J-1 Visa Geotechnical Engineering Technician Jobs
Geotechnical Engineering Technician roles in the U.S. typically qualify for J-1 visa sponsorship under the Trainee or Intern category, administered by a State Department-designated sponsor organization. Host employers in geotechnical, environmental, and civil engineering firms provide the technical training while the designated sponsor issues your DS-2019.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Do you want to help engineer what’s next?
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm committed to delivering holistic advice for our clients’ most complex challenges. We leverage our collective and diverse experience, technical expertise, and industry knowledge of structures and building enclosures, advanced analysis, performance & code consulting, and applied science & research to deliver unrivaled, comprehensive solutions that drive superior performance. With 800 employees in offices nationwide, SGH’s industry-leading teams constantly seek to advance the meaning of what’s possible.
What makes careers at SGH so special?
The only way to advance is to question and explore. Every member of the SGH team is both a learner and an educator, committed to advancing ourselves, our teams, and our industry. Together we are creating a community that never settles for what is but always seeks what could be.
There are many reasons to love SGH:
- Our Work: Our clients trust us to bring clarity and deliver outstanding solutions for their most complex projects.
- Our People: We are bold thinkers and compassionate teammates, committed to lifelong learning and professional growth.
- Our Commitment: We live with integrity and embrace an obligation to give back to our professions and communities.
- Our Contribution: We offer a comprehensive and rich compensation and benefits package with company-paid and voluntary programs to help build healthy lifestyles, strong relationships, and future prosperity.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
We want someone passionate about engineering who wants to gain invaluable experience.
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is seeking current students for a Fall 2026 Geotechnical Engineering Internship in our Waltham office. As a Geotechnical Engineering Intern or Co-op, you will work side-by-side with industry-leading experts in the office and the field to gain hands-on experience while applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Assist with and develop your engineering skills on a breadth of projects that may include:
- Engineering investigations, analyses, and design of structures including deep and shallow foundations, ground improvement systems, earth retaining structures, excavation support systems, and adjacent construction.
- Analyses related to soil settlement, slope stability, soil dynamics, groundwater flow, and seepage. Evaluate earthen embankments/dams/reservoirs, tunnels, asphalt, and concrete pavements.
- Analyses and forensic evaluations of failed or deteriorated structures.
- Support construction operations for contractors, including new construction, rehabilitation, strengthening, and repair.
- Evaluation of litigation claims projects.
- Collaborate with SGH’s Marine, Flood, Engineering Mechanics, Structural, and Building Technology groups on slope and shoreline stabilization, retaining wall systems, footing drainage systems, sub-slab dewatering systems, floodproofing, plaza drainage systems, and many other exciting projects.
- Organize field data and assist with research to facilitate analysis, problem-solving, and repair design.
- Perform analysis under the guidance of licensed professionals using a combination of hand calculations and analysis software.
- Assist with preparing client deliverables, including construction documents, specifications, and written reports.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You’ll Need:
- Currently enrolled and plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
- Interest in geotechnical engineering.
- Maintain high grades in their studies.
- Interest in learning through hands-on work experience in a consulting engineering environment.
- Enthusiastic about the challenges of developing sophisticated engineering work products in an atmosphere of high professionalism.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
BENEFITS
Benefits Overview:
Full-time temporary employees are eligible for medical insurance, paid holidays and sick leave. Part-time temporary employees are eligible for sick leave.
Compensation:
This compensation range is a good faith estimate pursuant to applicable equal pay and pay transparency laws. The pay range is effective for 2026 and is based on enrollment in the applicable degree program as noted below. The actual rate will be dependent upon the candidate’s education level within the degree program.
- Undergraduate: $29.25 - $32.50 per hour
- Graduate: $33.75 - $34.75 per hour
- PhD student: $36.75 per hour
Technical Interns are eligible for a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
LOCATION
Location: Waltham office
SGH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We consider all qualified applicants and encourage individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to apply. If the application system is not accessible to you, or you need a reasonable accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email jobs@sgh.com or call 781-907-9000 and ask for Human Resources.
INTRODUCTION
Do you want to help engineer what’s next?
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is a national engineering firm committed to delivering holistic advice for our clients’ most complex challenges. We leverage our collective and diverse experience, technical expertise, and industry knowledge of structures and building enclosures, advanced analysis, performance & code consulting, and applied science & research to deliver unrivaled, comprehensive solutions that drive superior performance. With 800 employees in offices nationwide, SGH’s industry-leading teams constantly seek to advance the meaning of what’s possible.
What makes careers at SGH so special?
The only way to advance is to question and explore. Every member of the SGH team is both a learner and an educator, committed to advancing ourselves, our teams, and our industry. Together we are creating a community that never settles for what is but always seeks what could be.
There are many reasons to love SGH:
- Our Work: Our clients trust us to bring clarity and deliver outstanding solutions for their most complex projects.
- Our People: We are bold thinkers and compassionate teammates, committed to lifelong learning and professional growth.
- Our Commitment: We live with integrity and embrace an obligation to give back to our professions and communities.
- Our Contribution: We offer a comprehensive and rich compensation and benefits package with company-paid and voluntary programs to help build healthy lifestyles, strong relationships, and future prosperity.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
We want someone passionate about engineering who wants to gain invaluable experience.
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) is seeking current students for a Fall 2026 Geotechnical Engineering Internship in our Waltham office. As a Geotechnical Engineering Intern or Co-op, you will work side-by-side with industry-leading experts in the office and the field to gain hands-on experience while applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Assist with and develop your engineering skills on a breadth of projects that may include:
- Engineering investigations, analyses, and design of structures including deep and shallow foundations, ground improvement systems, earth retaining structures, excavation support systems, and adjacent construction.
- Analyses related to soil settlement, slope stability, soil dynamics, groundwater flow, and seepage. Evaluate earthen embankments/dams/reservoirs, tunnels, asphalt, and concrete pavements.
- Analyses and forensic evaluations of failed or deteriorated structures.
- Support construction operations for contractors, including new construction, rehabilitation, strengthening, and repair.
- Evaluation of litigation claims projects.
- Collaborate with SGH’s Marine, Flood, Engineering Mechanics, Structural, and Building Technology groups on slope and shoreline stabilization, retaining wall systems, footing drainage systems, sub-slab dewatering systems, floodproofing, plaza drainage systems, and many other exciting projects.
- Organize field data and assist with research to facilitate analysis, problem-solving, and repair design.
- Perform analysis under the guidance of licensed professionals using a combination of hand calculations and analysis software.
- Assist with preparing client deliverables, including construction documents, specifications, and written reports.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
What You’ll Need:
- Currently enrolled and plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.
- Interest in geotechnical engineering.
- Maintain high grades in their studies.
- Interest in learning through hands-on work experience in a consulting engineering environment.
- Enthusiastic about the challenges of developing sophisticated engineering work products in an atmosphere of high professionalism.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
BENEFITS
Benefits Overview:
Full-time temporary employees are eligible for medical insurance, paid holidays and sick leave. Part-time temporary employees are eligible for sick leave.
Compensation:
This compensation range is a good faith estimate pursuant to applicable equal pay and pay transparency laws. The pay range is effective for 2026 and is based on enrollment in the applicable degree program as noted below. The actual rate will be dependent upon the candidate’s education level within the degree program.
- Undergraduate: $29.25 - $32.50 per hour
- Graduate: $33.75 - $34.75 per hour
- PhD student: $36.75 per hour
Technical Interns are eligible for a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
LOCATION
Location: Waltham office
SGH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We consider all qualified applicants and encourage individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to apply. If the application system is not accessible to you, or you need a reasonable accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email jobs@sgh.com or call 781-907-9000 and ask for Human Resources.
See all J-1 Visa Geotechnical Engineering Technician Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship as a Geotechnical Engineering Technician
Align your credentials with specialty occupation standards
Your DS-2019 training plan must map your soil mechanics coursework, lab testing certifications, and field instrumentation experience to specific U.S. competencies. Document each skill with transcripts, professional licenses, or project logs before approaching a designated sponsor.
Target host employers with active federal contracts
Geotechnical firms holding federal infrastructure or DOT contracts are already subject to DOL wage and compliance reporting, making them more familiar with J-1 host requirements. Prioritize engineering consultancies working on transportation, dam safety, or environmental remediation projects.
Search for J-1-ready roles using Migrate Mate
Filter your geotechnical job search by employers with documented exchange visitor hosting history. Migrate Mate surfaces roles at engineering firms that have previously hosted J-1 Trainees or Interns, cutting the time spent on outreach to hosts unfamiliar with the program.
Confirm the two-year home residency requirement early
If your home country's government or a U.S. government agency funded your training, you may be subject to a two-year home-country residency requirement upon program completion. Confirm your status with your designated sponsor before signing a training agreement, as this affects H-1B visa or green card eligibility later.
Build a training plan around O*NET task codes
Designated sponsors use standardized occupation data when reviewing training plans. Structuring your plan around the O*NET task list for Geotechnical and Engineering Technicians, including tasks like subsurface investigation and compaction testing, strengthens the sponsor's case for program approval.
Negotiate host employer sign-off before sponsor submission
The designated sponsor submits your DS-2019 only after your host employer signs a formal training plan and assumes liability as the host organization. Secure written commitment from the employer's HR or legal team before initiating the CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or equivalent sponsor application.
Geotechnical Engineering Technician J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 category fits a Geotechnical Engineering Technician role?
The category depends on where you are in your career. Current students completing a degree in geotechnical or civil engineering typically qualify under the Intern category. Early-career professionals with at least a relevant degree and one year of post-graduation experience in soil testing, site investigation, or geotechnical instrumentation generally qualify under the Trainee category. Your designated sponsor makes the final category determination based on your training plan.
Who actually sponsors my J-1 visa, the employer or a separate organization?
The hiring employer is your host, not your visa sponsor. Your J-1 sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, such as CIEE, Cultural Vistas, or AIPT, that issues your DS-2019 form, monitors your program compliance, and maintains responsibility for your exchange visitor status throughout the placement. The host employer provides the technical training environment and signs the training plan, but the designated sponsor holds the legal sponsorship role.
How do I find geotechnical employers that are open to hosting J-1 exchange visitors?
Most geotechnical engineering firms are unfamiliar with J-1 hosting requirements unless they have previously participated in exchange programs. Migrate Mate helps you identify roles at employers with documented J-1 hosting history, so you're not cold-contacting firms that would need to build compliance infrastructure from scratch. Targeting firms already active in federal infrastructure or environmental remediation work also increases the likelihood of J-1 familiarity.
Does the two-year home residency requirement apply to geotechnical J-1 Trainees?
It can. The two-year home-country physical presence requirement applies if your training was funded by your home government, a U.S. government agency, or if your home country's skills are on the State Department exchange visitor skills list. Geotechnical engineering is often listed as a needed skill in developing countries. If the requirement applies, you cannot change to H-1B or adjust to permanent residence without first fulfilling it or obtaining a waiver.
What does the training plan need to include for a geotechnical technician role?
Your designated sponsor requires a detailed Training Plan (Form DS-7002) that breaks down the placement into phases, identifies specific geotechnical competencies to be gained, and ties each phase to measurable learning outcomes. For geotechnical roles, this typically covers subsurface investigation methods, laboratory soil testing procedures, field instrumentation monitoring, and report preparation. Vague or generic plans are a common reason for sponsor rejection, so cross-reference tasks against the O*NET occupation profile before submitting.