Architectural Historian Jobs
Architectural Historian jobs are open across government agencies, preservation nonprofits, consulting firms, and academic institutions, at every level from junior researcher to program director, with specializations in historic preservation, cultural resource management, and architectural documentation. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 19+ Architectural Historian jobs
Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.
- Ability to establish Areas of Potential Effect (APE) and field inspections of APEs to survey for historic properties.
- Ability to complete Section 106 consultation with State Historic Preservation Officers while working with senior cultural resource staff.
- Serving as Principal Investigator for architectural resource documentation and evaluation projects (i.e. collecting field data).
- Evaluating resources for National Register eligibility and assessing effects as required under Section 106 of the NHPA and applicable state preservation laws.
- Preparing technical reports for a variety of geographic locations under a range of regulatory contexts.
- Document historic properties in accordance with Historic American Building Survey/Historic American Engineer Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey (HABS/HAER/HALS) standards and guidelines.
- Solid knowledge base about the function and design of historic structures and a demonstrated ability to justify NR eligibility determinations and assessments of effects in accordance with Section 106. This may include the preparation of historic structures research reports and the identification of appropriate treatment measures for affected historic structures.
- Prepare written documents, including historic contexts, resource analysis, historic property inventory forms, and technical reports.
- Ability to effectively coordinate with involved parties to make important decisions about project alternatives and the resolution of adverse effects to historic resources.
- Work as an integral team member with archaeologists and other environmental specialists.
- Possess a Master’s degree in historic preservation, architectural history, history, or closely related field, with coursework in American architectural history;
- Demonstrate at least five years of full-time experience in research, writing, or teaching in American architectural history or at least five years of full-time professional experience on historic preservation projects. Experience shall include detailed investigations of historic structures, preparation of historic structures research reports, and preparation of plans and specifications for preservation projects.
- Deliver concise technical writing skills in a timely manner.
- Ability to identify historic preservation issues and identify Areas of Potential Effect (APE). Physical field inspections of APEs will be required.
- Ability to complete informal and formal Section 106 consultation with Historic Preservation Officers while working with senior cultural resource staff.
- A solid knowledge base about the function and design of historic structures and a demonstrated ability to justify National Register eligibility determinations and assessments of effects in accordance with Section 106. This may include the preparation of historic structures research reports and the identification of appropriate treatment measures for affected historic structures.
- Ability to effectively coordinate with involved parties to make important decisions about project alternatives and the resolution of adverse effects to historic resources.
- Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Qualification Standards as an Historian and Architectural Historian.
- At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.
- Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.
Notice to Third Party Recruiters: Dewberry only compensates job placement recruiters that have a valid Dewberry-approved written agreement in place for recruiting services. Dewberry does not compensate third party recruiters for unsolicited job placement candidate information.
Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.
- Ability to establish Areas of Potential Effect (APE) and field inspections of APEs to survey for historic properties.
- Ability to complete Section 106 consultation with State Historic Preservation Officers while working with senior cultural resource staff.
- Serving as Principal Investigator for architectural resource documentation and evaluation projects (i.e. collecting field data).
- Evaluating resources for National Register eligibility and assessing effects as required under Section 106 of the NHPA and applicable state preservation laws.
- Preparing technical reports for a variety of geographic locations under a range of regulatory contexts.
- Document historic properties in accordance with Historic American Building Survey/Historic American Engineer Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey (HABS/HAER/HALS) standards and guidelines.
- Solid knowledge base about the function and design of historic structures and a demonstrated ability to justify NR eligibility determinations and assessments of effects in accordance with Section 106. This may include the preparation of historic structures research reports and the identification of appropriate treatment measures for affected historic structures.
- Prepare written documents, including historic contexts, resource analysis, historic property inventory forms, and technical reports.
- Ability to effectively coordinate with involved parties to make important decisions about project alternatives and the resolution of adverse effects to historic resources.
- Work as an integral team member with archaeologists and other environmental specialists.
- Possess a Master’s degree in historic preservation, architectural history, history, or closely related field, with coursework in American architectural history;
- Demonstrate at least five years of full-time experience in research, writing, or teaching in American architectural history or at least five years of full-time professional experience on historic preservation projects. Experience shall include detailed investigations of historic structures, preparation of historic structures research reports, and preparation of plans and specifications for preservation projects.
- Deliver concise technical writing skills in a timely manner.
- Ability to identify historic preservation issues and identify Areas of Potential Effect (APE). Physical field inspections of APEs will be required.
- Ability to complete informal and formal Section 106 consultation with Historic Preservation Officers while working with senior cultural resource staff.
- A solid knowledge base about the function and design of historic structures and a demonstrated ability to justify National Register eligibility determinations and assessments of effects in accordance with Section 106. This may include the preparation of historic structures research reports and the identification of appropriate treatment measures for affected historic structures.
- Ability to effectively coordinate with involved parties to make important decisions about project alternatives and the resolution of adverse effects to historic resources.
- Meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Qualification Standards as an Historian and Architectural Historian.
- At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.
- Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.
Notice to Third Party Recruiters: Dewberry only compensates job placement recruiters that have a valid Dewberry-approved written agreement in place for recruiting services. Dewberry does not compensate third party recruiters for unsolicited job placement candidate information.
See All 19 Architectural Historian Jobs
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Find Architectural Historian JobsArchitectural Historian Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in architectural historian jobs.
- Master's degree in architectural history, historic preservation, or a closely related field
- Experience conducting surveys and writing National Register of Historic Places nominations
- Knowledge of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and compliance procedures
- Proficiency with GIS platforms and architectural documentation standards such as HABS/HAER
- Strong research, technical writing, and public-presentation skills
- Familiarity with state historic preservation office review processes and local landmark criteria
Tips for Your Architectural Historian Job Search
Tailor your resume for each sector
Federal and state agency listings weight Section 106 compliance experience heavily, while preservation nonprofits prioritize community engagement work. Reorganize your resume's project section to front-load whichever experience matches each posting's language exactly.
Highlight your documentation software fluency
Many listings now specify HABS/HAER drawing standards, GIS mapping tools, or ArchivesSpace familiarity. Call these out in a dedicated skills section rather than burying them in project descriptions, so a hiring manager can verify your technical fit quickly.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists architectural historian openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target your writing sample strategically
Most applications ask for a writing sample, and a National Register nomination or a Section 106 findings report will read more directly to hiring managers than a thesis chapter. Keep a clean, submission-ready version of your strongest professional document on hand.
Prepare a site-specific portfolio for interviews
If your interview includes a portfolio review, organize examples by project type, such as survey work, nomination writing, or design review, rather than chronologically. Interviewers want to see your approach to a category of problem, not just your timeline of employment.
Negotiate scope before accepting consulting roles
Part-time and contract architectural historian postings often compress timeline expectations. Before accepting, clarify deliverable deadlines, whether archival access is arranged, and who handles photography or measured drawings, so you can price your time accurately.
Architectural Historian Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most architectural historians?
The companies hiring the most architectural historians right now include RK&K, Brockington and Associates, and Stantec, with the largest share of openings in Georgia, Texas, and Florida, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Federal agencies, state historic preservation offices, and cultural resource management consulting firms consistently represent the largest share of active postings.
How many architectural historian jobs are remote?
About 86% of architectural historian openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies significantly by role type. Research-heavy positions focused on archival work, report writing, and National Register nominations are the most likely to allow remote or hybrid schedules, while survey fieldwork and design-review roles generally require on-site presence.
How do you become an architectural historian?
Start by earning a master's degree in architectural history, historic preservation, or American studies with a built-environment focus. Gain hands-on experience through internships with a state historic preservation office or a cultural resource management firm, where you'll learn survey methods and nomination writing. Building a portfolio of published nominations or compliance reports makes you competitive for professional positions.
How do you get hired as an architectural historian with little or no experience?
Entry-level candidates typically break in through preservation AmeriCorps programs, university survey projects, or seasonal fieldwork contracts with cultural resource management firms. Volunteer work on a local landmark nomination or a state-level historic resources survey gives you a concrete writing sample to submit with applications, which matters more than years of paid experience at the junior level.
What does the architectural historian interview process look like?
Most employers use a two-stage process: an initial screening call focused on your research background and software fluency, followed by a panel interview with preservation staff and sometimes a client or agency representative. You'll often be asked to walk through a writing sample or discuss how you'd approach a specific Section 106 or National Register project, so prepare a clear, step-by-step narrative for at least one past project.
Where can I find and apply to architectural historian jobs?
You can find and apply to architectural historian jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience level and specialization, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 19 Architectural Historian Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Architectural Historian Jobs