Pre-Construct Archaeology is one of UK’s largest archaeological companies, with seven regional offices across the country. We have been delivering professional heritage services for more than 30 years, working on some of the largest and most complex sites in Britain. As 2025 progresses, PCA is seeking to recruit an experienced archaeobotanist to join our busy environmental team in London, working alongside our post-excavation team on a range of projects countrywide.
PCA offers a competitive salary and a range of attractive benefits, including a pay banding structure that allows for career progression. The successful candidate will undergo a probationary 3-month period after which, given satisfactory performance, they will be offered a further contract, work permitting.
About the job:
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate experience of identifying waterlogged, charred and mineralised seeds and plant remains and reporting on their significance, ideally to publication level.
This is a full-time post, but part-time working will be considered.
This role is based in our Brockley offices, London. However, we would potentially consider working from one of our regional offices.
Job requirements:
- Undertake the assessment and analysis of environmental seeds and plant remains from bulk and specialist samples
- Provide advice on environmental sampling strategies, procedures, and processing for sites at all stages of mitigation
- Provide advice on post-excavation assessment and analysis strategies pertinent to archaeobotanical remains
- Provide advice and basic training in environmental sampling to archaeologists working in the field
- Provide specialist archaeobotanical training and mentoring to environmental assistants
- Produce cost illustrations for post-excavation processing and specialist reporting
- Report on the results of environmental assessment and analysis at post-excavation assessment and publication level
Essential:
- Degree level education in Archaeology/Archaeobotany or a relevant subject
- Post-graduate qualification in environmental archaeology or related subject
- Proven ability to produce reports at assessment level
- Experience of managing environmental archaeology projects
- Experience of working to agreed budgets
- Understanding and knowledge of commercial archaeology within the UK
- Understanding and knowledge of single context recording systems
- Good communication skills and plenty of enthusiasm
- Eligibility to work in the UK
Desirable:
- Experience in the production of pollen slides
- Experience in the assessment, analysis and subsequent reporting on pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs
- Experience in the assessment, analysis and subsequent reporting of other environmental microfossils (e.g. diatoms, foraminifera etc.)
- Experience in the identification, assessment, analysis and subsequent reporting of wood charcoal
- Experience in the identification of molluscan remains
- Full and clean UK driving licence
- Demonstrable ability to produce reports to publication level
Our employee benefits:
- Friendly and supportive work environment
- 28 days of annual leave (including bank holidays and an extra 3 days for Christmas, if employed over the Christmas period), rising on service length
- £22.50 per night subsistence when working away from home and high-quality accommodation provided
- High quality PPE and site welfare provision– the safety of our staff always comes first
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Cycle to work scheme
- Flexible working
- Christmas vouchers
- H&S training relevant for your role will be provided and paid in full (SSSTS, First Aid, Asbestos Awareness, CAT and Genny etc.)
- Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIFA) subscriptions paid in full
- Paid mileage if using own vehicle (subject to eligibility)
- Annual appraisal and pay progression opportunities
- Company pension scheme
How to apply:
Please email your CV and covering letter to Caroline Edwards, HR Manager: CEdwards@pre-construct.com Please state on your application which role you are applying for and describe your suitability by referring to the requirements listed above. If successful you will be asked to attend an interview at our Brockley office.
PCA is committed to a comprehensive equal opportunities policy in which individuals are selected
and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities without regard to race, religion or belief, colour, sex, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation. All applicants with the relevant qualifications and experience are welcome to apply for this opportunity. Please be advised that you must hold the right to work and live in the UK in order to apply for this job.
PCA follow all current guidelines regarding SOP and take the safety of our staff as paramount – advice is up to date with government guidance and site-specific RAMS are available.
Please be advised we are expecting a high volume of applications, and therefore cannot commit to responding to all emails. In accordance with our GDPR policy, we will not keep unsuccessful applicants’ details or CVs on our system, unless you expressly request that we do.