NEW (17 MARCH 2026): OFFICE MANAGER (TUCSON)

Desert Archaeology, Inc. is seeking a Tucson-based, solutions-oriented Office Manager to assist with the effective coordination of projects and operations in our Tucson, Tempe (Phoenix area), and Prescott offices.

The Office Manager is an essential part of the administrative and management team with coordination and implementation roles that support company projects. The Office Manager directly manages accounts receivable, accounts payable, vendor accounts, payroll, the company’s fleet of vehicles, and facilities for Desert Archaeology’s three permanent work locations. The position also manages the day-to-day human resources tasks and advises Management on regulations and training. The Office Manager directly supervises the Administrative Assistant and works with other employees to accomplish required duties. This position supports company operations, helping to manage project and budget entry and invoicing, and other assigned tasks. Additionally, the Office Manager often handles making travel arrangements and renting equipment in support of field projects. Clerical and front office tasks are shared with the Administrative Assistant. A core component of the Office Manager job is coordinating tasks with employees throughout the company and problem solving.

This is a full-time, 40-hour per week, permanent position with full medical, PTO, and retirement benefits after one year.

Bookkeeping Responsibilities:

  • Enter and manage data in Desert Archaeology’s customized accounting system
  • Process, mail, and track invoices and payments
  • Record and deliver deposits, process and track credit card payments
  • Provide information as requested to auditors (DES, insurance, etc.)
  • Prepare monthly bank reconciliations
  • Maintain bookkeeping and other organizational files
  • Process time sheets and other payroll records while using an outside payroll service
  • Perform related functions as required

Administrative Responsibilities:

  • Support hiring and employee benefits
  • Manage professional insurance
  • Submitting applications for archaeological permitting
  • Timely correspondence, including sorting and distributing incoming mail
  • Maintain sufficient supplies to support office needs
  • Monitor company vehicle maintenance requirements
  • Serve as contact with landlords, cleaning service, IT consultant, and other vendors
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

  • At least two years prior administrative/bookkeeping experience, preferably in a small business environment
  • Ability to handle fiscal information with sensitivity and integrity
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
  • Well-organized, able to handle multiple tasks with shifting priorities
  • Excellent interpersonal and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to work both independently and in a team
  • Familiarity with GAAP and FAR cost allowability guidelines (recommended)

The anticipated base pay range is $ 60,000 per year or commensurate with experience.

Desert Archaeology is a woman-owned small business providing full service cultural resources management. Office headquarters are in Tucson, with branch offices in Tempe and Prescott. Desert Archaeology was founded in 1982 and has been at the forefront of Arizona cultural resources management since that time. The company is distinguished by our investment in building knowledge and communities through research about the past. Our work is on the ancestral lands of 22 Tribes who consider the state of Arizona their homeland.

Desert Archaeology is an Equal Opportunity Employment company.

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and names of three references to the contact below by April 3, 2026.

Sarah Herr, President

Desert Archaeology, Inc.

3975 N. Tucson Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85716

sherr@desert.com

Subject Line: Office Manager

 

ONGOING: SURVEY/EXCAVATION FIELD CREW (SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL ARIZONA)

Desert Archaeology is seeking archaeological technicians for fieldwork on both survey and excavation projects in 2026.

Archaeological surveys are planned in southern and central Arizona. Applicants for survey technician positions should have prior field experience and be prepared for physical work, including carrying personal gear and some company gear in a backpack, in the varying conditions of desert environments, including temperature, terrain, and vegetation. Applicants for supervisory positions should also have a BA or higher in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a related field and indicate experience in a supervisory capacity. The crew will work as a team to locate, document, and evaluate archaeological sites. Tasks include using equipment to map archaeological features and sites, photographing sites, recording artifacts, drawing scaled maps of sites and features, and maintaining records. Applicants should indicate whether they are available to work out of town and their backcountry field experience, if any. Project schedules may be 4 10-hour days per week, or 8 contiguous 10-hour days in a two-week period. On projects outside the Tucson and Phoenix basins, per diem and lodging are provided. A driver’s license is desirable.

Applicants for excavation technician positions should have prior field experience and be prepared for physical work, including using shovels and picks, bending and kneeling, and moving and lifting buckets of dirt as required for feature excavation, and the environmental conditions of working in the southern Arizona deserts. For supervisory positions, applicants should also have a BA or higher in Archaeology, Anthropology, or a related field and indicate experience in a supervisory capacity. The crew will work as a team to document and interpret archaeological features. Tasks include excavation, screening, sorting artifacts, photographing features, completing paperwork, and drawing scaled plan and profile maps by hand. Supervisory tasks can include monitoring backhoes and assisting with quality control in field work and documentation. Excavations in Tucson and Phoenix basins are considered local projects and do not include per diem and lodging. Desert Archaeology follows OSHA and City of Phoenix heat regulations.

Wages for archeological technicians are $23/hour and crew chief wages are $28/hour.

Survey work will begin in January 2026 and excavation work is expected to begin in February 2026, although schedules are subject to change. Please express your interest by sending a cover letter and resume to tucson@desert.com.

ONGOING: PART-TIME SURVEY AND MONITORING TECHNICIAN (STATEWIDE)

We welcome applications from people who are interested in part-time work leading small surveys, monitoring, or flagging projects throughout Arizona. Submit a resume and cover letter indicating your time and geographic availability to tucson@desert.com. Compensation for crew chief level work is $28/hour.

ONGOING: SURVEY/EXCAVATION FIELD CREW (STATEWIDE)

To be considered for upcoming survey and excavation projects in Arizona, send your resume along with a cover letter indicating your experience and general geographic and schedule availability to tucson@desert.com. Wages for archaeological technician roles are $23/hour. Resumes are kept on file for six months.

Specific field crew openings are announced here and on our Bluesky feed.