Environmental Geologist Jobs in California
Environmental Geologist jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in site remediation, hazardous waste compliance, and water resources work at every level from entry-level field technician to senior project manager. The largest hiring markets are Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and Sacramento, where firms like Arcadis, Stantec, and Chevron maintain significant California operations and hire environmental geologists on a rolling basis. Soil and groundwater contamination assessment, CEQA compliance support, and Phase I and II environmental site assessments are consistently the most in-demand specialties across the state. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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This Opportunity
WSP is looking for a Senior Vice President, Environmental Geologist for our Irvine, California Site Investigation & Remediation (SIR) team with experience in consulting, selling, managing, designing and implementing environmental multi-media remediation programs for a variety of clients in the Industrial, Government, Energy, Oil & Gas, and Transportation sectors. We are looking for a candidate who is excited and motivated about the opportunity to help expand our environmental consulting business in California and the West. WSP’s Irvine office provides a broad range of services in engineering and environmental sciences including environmental assessment and remediation, water/wastewater engineering, water resources, environmental compliance, geotechnical design, stormwater infrastructure design, materials testing, and decision analysis.
Your Impact
- Perform business development within various sectors for environmental remediation, engineering and related services
- Perform Customer Care Lead responsibilities for at least one client
- Perform design, oversight, mentorship and direct the efforts of staff- and project-level engineers
- Provide leadership for technical reports, proposals and project work scopes, pricing, budget, and performance metrics for the scientific discipline
- Successfully interact with Local Business Leader, Sector Lead, other Principal and Senior-level employees in the office and firm-wide
- Manage multiple projects, being responsible for ensuring that deliverables, schedules and budgets are achieved
- Meet sales, revenue and delivery goals
- Provide proactive and strategic process and people leadership for the design, implementation, and administration of scientific discipline’s project and program involvement within the organization
- Drive compliance and accountability-at-all-levels with applicable Federal, State, and Local environment laws, policies and regulatory requirements
- Oversee internal vision and mission for the scientific discipline, ensuring alignment with business operations strategy, and maintaining that certifications, accreditations, and client value ratings are continuously improved
- Lead scientific discipline meetings and continuing educational opportunities for area of responsibility, providing updates and recommendations to staff that ensure all appropriate measures are taken to foster innovation, development, and quality project delivery within the discipline
- Serve as the scientific discipline’s representative/liaison to a variety of external entities including Federal, State, and Local Agencies, Clients, Subcontractors, industry-related groups, and various government and community entities
- Interpret and summarize data, including reports and documents for complex projects and initiatives that result in sound scientific and regulatory conclusions
- Provide discipline leadership to multi-disciplinary project teams and contribute to providing high level strategic advice to clients
- Provides performance guidance and leadership to assigned managers and staff
- Collaborates with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide future ready solutions for clients
- Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures
- Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs
Who You Are
Required Qualifications
- BS in Geology, Earth Sciences or related science field
- 20+ years related environmental investigation/remediation and sales experience in California, with direct client account management experience
- Consulting experience with investigation and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater, including sites impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, chlorinated solvents, PCBs, and/or PFAS
- Demonstrated ability with establishing, implementing, and managing multiple larger-scale discipline-related programs, documents, projects, and practices for a line(s) of business
- California Professional Geologist’s License
- Strong work ethic
- Strong Project and Program Management experience
- Must be a self-starter, team oriented, with excellent leadership and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to manage staff, and effectively, persuasively, and tactfully interact with employees at all levels of the organization
- Previous experience working with multi-disciplinary remediation/assessment projects involving the Regional Quality Water Quality Control Board, DTSC, and/or one of the local CUPAs
- Ability to work with, mentor, and direct geologists, scientists, and technicians
- Experience with CERCLA, RCRA, DTSC, Water Board and other CalEPA Programs
- Must have consulting experience in soil gas and vapor intrusion issues
- Developing and managing complex engineering design and design-build projects
- Oversee remedy construction and operation and maintenance of environmental project work
- Strategic lateral thinking and strong analytical skills with attention to detail and prioritization of responsibilities in a pressure work environment
- Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including senior management, clients, and company-wide staff, including those with whom no formal hierarchical relationship exists
- Must be flexible to a variety of schedules to meet business needs and able to quickly adapt to change
- Advanced knowledge and proficiency with office automation/communication software, technology, and tools used in the corporate environment
- Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies
- Travel to project(s) as needed, for the execution of project goals and business development
- Must successfully complete and pass WSP’s Motor Vehicle screening
- Must pass drug test, physical, background check in accordance with the Company’s policy
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in Geology or related science field
- PMP Certification
- 40-Hour OSHA Health & Safety Training (HAZWOPER) (29 CFR 1910.120)
- Basic First Aid and Adult CPR training
WSP Benefits:
WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.
Compensation
Expected Salary (California): $168,800-$269,280
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.
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About WSP
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.
WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.
At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?
WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.
NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:
WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.
See All 26 Environmental Geologist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Environmental Geologist JobsEnvironmental Geologist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Environmental Geologist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- GSI Environmental11

- HALEY & ALDRICH3

- WSP3

- aptim2

- Arcadis1

Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services25
- Construction & Real Estate1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in environmental geologist jobs across California.
- California Professional Geologist license issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in geology, environmental science, or closely related field
- Experience conducting Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments
- Proficiency in soil and groundwater sampling, field logging, and lithologic description
- Familiarity with California regulatory frameworks including DTSC, CalEPA, and RWQCB requirements
- Strong technical writing skills for reports, work plans, and regulatory agency correspondence
Environmental Geologist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a environmental geologist in California?
Becoming an environmental geologist in California requires licensure as a Professional Geologist through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Candidates must hold at least a bachelor's degree in geology or a closely related science and pass the National Association of State Boards of Geology Fundamentals and Practice exams. Most California employers expect candidates to pursue licensure while accruing supervised field experience, and a Geologist-in-Training designation is available to recent graduates working toward that goal.
How much do environmental geologists make in California?
Environmental geologists in California earn a median of about $106,500 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $45,540 for the lowest 10% to over $171,270 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire environmental geologists in California?
Employers hiring environmental geologists in California right now include GSI Environmental, HALEY & ALDRICH, and WSP, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's dense network of Superfund sites, active oil and gas infrastructure, and strict regulatory environment keeps demand for environmental geology services consistently strong across both private consulting firms and public-sector agencies.
Which California cities have the most environmental geologist jobs?
The California cities with the most environmental geologist openings are Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Emeryville. Los Angeles generates heavy demand through its legacy industrial contamination, port operations, and large consulting firm offices, while Sacramento concentrates openings tied to state regulatory agencies and Central Valley groundwater projects, and the Bay Area draws hiring from technology sector environmental compliance and Northern California remediation work.
Are there remote environmental geologist jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Environmental geology is fundamentally a field-based discipline requiring physical site visits, soil sampling, and on-site regulatory oversight, which limits remote options. About 15% of environmental geologist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, and those positions typically involve report writing, data management, or regulatory document review rather than active field work.
How can I get hired as a environmental geologist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a field technician or staff geologist role at a mid-size California environmental consulting firm while working toward Geologist-in-Training registration with the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Firms like Arcadis, Kleinfelder, and Ramboll regularly bring on new graduates in California for field sampling and report support work. A strong foundation in soil description, GPS data collection, or GIS software gives candidates a practical edge when competing for those first openings.
Where can I find and apply to environmental geologist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to environmental geologist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across consulting firms, public agencies, and energy companies. Find roles that match your experience level and credentials, then apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 26 Environmental Geologist Jobs in California
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