What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Cultural Resources Specialist position at NICHOLS CONSULTING ENGINEERS CHTD?
NCE is seeking an experienced and driven Senior Cultural Resources Specialist to join our Environmental Practice and lead NCE’s established Cultural Resources Management (CRM) service line. This position is part of an actively growing group of environmental professionals delivering interdisciplinary projects across California and Nevada. The position will be in either NCE’s Sacramento or Point Richmond office.
The position will be responsible for expanding NCE’s CRM capabilities across our geographic markets; managing and supporting the existing CRM team throughout the firm, including staff in Northern Nevada and Northern California; and defining service line goals and objectives moving forward. While the role requires broad CRM leadership, the ideal candidate brings strong Northern California CRM experience, with particular technical depth in California and Bay Area pre‑contact archaeology, to complement and strengthen the existing team of archaeologists and architectural historians.
Daily responsibilities will include identifying and winning work with new and existing clients, managing and delivering complex projects, and mentoring and leading technical teams. Required technical capabilities include proficiency leading complex regulatory compliance efforts under Section 106, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the Caltrans Standard Environmental Reference (SER), as well as leading and advising clients during tribal consultation.
The ideal candidate will also possess strong communication and interpersonal skills and a proactive approach to effectively support staff, project, and workload management. Success in this role also requires the ability to identify projects that are a strong fit for the technical team, leverage existing client relationships, and establish new connections through active business development and marketing (as aided by NCE’s broader Environmental and Engineering practices).
Required Responsibilities:
- Lead NCE’s CRM service line
- Manage and coordinate all CRM work, including archaeology and architectural history services
- Strong understanding of the Caltrans, Standard Environmental Reference (SER)
- Provide technical leadership and oversight, with an emphasis on archaeological technical studies
- Possess strong Bay Area and California pre‑contact archaeological knowledge and experience
- Guide archaeological field efforts, including survey design, site recordation, and evaluation, as well as subsurface archaeological investigations
- Oversee and support CRM compliance efforts under Section 106 and CEQA
- Significant experience with Native American consultation, especially under AB-52 of the CEQA
- Collaborate closely with engineering and environmental leads on integrated project pursuits
- Develop and review prehistoric and historic contexts tailored to project needs
- Lead and/or provide strategic direction to staff during tribal consultation
- Develop or review/approve cultural resource evaluations using National Register and California Register criteria
- Develop and defend findings and determinations of effect
- Proficiency developing California DPR 523 forms
- Manage and delegate work to staff with clearly defined scopes, budgets, and schedules
- Mentor and support archaeologists and architectural historians within the CRM team
- Identify workload trends, staffing needs, and training priorities to support service line growth
- Actively identify, pursue, and win CRM opportunities, in California and Northern Nevada
Qualifications (Must Have):
- MS, MA, or PhD in Anthropology or Archaeology
- Minimum 12 years of professional CRM experience
- Secretary of the Interior qualified Archaeologist
- Experience managing staff and overseeing multiple concurrent CRM projects
- Proven seller‑doer capabilities, including pursuit support or direct client development
- Ability to work out of NCE’s Sacramento or Point Richmond offices
- Willingness to travel to Reno as needed
Qualifications (Nice to Have):
- 15-20 years of CRM experience
- CRM experience in Southern California
- BLM permitted Statewide in Nevada and/California as a Principal Investigator in historic and/or prehistoric areas
- Experience managing on‑call CRM contracts for public agencies
- Existing client relationships that support CRM pursuits
Salary Range: $135,000 to $160,000 annually, depending on experience.
Salary : $135,000 - $160,000