tetra Tech, health and safety play a vital role in our success. Tetra Tech’s employees work together to comply with all applicable health & safety practices and protocols, including health orders and regulations related to COVID-19 that are mandated by local, state, and federal authorities.
Salary for this position will range from $115,000–120,000.
Life at Tetra Tech:
The perks of working at Tetra Tech include:
• Comprehensive and market-competitive benefits.
• Merit-based financial rewards.
• Flexibility and company-wide commitment to work/life balance.
• Collaborative team atmosphere that values the contributions of all employees.
• Learning and development opportunities for ongoing professional growth.
About Tetra Tech:
Tetra Tech is the leader in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure, providing high-end consulting and engineering services for projects worldwide. With 30,000 employees working together, Tetra Tech provides clear solutions to complex problems by Leading with Science® to address the entire water cycle, protect and restore the environment, design sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and support the clean energy transition.
Tetra Tech is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital or familial status, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. Tetra Tech is a VEVRAA federal contractor and we request priority referral of veterans.
We invite applications from all interested parties.
Explore our open positions at https://www.tetratech.com/careers. Follow us on social media to learn more about our people, culture, and opportunities:
LinkedIn: @TetraTechCareers
Twitter: @TetraTechJobs
Facebook: @TetraTechCareers
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.
Please no phone calls or agencies.