[Hiring] Senior Architectural Historian @VHB

Role Description

VHB’s Environmental Resources Group in Atlanta is seeking a Senior Architectural Historian to join our expanding cultural resources team, with a strong emphasis on supporting our growing energy practice. In this role, you will lead historic resource surveys and contribute to environmental and planning-related documents for energy, transportation, and land development projects across Georgia and the southeastern United States.

You will work closely with energy practice leads to further develop and grow this service line, helping position VHB as a go-to partner for cultural resources support on energy projects in the region. This position involves periodic outdoor fieldwork with limited travel. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, along with meticulous attention to detail and the ability to clearly and effectively convey technical information. The ideal candidate is organized, responsive, and comfortable managing priorities, meeting deadlines, and working collaboratively in a team environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage cultural resource identification and evaluation surveys for public- and private-sector clients.
• Coordinate Section 106 and other applicable federal, state, and local historic preservation reviews for energy, transportation, and land development projects.
• Provide technical content for cultural resources sections of environmental and planning documents, including resource identification and assessment of project-related impacts.
• Support the Practice Area Leader in consultation and negotiations with SHPOs, government officials, Tribes, and other consulting parties.
• Manage completion of history-related tasks, including the coordination and execution of surveys and assessments of effects.
• Support other VHB departments and regional offices with historic preservation planning, site history research, and compliance services.
• Assist with scoping, managing, and tracking projects; preparing proposals; and marketing cultural resources services within and outside VHB, with a particular focus on the energy sector.
• Directly supervise a team of historians and help manage team workload, expectations, and quality of deliverables.

Qualifications

• Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards in Architectural History, History, or a closely related field.
• Knowledge of the energy sector in the southeastern United States, including typical project types and regulatory pathways.
• Strong understanding of federal and state cultural resources and historic preservation statutes and regulations, including Section 106 and National Register of Historic Places criteria.
• Excellent research, writing, editing, and photographic documentation skills.
• Experience with building research and strong knowledge of architectural styles, forms, building materials, and periods of development.
• In-depth knowledge of the history and architecture of Georgia and the southeastern United States.
• Familiarity with existing Georgia context studies is required (e.g., Georgia’s Living Places, The Ranch House in Georgia, Tilling the Earth).
• Experience preparing Section 106 documentation for the Georgia SHPO and/or Georgia Department of Transportation is strongly preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret aerial photography and maps, including construction and right-of-way plans.
• Proficiency with MS Office, Google Earth, and GIS software.

Requirements

• 5+ years of planning and compliance experience in cultural resources, historic preservation, or closely related work.
• BA/BS/MHP in Architectural History, Historic Preservation Planning, or a closely related discipline (e.g., Environmental Studies, Urban Planning, Urban Design/Studies, Regional Planning, Sustainability Planning, Economics, Aviation, Civil Engineering, Urban Transportation Planning).
• Master’s degree required.
• This position can be remote with travel as needed.

Benefits

• Diverse and inclusive culture of collaboration and innovation.
• Opportunity to work on complex, transformational projects.
• Community and social responsibility as sustainable stewards.
• Focus on learning, development, and career growth.
• Best-in-class benefits, including flexible, hybrid workplace.