Onboarding plan

Archaeologist Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)

A practical, printable plan to take a new archaeologist from first day to full productivity.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Archaeologist onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

  • Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
  • Verify required credentials: RPA, Field school (as applicable)
  • Prepare equipment and access: trowels; screens; total stations; GPS
  • Assign a buddy or preceptor
  • Enroll the new hire in Archaeologist training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

  • Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
  • Follow trench safety
  • Watch heat and weather
  • Watch for wildlife
  • Follow site safety plans
  • Shadow an experienced archaeologist through a full shift
  • Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

  • Supervised practice: excavate a unit in levels
  • Supervised practice: write a phase I survey report
  • Supervised practice: work respectfully with tribal partners
  • Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
  • 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

  • Survey sites: independently
  • Excavate: independently
  • Record finds: independently
  • Analyze artifacts: independently
  • Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
  • Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
  • 60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

  • Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
  • Begin cross-training on a secondary task
  • Agree on a credential goal (for example, RPA)
  • Discuss the career path: Field Technician → Crew Chief → Project Archaeologist
  • 90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or taskTrainedObservedSigned off
Excavate a Unit in Levels
Write a Phase I Survey Report
Work Respectfully with Tribal Partners
Excavation
Survey
Artifact analysis
GIS

How to measure onboarding success

  • Time to independent work on instruments or projects
  • Documentation or data corrections required
  • Rework, out-of-spec results or failed audits
  • 90-day retention

How Archaeologist training maps to this plan

  1. Introduction to the Archaeologist Role
  2. A Day on the Job
  3. Essential Archaeologist Vocabulary
  4. Core Duties and Responsibilities
  5. Common Tasks, Step by Step
  6. Tools, Equipment and Technology
  7. Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
  8. Skills Employers Look For
  9. Launching Your Archaeologist Career
  10. Final Knowledge Check
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