Burns & McDonnell

Cultural Resources Section Manager

Burns & McDonnell$80K — $110K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Anthropology, Archaeology, or Environmental Science.
  • At least 8 years of experience in cultural resources consulting or related environmental services.
  • Proven track record in managing archaeological investigations and laboratory operations.
  • Experience in financial management of projects including scope, schedule, and client communication.
  • Strong leadership abilities with experience supervising and mentoring staff.
  • Knowledge of federal and state preservation regulations and archaeological practices.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and databases relevant to artifact management.

Responsibilities

  • Lead operations of the Cultural Resources Laboratory in Kansas City.
  • Supervise and mentor laboratory staff and technical personnel.
  • Manage project staffing and workload to meet financial goals and schedules.
  • Enhance laboratory efficiency through improved workflows and quality assurance practices.
  • Oversee compliance with safety policies and quality standards.
  • Act as Project Manager for interdisciplinary cultural resources projects.
  • Coordinate with regulatory agencies and ensure adherence to preservation regulations.

Benefits

  • Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.
  • Engagement in a diverse portfolio of projects across the United States.
  • Supportive and collaborative work culture focused on mentorship.
  • Involvement in continuous improvement initiatives within the Environmental Services practice.
Full Job Description
Description

Burns & McDonnell's Environmental Services Global Practice is seeking an experienced Cultural Resources Lab Manager to oversee cultural resources laboratory operations in Kansas City while managing a diverse portfolio of cultural resources, archaeological, and interdisciplinary environmental projects throughout the Midwest and across the United States.

This position combines people leadership, laboratory management, technical oversight, and project management responsibilities. The successful candidate will develop and mentor high-performing teams, oversee laboratory operations, manage cultural resources and environmental projects, and serve as a senior technical resource for clients and project teams.

The ideal candidate is an experienced cultural resources professional with demonstrated success leading laboratory operations, supervising technical staff, managing and delivering complex projects, and building client relationships. This individual will play a key leadership role in advancing Burns & McDonnell's Environmental Services practice while exemplifying our core values of safety, client satisfaction, integrity, commitment, and employee ownership.

Primary Responsibilities
  • Lead daily operations of the Cultural Resources Laboratory in Kansas City.
  • Supervise, mentor, and develop laboratory staff, archaeologists, technicians, and support personnel.
  • Recruit, train, retain, and develop technical staff to support continued growth.
  • Manage staffing, workload, utilization, and resource assignments to meet project schedules and financial goals.
  • Improve laboratory workflows, artifact processing procedures, quality assurance practices, and operational efficiency.
  • Ensure compliance with company safety policies, quality standards, and laboratory procedures.
  • Support implementation of Environmental Services initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.
  • Serve as Project Manager for cultural resources, archaeological, and interdisciplinary environmental projects.
  • Manage projects from proposal through closeout, including scope development, budgeting, scheduling, staffing, client communication, contract administration, change management, billing, and financial performance.
  • Oversee laboratory analysis, reporting, and technical deliverables.
  • Understand curation practices and principles and oversee preparation of collections to repository standards.
  • Interpret and apply federal, state, and local historic preservation regulations, including the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
  • Coordinate with State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs/THPOs), federal agencies, and other regulatory agencies.
  • Conduct technical and quality reviews while maintaining a high standard of technical excellence across laboratory and project work.

Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, Archaeology, Historic Preservation, Environmental Science, or a related discipline from an accredited program.
  • Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible experience in cultural resources consulting, archaeology, or related environmental services.
  • Demonstrated experience managing archaeological investigations, laboratory operations, cultural resources compliance projects, and multidisciplinary project teams.
  • Experience managing project scope, schedule, budget, staffing, client communications, and financial performance.
  • Experience supervising and mentoring technical staff.
  • Strong knowledge of Section 106, NEPA, federal and state historic preservation regulations, archaeological field methods, and laboratory practices.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal, organizational, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience with artifact databases, GIS, GPS, curation standards, and digital field documentation.
  • Master's degree or Ph.D. in Anthropology, Archaeology, or a closely related field preferred.
  • Meets the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology and is qualified to serve as a Principal Investigator preferred.
  • Experience serving as a Principal Investigator on cultural resources projects and working with federal, state, and tribal regulatory agencies preferred.

This job posting will remain open a minimum of 72 hours and on an ongoing basis until filled.

Job Environmental

Primary Location US-MO-Kansas City

Schedule: Full-time

Travel: Yes, 25 % of the Time

Req ID: 263264

Job Hire Type Experienced #LI-GS #ENS N/A

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm. The company was founded in 1898 by Clinton Burns and Robert McDonnell and is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Burns & McDonnell provides services to a wide range of industries, including aviation, defense, energy, environmental, healthcare, and transportation. The company has over 7,500 employees and operates in more than 50 countries around the world. Burns & McDonnell has been recognized as one of the best places to work in the United States by Fortune magazine.
Learn more about Burns & McDonnell
Size
7,500 employees
Industry
Founded
1898

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