Anthropologist and Archeologist

Also called: American Indian Policy Specialist, Anthropologist, Applied Anthropologist, Applied Cultural Anthropologist, Archaeologist

jobs advertised

courses available

R69,960

estimated salary

Anthropologists and archeologists 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.

Study objects and structures recovered by excavation to identify, date, and authenticate them and to interpret their significance.
Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
Research, survey, or assess sites of past societies and cultures in search of answers to specific research questions.
Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
Describe artifacts' physical properties or attributes, such as the materials from which artifacts are made and their size, shape, function, and decoration.
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.
Compare findings from one site with archeological data from other sites to find similarities or differences.
Record the exact locations and conditions of artifacts uncovered in diggings or surveys, using drawings and photographs as necessary.
Assess archeological sites for resource management, development, or conservation purposes and recommend methods for site protection.
Gather and analyze artifacts and skeletal remains to increase knowledge of ancient cultures.
Collect artifacts made of stone, bone, metal, and other materials, placing them in bags and marking them to show where they were found.
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.
Consult site reports, existing artifacts, and topographic maps to identify archeological sites.
Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
Develop intervention procedures, using techniques such as individual and focus group interviews, consultations, and participant observation of social interaction.
Develop and test theories concerning the origin and development of past cultures.
Lead field training sites and train field staff, students, and volunteers in excavation methods.
Collaborate with economic development planners to decide on the implementation of proposed development policies, plans, and programs based on culturally institutionalized barriers and facilitating circumstances.
Clean, restore, and preserve artifacts.
Conduct participatory action research in communities and organizations to assess how work is done and to design work systems, technologies, and environments.
Organize public exhibits and displays to promote public awareness of diverse and distinctive cultural traditions.
Formulate general rules that describe and predict the development and behavior of cultures and social institutions.
Study archival collections of primary historical sources to help explain the origins and development of cultural patterns.
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.
Enhance the cultural sensitivity of elementary and secondary curricula and classroom interactions in collaboration with educators and teachers.
Participate in forensic activities, such as tooth and bone structure identification, in conjunction with police departments and pathologists.
Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in athropology or archeology.
Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.

Work Context

Electronic Mail —
Face-to-Face Discussions —
Freedom to Make Decisions —
Structured versus Unstructured Work —
Telephone —
Contact With Others —
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate —

Work Activities

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Detailed Work Activities

Conduct anthropological or archaeological research.
Collect information from people through observation, interviews, or surveys.
Conduct anthropological or archaeological research.
Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
Evaluate characteristics of archival or historical objects.
Plan social sciences research.

Sociology and Anthropology

Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

History and Archeology

Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Science

Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Instructing

Teaching others how to do something.

Systems Analysis

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Mathematics

Using mathematics to solve problems.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

Mathematical Reasoning

The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

Speed of Closure

The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Office suite software

Microsoft Office

Electronic mail software

Microsoft Outlook

Presentation software

Microsoft PowerPoint

or

usually needed

Get started on your career:

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.

R66,130

R40,800

R102,770

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Anthropologist and Archeologist

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