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Anthropologist & Archaeologist

Social Sciences

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.

General

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
  2. 2Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
  3. 3Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
  4. 4Plan 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.
  5. 5Record the exact locations and conditions of artifacts uncovered in diggings or surveys, using drawings and photographs as necessary.
  6. 6Assess archeological sites for resource management, development, or conservation purposes and recommend methods for site protection.
  7. 7Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
  8. 8Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
  9. 9Gather and analyze artifacts and skeletal remains to increase knowledge of ancient cultures.
  10. 10Identify 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.
  11. 11Apply 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.
  12. 12Compare findings from one site with archeological data from other sites to find similarities or differences.
  13. 13Lead field training sites and train field staff, students, and volunteers in excavation methods.
  14. 14Describe artifacts' physical properties or attributes, such as the materials from which artifacts are made and their size, shape, function, and decoration.
  15. 15Collect artifacts made of stone, bone, metal, and other materials, placing them in bags and marking them to show where they were found.
  16. 16Conduct participatory action research in communities and organizations to assess how work is done and to design work systems, technologies, and environments.
  17. 17Develop and test theories concerning the origin and development of past cultures.
  18. 18Study objects and structures recovered by excavation to identify, date, and authenticate them and to interpret their significance.
  19. 19Research, survey, or assess sites of past societies and cultures in search of answers to specific research questions.
  20. 20Consult site reports, existing artifacts, and topographic maps to identify archeological sites.
  21. 21Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
  22. 22Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
  23. 23Organize public exhibits and displays to promote public awareness of diverse and distinctive cultural traditions.
  24. 24Clean, restore, and preserve artifacts.
  25. 25Collaborate with economic development planners to decide on the implementation of proposed development policies, plans, and programs based on culturally institutionalized barriers and facilitating circumstances.
  26. 26Develop intervention procedures, using techniques such as individual and focus group interviews, consultations, and participant observation of social interaction.
  27. 27Participate in forensic activities, such as tooth and bone structure identification, in conjunction with police departments and pathologists.
  28. 28Enhance the cultural sensitivity of elementary and secondary curricula and classroom interactions in collaboration with educators and teachers.
  29. 29Study archival collections of primary historical sources to help explain the origins and development of cultural patterns.
  30. 30Formulate general rules that describe and predict the development and behavior of cultures and social institutions.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Excavator
  • Researcher
  • Ethnologist
  • Archeologist
  • Egyptologist
  • Investigator
  • Archaeologist
  • Anthropologist
  • Policy Specialist
  • Archeological Tech

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationDoctoral degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on History and Archeology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Arabic LanguageDraws directly on Foreign Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Chinese LanguageDraws directly on Foreign Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Tamil LanguageDraws directly on Foreign Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Sociology and Anthropology98%
  • English Language88%

    English

  • History and Archeology84%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Foreign Language80%

    Arabic LanguageChinese LanguageTamil Language

  • Education and Training77%
  • Geography73%

    Geography

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsOften
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicA little
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedOften
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time walking or movingA little

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Write, present, and publish research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

29%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Clinical Psychologist

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

International Pre-U

A-Levels, AUSMAT, IB and more. The flexible premium route, local or overseas.

1–2 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Anthropologists and Archeologists

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue