STEM OPT Environmental Technician Jobs
Environmental Technician roles in environmental monitoring, remediation, and compliance qualify for the STEM OPT extension when your degree carries an eligible CIP code. You get 24 additional months of work authorization, bringing your total to 36, as long as your employer is enrolled in E-Verify and you file a completed I-983 training plan.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Do you want to build an impactful career to change the world for the better?
Geosyntec has an exciting opportunity for an Early-Career Environmental Engineer to join our contaminated site assessment and remediation practice in Oakland, CA. The position will have the opportunity to apply academic knowledge to real-world situations while also learning the business skills needed for a successful consulting career.
Geosyntec is an innovative, international engineering and consulting firm serving private and public-sector clients to address new ventures and complex problems involving our environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure. Our engineers, scientists, technical and project employees serve our clients from offices across the world. Ranked by ENR as one of the top environmental engineering design firms, Geosyntec is internationally known for its technical leadership, broad experience, and exceptional client service.
We invest in our people. Each employee is unique, and your career at Geosyntec will be too. We offer competitive pay and benefits, and well-being programs to support you and your family.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Fieldwork responsibilities such as soil, vapor/air, surface water, and groundwater sampling, drilling and subcontractor oversight, and remediation treatment system operation and maintenance;
- Additional field activities involve well installation, aquifer testing, and groundwater monitoring;
- Support chemical data and contaminant fate & transport evaluation;
- Support groundwater and soil remedy evaluations, cost estimation, design calculations, and implementation;
- Environmental due diligence, regulatory compliance services, and permitting;
- Data evaluation, including preparing maps, tables, and figures;
- Support preparation of technical reports, letters, memoranda, plans, specifications, and proposals; and
- Drive personal, company, and rental vehicles to client or company project or office sites, and other business locations, as needed.
EDUCATION AND LICENSURE:
- Bachelor's degree in geology or environmental, civil, or chemical engineering or relevant degree. (required)
- Advanced degree in the same. (preferred)
- Engineer in Training (EIT). (preferred)
SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
- Internship(s), co-op position, or prior work experience relevant to the position. (preferred)
- Prior research experience in contaminated media or remediation technology. (preferred)
- Experience with ArcView, Microsoft Access, Modflow, and/or EVS. (preferred)
- Regular field work and overnight travel. (required)
- Health and Safety, first aid, CPR, and other training, as well as medical monitoring, are provided and paid for by the firm. (required)
- Client-driven drug and background testing. (required)
- Valid U.S. driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record for business travel. (required)
This opportunity will be posted for at least five days. Below are the potential compensation ranges that we in good faith believe are applicable for this role at the time of this posting and are only applicable for jobs to be performed in the specified location(s) below. The typical base salary range for this position is just one component of Geosyntec’s total compensation package for employees. Actual compensation will be determined based on education, experience, skill set and location.
COMPENSATION
- Minimum: $77,235/year / Maximum: $96,545/year (Oakland, CA)
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including, paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and other benefits to eligible employees.
INTRODUCTION
Do you want to build an impactful career to change the world for the better?
Geosyntec has an exciting opportunity for an Early-Career Environmental Engineer to join our contaminated site assessment and remediation practice in Oakland, CA. The position will have the opportunity to apply academic knowledge to real-world situations while also learning the business skills needed for a successful consulting career.
Geosyntec is an innovative, international engineering and consulting firm serving private and public-sector clients to address new ventures and complex problems involving our environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure. Our engineers, scientists, technical and project employees serve our clients from offices across the world. Ranked by ENR as one of the top environmental engineering design firms, Geosyntec is internationally known for its technical leadership, broad experience, and exceptional client service.
We invest in our people. Each employee is unique, and your career at Geosyntec will be too. We offer competitive pay and benefits, and well-being programs to support you and your family.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Fieldwork responsibilities such as soil, vapor/air, surface water, and groundwater sampling, drilling and subcontractor oversight, and remediation treatment system operation and maintenance;
- Additional field activities involve well installation, aquifer testing, and groundwater monitoring;
- Support chemical data and contaminant fate & transport evaluation;
- Support groundwater and soil remedy evaluations, cost estimation, design calculations, and implementation;
- Environmental due diligence, regulatory compliance services, and permitting;
- Data evaluation, including preparing maps, tables, and figures;
- Support preparation of technical reports, letters, memoranda, plans, specifications, and proposals; and
- Drive personal, company, and rental vehicles to client or company project or office sites, and other business locations, as needed.
EDUCATION AND LICENSURE:
- Bachelor's degree in geology or environmental, civil, or chemical engineering or relevant degree. (required)
- Advanced degree in the same. (preferred)
- Engineer in Training (EIT). (preferred)
SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
- Internship(s), co-op position, or prior work experience relevant to the position. (preferred)
- Prior research experience in contaminated media or remediation technology. (preferred)
- Experience with ArcView, Microsoft Access, Modflow, and/or EVS. (preferred)
- Regular field work and overnight travel. (required)
- Health and Safety, first aid, CPR, and other training, as well as medical monitoring, are provided and paid for by the firm. (required)
- Client-driven drug and background testing. (required)
- Valid U.S. driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record for business travel. (required)
This opportunity will be posted for at least five days. Below are the potential compensation ranges that we in good faith believe are applicable for this role at the time of this posting and are only applicable for jobs to be performed in the specified location(s) below. The typical base salary range for this position is just one component of Geosyntec’s total compensation package for employees. Actual compensation will be determined based on education, experience, skill set and location.
COMPENSATION
- Minimum: $77,235/year / Maximum: $96,545/year (Oakland, CA)
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including, paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and other benefits to eligible employees.
See all 273+ STEM OPT Environmental Technician Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Environmental Technician Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as an Environmental Technician
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's CIP code appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program List maintained by USCIS. Environmental science, environmental engineering, and natural resources degrees qualify, but interdisciplinary programs sometimes carry non-STEM codes that block the extension.
Confirm E-Verify status before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers whether the company is enrolled in E-Verify before you reach the offer stage. Environmental firms, especially smaller regional contractors doing government site work, aren't always enrolled, and your STEM OPT extension depends entirely on that enrollment status.
Target environmental consulting firms with federal contracts
Federal contractors are legally required to use E-Verify, making them structurally safer employers for STEM OPT students. Environmental consulting firms that hold EPA, Army Corps, or DOD remediation contracts typically already run E-Verify for all new hires.
Build your I-983 around field-specific learning objectives
Your training plan must connect hands-on field work, such as soil sampling or air quality monitoring, to the STEM knowledge from your degree. Generic objectives get flagged by DSOs; tie each goal to a specific technique or regulatory standard you'll apply on the job.
Search Migrate Mate to find verified Environmental Technician roles
Migrate Mate filters Environmental Technician listings by employers with confirmed E-Verify enrollment, so you're not wasting applications on firms that can't legally hire you on STEM OPT. Use it to identify active openings before reaching out directly to hiring managers.
File your STEM OPT extension 90 days before OPT expires
USCIS requires your extension application to be received before your current EAD expires. For Environmental Technician roles with seasonal field schedules, a lapse in authorization mid-project can disqualify you from ongoing site work, so file as early as the 90-day window opens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an environmental science or environmental engineering degree qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree's CIP code appears on the USCIS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Environmental science (CIP 03.0104), environmental engineering (CIP 14.1401), and natural resources management (CIP 03.0201) are common qualifying codes. Interdisciplinary or sustainability-focused programs sometimes carry non-STEM codes, so verify your specific CIP code with your DSO before applying for the extension.
Does my Environmental Technician employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is a mandatory condition for STEM OPT authorization. If your employer is not enrolled in E-Verify at the time you file your extension, USCIS will deny it. Confirm enrollment directly with your HR department or look up the employer's E-Verify status through the E-Verify employer search tool before accepting any offer.
What should my I-983 training plan include for an Environmental Technician role?
Your I-983 must describe how the work directly applies knowledge from your STEM degree. For Environmental Technician positions, that means documenting specific activities, such as conducting soil or water sampling, operating field instruments, or analyzing environmental compliance data, and explaining how each connects to your coursework. Generic descriptions don't satisfy DSO review; learning objectives should reference actual field methods and regulatory frameworks you'll use on the job.
How does cap-gap protection apply if I'm an Environmental Technician on STEM OPT and my employer files an H-1B petition?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf before your STEM OPT EAD expires, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. If your H-1B is selected and approved, your authorization continues. If it's not selected, your STEM OPT authorization ends on September 30 and you'll need to stop working unless you have another status to fall back on.
Where can I find Environmental Technician jobs where employers are already set up to hire STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate lists Environmental Technician roles filtered by employers enrolled in E-Verify, which is the single structural requirement that makes STEM OPT hiring possible. Searching there means you're seeing opportunities from employers who can actually complete the authorization process, rather than firms that would need to enroll in E-Verify from scratch after extending you an offer.