Anthropologist / Archeologist

Study the origin, development, and behavior of human beings. May study the way of life, language, or physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world. May engage in systematic recovery and examination of material evidence, such as tools or pottery remaining from past human cultures, in order to determine the history, customs, and living habits of earlier civilizations.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: American Indian Policy Specialist; Applied Anthropologist; Applied Cultural Anthropologist; Archaeologist; Communication and Folklore Specialist; Forensic Anthropologist; Historical Archaeologist; Research Archaeologist; Researcher

Tasks

• Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
• Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
• Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
• Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
• Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
• Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
• Identify culturally specific beliefs and practices affecting health status and access to services for distinct populations and communities, in collaboration with medical and public health officials.
• Apply traditional ecological knowledge and assessments of culturally distinctive land and resource management institutions to assist in the resolution of conflicts over habitat protection and resource enhancement.
• Lead field training sites and train field staff, students, and volunteers in excavation methods.
• Conduct participatory action research in communities and organizations to assess how work is done and to design work systems, technologies, and environments.
• Develop and test theories concerning the origin and development of past cultures.
• Research, survey, or assess sites of past societies and cultures in search of answers to specific research questions.
• Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
• Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
• Organize public exhibits and displays to promote public awareness of diverse and distinctive cultural traditions.

Knowledge

• Sociology and Anthropology
• English Language
• History and Archeology
• Foreign Language
• Education and Training
• Geography
• Communications and Media
• Philosophy and Theology
• Computers and Electronics

Skills

• Writing
• Speaking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Critical Thinking
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Learning Strategies
• Science

Abilities

• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Oral Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Information Ordering
• Category Flexibility
• Fluency of Ideas
• Flexibility of Closure
• Speech Recognition
• Near Vision
• Problem Sensitivity
• Originality
• Selective Attention
• Far Vision
• Visualization