Architectural Historian

Architectural Historian

Merjent, Inc. (Merjent) is currently seeking an Architectural Historian. The Architectural Historian will work within the larger Cultural Resources Group and perform a variety of office and field tasks, including historic research, completion of historic resource evaluations/assessments, field survey and property documentation, and working with and developing new clients.

This is a full-time, benefits eligible opportunity that can be based anywhere in the U.S. or from Merjent's Minneapolis, MN or Appleton, WI offices. The anticipated salary for this position is between $72,100-$111,300, depending on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. This position is also bonus eligible.

Responsibilities

• Assist project managers and coordinate compliance with National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and state environmental regulations and other laws relating to the protection of cultural resources.
• Assess the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility of individual resources and/or districts.
• Write architectural descriptions, property histories, historic context statements, statements of significance, and effect determinations.
• Conduct historic property and context research, including primary and secondary sources, census records, historic maps, newspapers, city directories, building blueprints, tax records, etc.
• Engage with the public and stakeholders.
• Prepare defensible compliance documentation in support of NHPA/Section 106 review.
• Prepare technical reports for above-ground property surveys.
• Conduct field surveys and site visits (approximately 20% travel required, including driving and/or air travel depending on project location and distance).
• Independently manage architectural history and historic preservation projects and assist other project managers in the execution of architectural history, historic preservation, preservation planning, and components of multi-disciplinary projects.
• Perform and analyze photographic surveys of historic resources and project viewshed impacts on resources.
• Train and mentor staff.
• Maintain qualifications to meet the guidelines of a PI in each state where they conduct fieldwork or review projects.

Qualifications And Experience

• Master's degree in Historic Preservation, Public History, Heritage Conservation, Architectural History, or a closely related field and 3+ years of relevant experience; OR a bachelor's degree in one of these fields and 5+ years of relevant experience.

• Meet the Secretary of the Interior's Professional 36 CFR Part 61 Qualifications in Architectural History.

• Minimum 3 years' relevant experience working with NHPA and NEPA. This includes experience in conducting historic property identification surveys and evaluating historic properties, including buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts, in accordance with National Register Criteria for Evaluation.

• Experience in cultural resources management and the supervision of cultural resource projects from contract award to agency concurrence.

• Demonstrated knowledge of the history/architectural history of the Midwest and Eastern U.S. Experience working in these regions is preferred.

• Experience working in the consulting environment, able to handle multiple projects simultaneously, and responsive to both internal and external clients.

• Strong research, writing, and communication skills.

• Experience in visual landscape analysis and assessment, specifically the assessment of aboveground utility infrastructure impacts on land, human, tribal, and recreational uses, and how evaluation of the integrity of setting, feeling, and/or association contribute to the overall resource eligibility, is preferred.

• Documentation and research experience, including Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record documentation, historic contexts, and NRHP eligibility determinations and effects assessments, is preferred.