NEW (24 DECEMBER 2025): 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.