OPT Surveyor Jobs
Surveyor jobs on OPT sit within specialty occupation territory, which matters for students planning an H-1B visa transition. Most roles require a degree in surveying, geomatics, or civil engineering, and many employers will file a Labor Condition Application to sponsor your status. STEM OPT extensions apply if your program qualifies.
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Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.
Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.
Our capabilities include program, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.
We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier program, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.
Job Description
Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to act as the key day-to-day client interface, delivering value-added cost management services across a major data center portfolio in Northern Virginia.
The role is client-facing and based out of our Tysons, VA office, supporting projects across the region’s primary data center corridors, including Loudoun County, Prince William County, Stafford County, and Fairfax County.
To be successful, you must be a strong communicator, self-motivated, and comfortable leading cost management activities across multiple large-scale construction projects.
Responsibilities:
- Advising client on strategies, managing prequalification of vendors, assessing proposals, bids, and bid levelling documents, making final recommendations to the client, attending & chairing bid interviews, and managing appointment process.
- Manage estimating services for full project by developing project estimates (relating to construction, fees, direct work and other costs), reviewing estimations prepared by junior team members, presenting estimates to client, presenting value engineering recommendations and risk assessments to client, meeting with vendors to review, validate, and challenge costs, and reviewing estimates by utilizing benchmark data collected from other projects.
- Manage cost reporting by establishing reporting schedule, reviewing & presenting cost reports and forecasts, reviewing project budget & spend forecast with the client, developing & maintaining commercial risk register, and hosting periodic meetings with project team & vendors.
- Manage cost control process by reviewing payment application assessments prepared by junior team members, liaising with project managers to recommend contractor entitlements, reviewing requests for change orders from vendors & making recommendations to client, and using dispute prevention/management/resolution procedures to manage payment requisitions, change orders, and contractual disputes.
- Manage & monitor invoicing process.
- Benchmark performance against other successful commissions.
- Manage all facets of the final accounting process and post contract audits and account close outs.
- Hold post-contract reviews with the client to establish a lesson learned document and apply lessons to create training manual.
- Develop procedures governing handover of project.
- Perform all the duties above through the use/preparation of Bid Analysis Sheets, Change Control Forms, Cost Estimating Software, and Take-off Software.
- SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering or field related to construction.
- Minimum 3-5 years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction industry.
- RICS accredited or working towards it is valuable.
- Experience supporting cost management on medium or large sized construction projects.
- Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
- Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
- Strong communication skills.
Additional Information
On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.
Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.
We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.
Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.
Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.
Company Description
Turner & Townsend is a global professional services company with over 22,000 people in more than 60 countries.
Working with our clients across real estate, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, we transform together delivering outcomes that improve people’s lives. Working in partnership makes it possible to deliver the world’s most impactful projects and programs as we turn challenge into opportunity and complexity into success.
Our capabilities include program, project, cost, asset and commercial management, controls and performance, procurement and supply chain, net zero and digital solutions.
We are majority-owned by CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm, with our partners holding a significant minority interest. Turner & Townsend and CBRE work together to provide clients with the premier program, project and cost management offering in markets around the world.
Job Description
Turner & Townsend are seeking an experienced Cost Manager / Quantity Surveyor to act as the key day-to-day client interface, delivering value-added cost management services across a major data center portfolio in Northern Virginia.
The role is client-facing and based out of our Tysons, VA office, supporting projects across the region’s primary data center corridors, including Loudoun County, Prince William County, Stafford County, and Fairfax County.
To be successful, you must be a strong communicator, self-motivated, and comfortable leading cost management activities across multiple large-scale construction projects.
Responsibilities:
- Advising client on strategies, managing prequalification of vendors, assessing proposals, bids, and bid levelling documents, making final recommendations to the client, attending & chairing bid interviews, and managing appointment process.
- Manage estimating services for full project by developing project estimates (relating to construction, fees, direct work and other costs), reviewing estimations prepared by junior team members, presenting estimates to client, presenting value engineering recommendations and risk assessments to client, meeting with vendors to review, validate, and challenge costs, and reviewing estimates by utilizing benchmark data collected from other projects.
- Manage cost reporting by establishing reporting schedule, reviewing & presenting cost reports and forecasts, reviewing project budget & spend forecast with the client, developing & maintaining commercial risk register, and hosting periodic meetings with project team & vendors.
- Manage cost control process by reviewing payment application assessments prepared by junior team members, liaising with project managers to recommend contractor entitlements, reviewing requests for change orders from vendors & making recommendations to client, and using dispute prevention/management/resolution procedures to manage payment requisitions, change orders, and contractual disputes.
- Manage & monitor invoicing process.
- Benchmark performance against other successful commissions.
- Manage all facets of the final accounting process and post contract audits and account close outs.
- Hold post-contract reviews with the client to establish a lesson learned document and apply lessons to create training manual.
- Develop procedures governing handover of project.
- Perform all the duties above through the use/preparation of Bid Analysis Sheets, Change Control Forms, Cost Estimating Software, and Take-off Software.
- SOX control responsibilities may be part of this role, which are to be adhered to where applicable.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, cost management, quantity surveying, engineering or field related to construction.
- Minimum 3-5 years of relevant experience working in a cost management role in the construction industry.
- RICS accredited or working towards it is valuable.
- Experience supporting cost management on medium or large sized construction projects.
- Construction consultancy experience is strongly preferred.
- Good knowledge of construction industry technical matters, such as different procurement routes, value management, and value engineering.
- Strong communication skills.
Additional Information
On-site presence and requirements may change depending on our client's needs.
Our inspired people share our vision and mission. We provide a great place to work, where each person has the opportunity and voice to affect change.
We want our people to succeed both in work and life. To support this we promote a healthy, productive and flexible working environment that respects work-life balance.
Turner & Townsend is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and actively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
It is strictly against Turner & Townsend policy for candidates to pay any fee in relation to our recruitment process. No recruitment agency working with Turner & Townsend will ask candidates to pay a fee at any time.
Any unsolicited resumes/CVs submitted through our website or to Turner & Townsend personal e-mail accounts, are considered property of Turner & Townsend and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorised Recruitment Agency/Search Firm for Turner & Townsend, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by the Recruitment Team, to submit candidates for review.
See all 111+ OPT Surveyor Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Surveyor
Confirm your degree qualifies for STEM OPT
Surveying and geomatics programs often carry a STEM designation, giving you a 24-month OPT extension. Verify your program's CIP code with your DSO before applying, since this directly affects how long employers can hire you.
Target firms that file Labor Condition Applications
Engineering and land surveying firms that regularly sponsor H-1B visas are your strongest long-term bet. Check OFLC disclosure data for firms with a track record of filing LCAs for surveyor and geospatial roles specifically.
Get your professional licensure process started early
Most states require a Professional Land Surveyor license for full practice. Starting your LSIT exam during OPT signals commitment to employers and strengthens your H-1B specialty occupation case when the time comes.
Frame fieldwork and software skills together
Employers hiring on OPT want to see both field competency and proficiency in tools like AutoCAD Civil 3D or Trimble software. Listing both reduces hesitation about sponsoring someone who needs ramp-up time on the job.
Address OPT timelines proactively with employers
Bring up your OPT end date and STEM extension eligibility in early conversations. Employers unfamiliar with OPT often assume the process is harder than it is, so a clear timeline removes uncertainty from their decision.
Target government contractors and infrastructure firms
Federal and state infrastructure projects regularly employ surveyors through large engineering contractors. These firms have established immigration processes, making them more likely to support your OPT and eventual H-1B sponsorship than smaller local shops.
Surveyor OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do surveyor jobs qualify as specialty occupations for OPT and H-1B purposes?
Yes. Surveying roles that require a bachelor's degree in surveying, geomatics, civil engineering, or a closely related field generally meet the specialty occupation standard. The key is that the job posting must specify a degree requirement in a specific field, not just any bachelor's degree. Your DSO and a future employer's immigration attorney can confirm whether a specific role qualifies.
Can I work as a surveyor on OPT without a Professional Land Surveyor license?
Yes, with limitations. Most states allow graduates to work under the supervision of a licensed Professional Land Surveyor while accumulating the experience hours needed to sit for the PLS exam. OPT authorization is tied to your degree field and job duties, not your licensure status. Unlicensed survey technician and GIS analyst roles are common entry points for OPT students.
Does a surveying or geomatics degree qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Many surveying and geomatics programs do qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, but it depends on your program's specific CIP code. Programs classified under geography, civil engineering technology, or geospatial intelligence often carry STEM designation. Check with your DSO to confirm your program's code before accepting a role, since STEM eligibility significantly changes how employers assess your long-term hire value.
What types of employers are most likely to sponsor surveyors on OPT?
Large civil engineering and infrastructure firms, federal government contractors, utility companies, and state transportation agencies are the most consistent OPT sponsors for surveying roles. Smaller local surveying firms may lack the administrative infrastructure to navigate work authorization. Migrate Mate lets you filter for OPT-friendly employers in the surveying and geospatial space so you can focus applications where they're most likely to convert.
How should I handle the gap between my OPT end date and a potential H-1B approval?
If your employer files an H-1B petition before your OPT expires, cap-gap protection automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year, or until USCIS makes a decision if later. This means a seamless transition is possible if the timeline lines up. Your DSO can confirm whether your specific situation qualifies for cap-gap coverage and what documentation your employer will need.