Associate Paleontologist

The Opportunity:

Tetra Tech Inc. is seeking a professional, motivated, and technically capable Associate Paleontologist to support our Federal NEPA, Environmental Compliance, and Resource Management and Planning team. The selected candidate will join the Tetra Tech Environmental Government Services division and support paleontological compliance projects for Department of Defense and other federal contracts, as well as state, municipal, commercial, infrastructure, energy, transportation, and other projects. The Associate Paleontologist will primarily perform project-level work in field, laboratory, and office settings under the direction of a Principal Paleontologist, Project Manager, or other senior technical lead. The position will support paleontological resource assessments, field surveys, construction monitoring, fossil discovery response, specimen documentation, fossil salvage and collection, laboratory processing, data management, and technical reporting. This is a technical position requiring the knowledge, skills, and ability to independently perform assigned paleontological compliance work and deliver accurate, timely, and professional work products. The position will have involve some responsibility for staff supervision; as well as supporting roles in business development, program management, and overall project accountability.

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:

• Conduct paleontological resource surveys, field inventories, sensitivity assessments, and construction monitoring.
• Perform fossil discovery response activities, including identification, documentation, evaluation, collection, salvage, and preliminary assessment of specimens.
• Support excavation, fossil recovery, specimen preparation, cataloging, packaging, labeling, and transfer to approved repositories or laboratories.
• Maintain accurate field notes, locality records, photographs, maps, specimen inventories, monitoring logs, and chain‑of‑custody documentation.
• Assist with paleontological assessments, survey reports, monitoring reports, mitigation plans, treatment plans, inadvertent‑discovery procedures, technical memoranda, and other project deliverables.
• Conduct paleontological research, literature reviews, records searches, background research, and data compilation.
• Support compliance with the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, NEPA, federal and state regulations, agency policies, permit conditions, and other applicable requirements.
• Implement approved field and laboratory methods, monitoring procedures, mitigation measures, and specimen‑handling protocols.
• Coordinate with project managers, construction personnel, geologists, archaeologists, environmental planners, engineers, GIS specialists, laboratories, repositories, subcontractors, and other project staff.
• Communicate field discoveries, project status, technical issues, schedule concerns, and compliance requirements to the appropriate project or technical lead.
• Prepare maps, tables, figures, databases, photo logs, specimen inventories, and other supporting project materials.
• Conduct laboratory‑based work, including fossil preparation, sorting, identification, cataloging, data entry, collections management, and quality‑control review, as assigned.
• Review assigned technical work products for accuracy, completeness, consistency, and compliance with project requirements.
• Work independently on assigned tasks while seeking guidance from senior staff when conditions, discoveries, or project requirements warrant.
• Support permitting, repository coordination, specimen transfer, and documentation activities.
• Participate in project meetings and provide technical input regarding paleontological field and laboratory activities.
• Assist with proposal preparation, scopes of work, technical approaches, and cost estimates when requested.
• Mentor or provide task‑level guidance to junior staff when assigned.
• Maintain current knowledge of paleontological science, field methods, regulatory requirements, agency guidance, and industry standards.
• Work safely and follow all applicable company, client, site, and project‑specific health and safety requirements.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned paleontological resources professional with demonstrated experience performing technical work in a paleontological compliance consulting environment.

• Bachelor’s degree in paleontology, geology, earth sciences, biological sciences, or a closely related field is required; a master’s degree is preferred.
• Approximately 4 to 8 years of progressively responsible experience in paleontology, geological sciences, paleontological resource management, environmental consulting, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience conducting paleontological surveys, construction monitoring, fossil discovery response, specimen documentation, salvage, laboratory processing, or related project work.
• Working knowledge of paleontological resource management requirements applicable to federal, state, and local projects.
• Working knowledge of the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, NEPA, applicable federal and state regulations, agency policies, permit conditions, and environmental compliance processes.
• Experience preparing or contributing to paleontological assessments, survey reports, monitoring reports, technical memoranda, mitigation documentation, and other technical deliverables.
• Experience with fossil identification, documentation, evaluation, collection, excavation, salvage, preparation, cataloging, or curation.
• Ability to accurately maintain field records, specimen documentation, databases, photographs, maps, and project files.
• Ability to follow established field, laboratory, safety, quality‑control, and specimen‑handling procedures.
• Strong technical writing, communication, organization, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary project team.
• Ability to perform assigned work independently with appropriate direction and oversight.
• Experience with GIS, GPS, databases, digital field data collection, or technical mapping is preferred.
• Federal paleontological permitting or federal contract experience is preferred.
• 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. 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).

Salary for this position will range from $82,000-$87,000.

Life at Tetra Tech:

• 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 thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Additional Information

• Organization: 112 EGS