The Heritage Resource Technician (HRT) Program is dedicated to honoring our heritage by providing assistance to archaeologists and other personnel in federally mandated surveys on public and federal lands. This work consists of doing broad-scale property surveys of areas likely to be culturally sensitive to Native American tribes. Heritage Resource Technicians dig holes in a gridded search pattern looking for artifacts and other evidence of historical importance. When found, sensitive sites are logged by the archeologist so that they can be protected by the responsible agency.

In order to protect culturally sensitive sites, these archeological surveys are mandatory for all prescribed burns on Federal Lands or using Federal funding. Specialty field training must be acquired to become a Heritage Resource Technician, and pay rates for all HRT work varies from the AD Pay Plan.