hivernel worked first as an archaeologist in france where she belonged to the national scientific research centre, laboratory of quaternary geology. she dug in ethiopia and lebanon. then she went to the uk, whence she dug in jordan and kenya. she excavated in ngenyn, a site initially discovered by louis leakey, as part of research towards her phd. she has also contributed to learned papers on other african archaeological sites and published on the archaeology of britain.