Cultural Resources Specialist (Environmental Planner 4)

The hiring manager reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time. It will be in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.
Application review will be ongoing and will begin immediately.

*This posting will fill a vacancy within the Cultural Resources Section.

Schedule: RCO is head-quartered in Olympia, WA on the state's capital campus. RCO will consider candidates that can successfully do this job from another location (in-state) with occasional travel to Olympia for meetings and other functions.

The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)is a small state agency located in Olympia, Washington that plans for and provides funding to: create and maintain opportunities for recreation; protect the best of the state's wild lands, farms, and forests; and recover salmon.

RCO strives to maintain a workplace that is respectful, inclusive and family-friendly where all team members feel safe to bring their true selves to work. We believe in a culture where everyone continually improves and has the opportunity to lead.

At RCO we envision:
A state that has abundant outdoor recreation spaces, healthy habitats, and working farms and forests that support people, fish, and wildlife.

What you will be doing:

You will be a technical lead for the agency’s consultation process. You will prepare documents to support consultation with the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and Native American tribes by effectively communicating with all consulting parties and reviewing consultant scopes of work and reviewing and evaluating surveys and other site assessments. You will provide section leads with project support for cultural resources issues as well as provide expert advice and technical information to facilitate project delivery. You will have delegated decision-making authority for implementation of Executive Order 21-02 (Download PDF reader) on behalf of the agency.

The Cultural Resources Specialist (Archeologist) is responsible for review, preparation, and administration of the agency’s cultural resources compliance process for the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (RCFB), Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB), and Office grant programs. This senior position analyzes and evaluates up to 1200 grant funded projects for compliance with Executive Order 21-02 for state funded projects and Section 106 for the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) for federally funded projects administered by RCO.

Duties

Some of what you’ll enjoy includes:

• Conduct preliminary reviews for funded and proposed projects for their potential to effect cultural resources, as required by state and federal regulations.
• Develop contract (Grant Agreement) conditions and deliverables.
• Prepare consultation communication materials.
• Initiate formal consultation with the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) and Native American tribes.
• Conduct technical and government-to-government liaison actions with Native American tribes on archaeological and historical issues.
• Review project specific surveys, inventories, and monitoring reports.
• Work with project sponsors (grant recipients), RCO grant managers, and cultural resource consultants to address issues.
• Draft and distribute final cultural resource determinations of effect.
• Work in coordination with consulting parties for project actions that require an “Archaeological Site Alteration & Excavation Permit” from DAHP.
• Work with consulting parties on any mitigation requirements or inadvertent discoveries.
• Provide expert technical assistance to RCO staff, review panels, advisory committees, grant applicants and sponsors.
• Provide consultation and guidance on cultural resources laws, proposed legislation and agency policy and process.
• Assist in updating the agency implementation process for Executive Order 21-02.
• Respond to internal and external requests for information and guidance on cultural resources compliance for applications and funded projects.
• Assist in the review and analysis of cultural resource legislation that is proposed.
• Attend monthly coordination meetings with the Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation.
• Attend weekly and monthly coordination meetings with federal program partners (The National Park Service – Land and Water Conservation Fund, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA), Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Funds, etc).
• Participate on grant database design and development teams for the RCO grant database PRISM.
• Develop and facilitate cultural resource trainings for staff on grant application review related to Area of Potential Effect (APE) mapping, cultural resource pathway selection, special condition contract language, etc.
• Develop cultural resources guidance materials for applicants and sponsors.
• Assist in development and maintenance of a Cultural Resource Web page (part of the RCO webpage) with links to guidance documents and education tools.
• Attend and present at trainings, conferences related to the RCO cultural resource process.

Salary

• $6,259 - $8,415/month

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

Must meet US Secretary of Interior Professional Qualifications Standards for professional archaeologist (36 CFR Part 61), which are:

• A graduate degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, Historic Preservation, or closely related field, with coursework in the above.
• At least 4 months of supervised field study and analytic experience in general North American studies. This can be demonstrated as coursework, participation in a field school, or as work experience. A successful candidate would be expected to be able to list specific experiences that demonstrate this criterion.
• Demonstrated ability to carry research through to completion.

A minimum of 1 year of full-time professional experience at a supervisory level in the study of archaeological resources of the precontact or historic period. This criterion may be met with one or more years of work experience as a crew lead, project manager, field school Teaching Assistant, or other similar position.

AND

• Must have and maintain a current driver’s license

AND

• Must possess, or have the qualifications to acquire, professional level access to DAHP’s WISAARD database.

AND

• No violations of RCW 27.53 – Archaeological Sites and Resources.

Demonstrated knowledge of:

• Federal and state cultural resource laws and regulations.
• Prehistoric and historic archaeological field research methods.
• State archaeological and historic information, and use of DAHP database.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Identify archaeological and cultural resources in the field.
• Communicate and work closely with tribal governments and local communities.

Required Competencies:

• Communication - Effectively conveys ideas and shares information with others from a place of authenticity. Listen and communicate with the audience in mind and an understanding of different points of view. Conveys clear, timely, persuasive messages that positively influence thoughts and actions.
• Customer Service - Build and maintain internal and external customer satisfaction with the products and services offered by the organization. Consistently go beyond basic service expectations to help customers implement complete solutions. Cultivate an environment of engagement, belonging, respect, empathy, active listening and trust, and collaboration.
• Integrity - Earn the trust, respect, and confidence of co-workers and customers through consistent honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism in all interactions.
• Self-Management - Identify what needs to be done and proactively takes appropriate action. Recognize situations that warrant assertive action and move forward without hesitation. Get the job done. Be accountable for work and consistently achieve excellent, timely results with little need for oversight.
• Teamwork - Actively partner with co-workers to provide them with assistance, information, techniques, instruction, feedback, and encouragement to maximize their successes on the job. Emphasize team approach to providing excellent customer service.
• Diplomacy – Respond to difficult, stressful or sensitive situations in ways that reduce or minimize potential conflict and maintains good working relationships among internal and external customers.

PREFERRED:

• Five (5) years professional work experience in archaeological, historical or cultural resource research, administration or management of which includes a minimum of:
  • Two (2) years of fulltime professional experience at a supervisory level (crew chief or higher) in the study of archeological resources of the prehistoric period.
  • One (1) year of fulltime professional experience at a supervisory level (crew chief or higher) in the study of archeological resources of the historic period.
• Knowledge of:
  • Pacific Northwest history and ethnography.
  • State and federal grants that support environmental restoration, outdoor recreation, and salmon recovery, including statutes, rules, and policy guidance.
  • Principles of training; contract preparation and administration; principles of negotiation; principles and techniques of planning.
• Professional experience working in the Pacific Northwest.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and work closely with Tribal governments, technical cultural resources staff, and communities.
• Working knowledge of environmental permitting, regulatory processes, and including statutes, rules, and policy guidance.
• Experience or knowledge in creating and utilizing cultural resource predictive models.
• Experience or knowledge of Geographic Information System (GIS).

Other Information

How to apply:
In addition to completing the online application, you must attach the following documents to your profile or paste into the "text resume" field in order to be considered for this position:

• A letter of interest(no more than 2 pages in length) explaining how your past experiences make you an ideal candidate for this position and what exceptional skills you would bring to RCO;
• A current resume, detailing experience, education, and other relevant interests;
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview)

NOTE: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not substitute for completing the “duties summary” section or supplemental questions of the application. Please do not “refer to resume” for detail, or your application may be disqualified.

Union Inclusion:
This position is included in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Opportunity for All:
The Recreation and Conservation Office celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact us:
If you have questions about this opportunity, please email Anita Macpherson at anita.macpherson@rco.wa.gov or call (360) 902-3000. Benefits

More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security
All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness
If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays
Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave
Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)
Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave
Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave
Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave
Leave Sharing
Parental Leave
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 07-21-2025