FIELDWORK ARCHAEOLOGIST - TECHNICIAN to SENIOR PROJECT OFFICERS

Sup £24,696 - £28,047; Project Officer £27,698 - £32,131; Snr Project Officer £31,402 - £35,963 - Plus London Weighting at £898 - Salary commensurate with skills & experience

Wessex Archaeology is one of the UK’s largest and most comprehensive heritage service providers, and a market leader in the provision of fieldwork archaeological services in the UK. We are looking to recruit fieldwork archaeologists at all grades, ranging from early career technicians to experienced officers, to join our Meopham, Kent-based team for work on a range of projects in the Southeast England. We have an extremely exciting programme planned throughout 2022 and beyond and we are confident that we can offer you a challenging and rewarding role with excellent scope for career progression.

All contracts offered are on a permanent contract basis, and as an Equal Opportunities employer, we welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to promoting equality of opportunity.

You will be joining an inclusive, supportive, busy and growing team where you will have an opportunity to develop your fieldwork excavation and technical skills, your commercial awareness and your people skills. We support peer to peer learning and commit to providing you with a development review during the initial term of the contract and regularly thereafter.

Position requirements:

Technician – This post may suit those starting out on their career in commercial archaeology and less experienced archaeologists. Those within the role provide support on a variety of infrastructure projects from evaluations to excavation, full support and skills development will be provided for those employed at this grade. We would consider applications from those with no experience and no formal archaeological qualifications, who would qualify at our entry level archaeologist.

Senior Technician – We are seeking archaeologists with experience and a high level of excavation skills who want to develop further and can apply a depth and breadth of knowledge and practised techniques to assist with the efficient delivery of projects and tasks. You will need an ability and willingness to pass on knowledge and skills and a key attribute for this role is contributing to the development of others through the sharing of techniques and knowledge – skills sharing is important to us and a founding principle of the team.

Assistant Supervisors – This grade is suited to those of you with more fieldwork experience who are wishing to start to step up in the supervision of teams and to continue to undertake excavation tasks to a high standard, as part of their role. You will also gain experience by supporting site directors on large sites or undertaking smaller projects such as watching briefs. It may also involve undertaking supervision of tasks within larger infrastructure projects. You will need to be good at communicating, prioritising, anticipating and identifying risks and again, as with all team members, be happy to collaborate with and support others as they develop.

Supervisors – Supervisors typically have the experience and skill set to run smaller projects from evaluations and excavations as well as watching briefs, including undertaking excavation tasks. They lead by example using their excavation skills and their ability to mentor and advise those around them. They will also be invaluable in providing support to fieldwork directors on site and will typically step in for them when needed. At this grade the expectation is the direction and delivery of projects and tasks, leading and directing a team, supporting and developing the performance of staff under their supervision, providing mentoring, advice and guidance, and dealing with poor performance.

Officers – The ideal candidates will be experienced heritage professionals with demonstrable fieldwork experience and excellent excavation standards, in a professional commercial archaeological environment. Applicants for the position must have a proven track record in directing medium to large teams in the field and must provide evidence of good report writing skills. A publication portfolio would be beneficial but is not essential. You will be expected to be able to work independently when required and demonstrate a professional approach to work, colleagues, other professionals and clients.

Key attributes:

Essential skills for all successful applicants will be:

• To have a valid CSCS card – we can provide help and advice on obtaining these;
• A full clean Driving Licence;
• To have the ability to work with self-awareness and the confidence to ask questions; and
• Able to manage their own time and work to deadlines.

Highly desirable attributes will include:

• SMSTS/SSSTS or other H&S qualifications;
• Valid First Aid at Work, CAT & Genny and Plant Marshalling (banksmen) certification; and
• Membership of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists or another appropriate professional body.

Whilst having a good degree in archaeology or a related subject will certainly be of benefit, at Wessex Archaeology we also recognise that there are many very capable archaeologists both within our Company, and across the sector as a whole, who do not have university qualifications. We will therefore welcome applications from all who wish to join our fieldwork team, graduates and non-graduates alike.

What we offer:

In addition to our highly competitive salaries, we are also able to offer a host of additional benefits, further details available on our website.

What you must do:

If you think you’re the right person for us, please submit a completed application form, which is available from the vacancies page on our website https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/vacancies, together with a copy of your CV and any other information that will support your application. The deadline for return of applications via e-mail to wa.applications@wessexarch.co.uk is close of business on 22^nd July 2022, but for the right candidates immediate offers of employment will be made. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged.

Whilst Wessex Archaeology welcomes applications from all sections of the community and is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, it is essential that the successful candidate must by the start of their employment have permission to work in the UK. Proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK will be required prior to commencement of employment.