The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is looking to take on archaeologists to work in its Forest Service.

The department currently has two immediate vacancies for the post of archaeologist. These posts will be located in Dublin.

The successful candidates will be attached to the department’s Forest Service and will be responsible for providing advice on the protection of archaeological heritage in forestry development in Ireland.

The principal duties of these archaeologists will be to assess initial afforestation or forest road development proposals, or felling licence applications, where they have the potential to impact on archaeological sites, monuments or features; and to provide advice and recommendations in respect of the protection of those archaeological sites.

This will involve carrying out site inspections in connection with imposed archaeological conditions to ensure adherence to conditions, and ensuring proper archaeological standards are being applied.

The roles will also involve preparing and delivering internal and external training courses, or assisting in delivering them.

Applications must be submitted online no later than 12:00p.m on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Candidates for these roles must, on or before January 7, 2026 hold a minimum of a Level 8 qualification in archaeology; or a qualification that is acceptable to the department as at least equivalent.

Other requirements include at least three years’ satisfactory working experience as a professional archaeologist, including assessing and evaluating archaeological sites and archaeological excavation, such experience having been gained after attaining their Level 8 qualification and not including time spent in post-graduate study.

Following an assessment process, candidates who achieve the qualifying standard will be placed on an order of merit and assigned to fill vacancies as they arise.

While it is anticipated that only two appointments will be made as a result of this competition, the order of merit remains in force for a period of up to two years from the date of the first appointment or until exhausted, and will be used to fill further vacancies, if any, that may arise during that period.