Heritage Officers – Expression of Interest

Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation (RRKAC) is inviting Expressions of Interest from qualified and experienced heritage practitioners to join a standing talent pool covering Cultural Heritage Officer and Senior Heritage Officer positions. This opportunity is open to all suitably qualified candidates. 

RRKAC manages a significant cultural heritage protection and survey program across Robe River Kuruma Country. The program encompasses heritage management and protection, cultural heritage surveys, monitoring, Section 16 and 18 processes, and engagement with mining and exploration proponents to ensure activities on Country are appropriately planned and managed. 

With a high-volume, proponent-funded survey program and increasing demand for heritage services, this is a critical operational function for RRKAC. It plays a central role in protecting cultural heritage, knowledge and Country, strengthening the involvement of Robe River Kuruma People in decisions affecting their Country, and building a sustainable heritage management capability for the future. This talent pool has been established to build the operational capacity RRKAC needs to meet growing proponent demand – consistent with the Plan’s Operational Excellence commitments – and to give RRKAC a pipeline of pre-qualified candidates rather than running a separate campaign for every vacancy. 

This is not an advertisement for a single, specific vacancy. Applications are assessed on a rolling basis and added to a pool that RRKAC’s Country & Culture team draws on as Cultural Heritage Officer and Senior Heritage Officer positions become available.

Cultural Heritage Officer 

Entry–mid level 

Supports RRKAC’s cultural heritage management and survey program, working under the guidance of a Senior Heritage Officer to ensure proposed activities on Robe River Kuruma Country are appropriately assessed, surveys are effectively planned and heritage information is accurately captured and managed. 

• Review proposed survey scopes and activity areas against existing heritage information, site records, previous survey coverage and known cultural values 
• Assist with identifying potential heritage risks, including activities proposed near recorded sites, significant cultural areas, mining exclusion zones and other areas requiring protection or further assessment 
• Support the planning and coordination of heritage surveys, monitoring and inspections across RRKAC’s proponent program 
• Participate in field surveys and accurately record archaeological, ethnographic and other cultural heritage information 
• Maintain accurate spatial, GPS, photographic and written heritage records and support updates to RRKAC’s heritage databases and GIS systems 
• Support preparation and review of survey, monitoring and heritage management documentation 
• Liaise with proponents and internal RRKAC teams to support timely survey planning, information exchange and follow-up actions 
• Work respectfully alongside Traditional Owners, Elders and Cultural Consultants and ensure RRKAC cultural protocols and heritage protection priorities are reflected throughout survey delivery 

Senior Heritage Officer (Archaeology / Anthropology) 

Senior level 

Provides technical leadership across RRKAC’s cultural heritage management and survey program, ensuring proposed activities on Robe River Kuruma Country are appropriately assessed and that heritage management decisions reflect cultural values, statutory requirements and RRKAC’s strategic priorities for the protection of Country. 

• Assess proponent survey scopes and proposed activity areas against heritage sites, previous survey coverage, ethnographic and archaeological information, mining exclusion zones and other culturally significant or protected areas 
• Identify heritage risks and determine appropriate survey, assessment, monitoring or protection requirements before activities proceed 
• Ensure survey scopes are appropriately targeted and do not unnecessarily duplicate previous work or facilitate activity within areas identified for protection 
• Lead heritage surveys, monitoring, inspections and other field-based heritage activities where required 
• Provide archaeological and/or anthropological assessment of cultural sites, landscapes and proposed impacts 
• Liaise directly with proponent heritage and environment teams on survey planning, heritage risks, protection requirements and program priorities 
• Ensure proponent heritage programs and proposed activities are considered against RRKAC’s broader strategic priorities, including protection of significant cultural areas and Country 
• Prepare and quality-assure heritage assessments, survey reports, statutory documentation and heritage management recommendations 
• Maintain oversight of heritage site registers, spatial information and GIS data to ensure reliable information supports heritage management decisions 
• Supervise and mentor Cultural Heritage Officers and Cultural Consultants and support the development of strong internal heritage management capability 
• Ensure heritage activities comply with the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA), relevant agreements, RRKAC cultural protocols and established heritage management requirements 
• RRKAC may also draw on this pool for closely related specialist positions — for example, survey coordination or heritage GIS roles — where a candidate’s skills and experience are a strong match. 

Essential Criteria 

• Degree qualification in Archaeology, Anthropology or a related discipline, or equivalent extensive field experience (Senior level requires demonstrated leadership of survey teams and statutory reporting) 
• Working knowledge of the Aboriginal Heritage Act (WA) and heritage survey / clearance processes 
• Demonstrated experience conducting Aboriginal cultural heritage surveys, site recording or monitoring 
• Sound technical report writing skills 
• Competence with GPS, GIS and cultural heritage database systems 
• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with Traditional Owners, Elders and Aboriginal community members, and to follow cultural protocols and direction from RRKAC’s cultural authorities 
• Current WA ‘C’ class driver’s licence and willingness to undertake remote 4WD fieldwork, including overnight stays on Country 
• Willingness to comply with RRKAC’s pre-engagement and ongoing screening requirements, including drug and alcohol testing 

This talent pool is open to all suitably qualified candidates and is not restricted to Robe River Kuruma members. RRKAC is the Registered Native Title Body Corporate for the Robe River Kuruma People, and we are committed to a culturally safe workplace – we strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. All applications are considered on merit against the criteria above.