Lead Level Paleontologist

SWCA Environmental Consultants
United States, Colorado, Broomfield
295 Interlocken Blvd Ste 300 (Show on map)
Jan 24, 2025
About the opportunity SWCA's Rocky Mountain Plains (RMP) operation is seeking a Paleontological Team Lead to support its growing practice. The Paleontological Team Lead is responsible for providing highly effective, dynamic management and leadership within the RMP Paleontological Program by managing staff, projects, and clients. The successful candidate will possess a proven track record of developing new business, managing large-scale projects, meeting financial goals, and mentoring others to do the same, and will expand SWCA's professional reputation in paleontological consulting and research. The Paleontological Team Lead reports to the RMP Cultural Resources Director and will work closely with other RMP Team Leads, the RMP Office Directors, the RMP Vice President, and other regional leadership as appropriate. The RMP offices offer a collaborative and supportive work environment, and specialize in natural, cultural, and paleontological resource management, environmental planning, permitting, and regulatory compliance. This is a regular, full-time, salaried position that will be based out of one of our Rocky Mountain Plains Offices (Denver, Fort Collins, Sheridan, and Bismarck). , and preference will be given to candidates who are located in the Rocky Mountain Plains region (CO, WY, MT, ND, SD, MN). However, highly qualified candidates who prefer to work from a home office or adjacent states who are willing to travel for project work, or internal and external meetings, approximately 10-20% of the time will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. Salary will be based on individual qualifications and experience. This position is available at the below levels and title will be based on years of relevant experience or expertise: Lead Paleontologist - typically with at least 8 years of relevant industry experience and expertise Senior Paleontologist - typically with at least 10 years of relevant industry experience and expertise Principal Paleontologist - typically with at least 12 years of relevant industry experience and expertise Qualified candidates must submit a letter of interest along with a current resume in order to be considered for the position. 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 Organizational leadership Provide highly effective, dynamic management and leadership to SWCA's paleontological program and staff. Help align employees to their annual career development goals and build teams to support program and individual employee development. Supervise and mentor paleontological resources project managers, technical staff, and field personnel, while promoting a culture of teamwork, engagement, quality service, and customer satisfaction. Work closely with the Director(s) to hire paleontological staff. Take the leading role in identifying staffing needs, screening job candidates, conducting interviews, and making hiring recommendations to the Director. Proactively monitor the productivity and development of your team, set clear expectations, and foster an environment of teamwork. Provide general support to the team relating to subject matter resources, training opportunities, regulatory and research updates. Build collaborative relationships across offices/geographies to share resources and expertise. Technical leadership Oversee field research, data collection, laboratory tasks, analysis, and final report production, ensuring these tasks are conducted in accordance with the QA/QC plan. Serve as primary author on large technical reports, management plans, and other technical documents. Supervise and mentor personnel in the field, office, and laboratory; assign or delegate project tasks to junior staff. Manage quality and completeness of data collection, analysis, and report completion from start to finish. Oversee and perform QA/QC of deliverables, including impact assessments and management recommendations; perform technical peer review of documents. Develop and nurture productive relationships with relevant regulators, industry experts, academics and clients. Take initiative, resolve problems, and create improved procedures to ensure that tasks are completed in the most effective manner. Maintain good working relationships with state and federal agency contacts and clients. Comply with SWCA and client safety programs, and assist in the development of such programs. Participate in SWCA's Innovation initiative by considering new technology or other methods to improve efficiency and improve our company's competitive advantage. Client leadership Lead paleontology projects and/or lead aspects of interdisciplinary projects that include paleontology to ensure projects meet client expectations and are delivered on time and on budget. Organize and track schedules, budgets, and project key performance indicators to ensure project requirements are met. Develop strong relationships with existing clients while executing strategic analysis, marketing, and sales for new clients. Engage with the office business development team to evaluate changing market conditions and strategic sales opportunities at a regional and sub-regional level (new clients and geographies). Lead proposal efforts and internal business development groups, drive accountability for participation in business development and help mentor seller-doer mentality in all employees. Take lead role in the go/no go decisions in concert with the office Directors and drive accountability for efficient proposal and marketing pursuits. Develop strong and productive relationships within industry organizations and with agency staff to expand the regional client base in line with the region's strategic goals. Experience and qualifications for success M.S. or Ph.D. in paleontology, geology (with an emphasis on paleontology), biology (with an emphasis on paleontology and experience with geology), or a closely related field is highly preferred. A B.S. may be accepted if the candidate has at least five (5) full years working as an assistant to a Principal Paleontologist with administrative and project management experience and reporting experience in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, and/or the western United States. Eight (8) years of professional consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and agencies, with increasing levels of responsibility. Minimum of four (4) years of supervisory or mentorship experience, whether in a field, laboratory, or office setting. A commitment to fiscal and scheduling responsibilities for projects of all sizes and scopes. Knowledge of local geology and paleontology with paleontological field and reporting experience in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and/or Wyoming. Experience with and thorough knowledge of NEPA Must meet the criteria to be approved as a "Principal Investigator" or "Field Agent" on one or more BLM Paleontological Resource Use permits in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Laboratory techniques, including fossil identification, matrix screening, and fossil preparation, and museum curation experience. Field skills, including ability to locate, document, excavate/jacket, and identify fossils while documenting their geographic, taphonomic, and stratigraphic context. Prior experience with paleontological mitigation projects, including preconstruction surveying and construction monitoring, is highly desirable. Exceptional technical writing skills and a record of completing and editing technical reports in a timely fashion. Past peer-reviewed publication record and conference presentation experience preferred. Ability to adapt quickly to changes in project needs, agency requests, and more. Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a variety of colleagues, clients, and agency representatives. 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 would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response. EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency. 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 is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. An employee based out of this Denver, CO-based position as a Lead Paleontologist can expect a salary of $80,753.40-$105,257.88/year; a salary of $91,334.88-$119,180.88/year at the Senior Paleontologist position; or a salary for a Principal Paleontologist of $104,700.96 - $137,002.32/yr. 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, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more. 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. #LI-LP1