Level 3 Archaeological Technician Apprentice

Summary

Historic England are excited to be seeking an Archaeological Technician Apprentice to join our Archaeological Investigation Team. You will have the opportunity to achieve a Level 3 Apprenticeship, contributing to Historic England’s research on a range of archaeological sites and landscapes with a view to improving and managing conservation.

Under the supervision and guidance of your manager and experienced colleagues, you will work within Historic England’s Archaeological Investigation Team on a variety of aerial and landscape surveys, and an excavation project. You will develop sector skills in these and other areas of archaeological investigation. As you progress, you will work with colleagues and contribute to the creation of archaeological records, publications and other means of informing a wider public about the significance of the historic environment. You will learn to work independently, using the sector skills as you acquire them.

The Archaeological Technician is offered as an 18-month Fixed Term Contract and will be based in the York office – we offer hybrid working where you will be based in the office and from home.

What you will be doing

As you work towards completion of your Archaeological Technician apprenticeship over the course of 18 months you will spend 80% of your time in the workplace, working and learning with your team and 20% of your time will be spent off the job, completing a training programme specially designed for your apprenticeship with a recognised training provider.

You will be largely based in the Archaeological Investigation Team’s office in York, but the work will involve travel and time spent in a variety of field locations across England and in other specialist offices. This opportunity will also require outdoor work in all weathers, and planned overnight stays when engaged in fieldwork, training or study. All travel and subsistence costs for work and training purposes will be paid for by Historic England. You will also be provided with an allowance for suitable outdoor clothing and other personal protective equipment.

At work (80% of your time) the experience you will gain on the job will include:

•            Working within an inspiring archaeological team within a large public sector organisation based across multiple offices and locations.

•            Gaining a knowledge of the variety and importance of our historic environment including archaeology, historic buildings, conservation areas, landscapes and other unique heritage sites.

•            Developing practical skills across a range of archaeological approaches including aerial survey and mapping, geophysical survey, earthwork analysis and archaeological excavation along with the processes of record management and publication which accompany each stage.

•            Learning how to interpret and assess the significance, value, risks and regeneration of a wide variety of historic places.

•            Learning about the archaeologist’s professional duties

•            Learning about safe working practices in field and office environments.

What will you learn

Your training elements will include a specially designed programme of taught and hands-on experience that will include regular site visits, training sessions and online learning. This will give you helpful background heritage knowledge that you will be able to use and apply at work, allowing you to develop a range of professional skills that will benefit your overall career development. These will include aerial mapping and interpretation of archaeological landscapes, archaeological excavation and finds processing, analytical earthwork survey and geophysical survey of archaeological monuments.

You will be supervised by a line manager and mentored by a variety of staff including your wider team, a personal mentor and our dedicated Early Careers team. You will also have regular contact with other apprentices to share your experiences through your apprenticeship at Historic England.

What we are looking for

•            You are well-organised with excellent attention to detail.

•            A great team worker with the ability to get along easily with others.

•            Experience of using Microsoft Office in particular Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

•            You can demonstrate good communication skills, both written and verbal.

•            You are curious and have a desire to continuously learn.

Please ensure you highlight your experience, skills and capabilities based on the above criteria in your online application.

Why work for Historic England

We are an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusion. If you have a disability or neurodiversity, we would be happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the job with you. Having just won the Gold Award from MIND, we also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance.

We are an inclusive employer and believe that flexible working options are for everyone. We want to make sure our working arrangements don’t prevent anyone from joining us because of their personal circumstances. We also want to provide you with the best balance in your home and work life that we can.

We are open to considering options including job sharing, part-time working, compressed hours working and different working locations, including hybrid working. Please visit our jobs pages or contact us to find out more.

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for everyone. Diversity helps us to perform better and attract more people to support our work. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and candidates with disabilities as they are underrepresented within Historic England at this level.

We offer a wide benefits package including a competitive pension scheme starting at 26% contributions, a generous 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, free entry into English Heritage sites across the country and development opportunities to ensure you achieve your goals.

Closing date for applications: 28th February 2023 at 12 noon

Provisional interview dates: Week commencing 6th March