Planner – Cultural Resources (Archaeologist)

Do you thrive at the intersection of cultural and natural resource management? Are you passionate about building a shared understanding of our region’s historic context through field investigations, archival research and community engagement? Join the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas team, where we protect over 50,000 acres of conserved land with a variety of cultural resources, including the renowned Lindenmeier Site, a National Historic Landmark. This role offers a unique opportunity to combine archaeology with strategic open space planning and community engagement to make a lasting impact on our region’s landscape.

As part of our team, you will implement, evaluate, and adaptively evolve the cultural resource program’s plans, policies, projects, and standard operating procedures. You will design, lead, and refine program elements, craft specialized strategies for historic preservation and cultural resource management, and resolve complex issues in these areas. Your work will include researching, analyzing, consulting, training and providing technical guidance to protect and enhance cultural resources and historic properties across Natural Areas lands. This position is also a key contributor in the development of management plans, multi-disciplinary projects, and policies related to land and resource stewardship. 

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

• Plans and manages all phases of cultural resources projects, including archaeological field survey, monitoring, testing, excavation (when appropriate), technical report production, eligibility determinations, and data management and recovery.
• Coordinates with the City’s repository for the sustainable curation of cultural materials.
• Provides information and resources needed to protect historic and pre-contact archaeological sites, and assesses and makes recommendations on land use issues.
• Maintains necessary documentation related to local, state, and federal laws, consults with Native American representatives and other stakeholders, and interacts with local, state, and federal officials about permitting, project implementation, and program documentation.
• Collaborates and supports management planning and project implementation across department disciplines.
• Contributes design recommendations and monitoring that supports the department’s conservation, cultural, and visitors use values, helping ensure department compliance with regulatory requirements related to program disciplines and project implementation.
• Develops and implements best management practices and policies to accomplish work group and department goals.
• Serves as project manager using the department’s standard processes and tools.
• Trains colleagues, partners and volunteers in how to recognize and protect cultural resources.
• Plans and manages the contracting and data related to historic preservation surveys and reports.
• May participate in cultural consultations with appropriate tribal representatives and Native American/ Indigenous community members, and assist with interpretation, programming and public engagement efforts.
• May support management planning as an assistant planner and may lead a future management plan updates.
• Conducts public outreach and prepares written content, reports, social media, and presentations on environmental issues.
• Presents to diverse audiences ranging from one-on-one conversations to community meetings.
• Responds to citizen, employee, and City Council inquiries, including complaints and service requests.
• Serves on task forces and teams related to natural and cultural resource protection, sustainability issues, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
• Prepares memos, reports, and recommendations for City and Natural Areas leadership.
• Contributes to data sets for planning and ongoing management.
• May solicit, prepare, and administer grants.