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
This role advances DPR's decarbonization strategy through research on circular economy principles, material efficiency, and supply chain engagement. The position researches and develops programs that reduce the environmental impact associated with purchased materials, construction waste, and resource consumption while supporting enterprise climate goals outlined in the Path to Regeneration.
The role requires deep research experience, scientific analysis, and experience with academic studies (Master or PhD a plus). At DPR, roles and responsibilities are more than describing a job title—they are a commitment to building great things together. The job description(s) below defines core responsibilities and the scope of the role and is a starting point. Every employee is expected to lead from where they are, take ownership of outcomes, and always act in the best interest of the team, customer, project and organization.
As a purpose-driven organization on a journey to be most admired, we rely on trust, shared leadership, open communication, disciplined action and a deep respect for the individual to drive exceptional performance. Success is not just about what we build, but who we build and how we build it: with integrity, enjoyment, uniqueness and an ever-forward mindset.
JOB SUMMARY
Advances circular economy principles through waste reduction, material reuse, and environmental compliance. Partners with operations and supply chain teams to reduce virgin material use and improve recyclability.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Supports circularity and material reuse initiatives.
- Assists with environmental compliance and audits.
- Collaborates on waste reduction strategies.
- Supports supply chain circular solutions.
- Contributes to industry research and best practices.
EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, sustainability, or a related field required.
WORK EXPERIENCE
2–4 years of experience in environmental management or circularity required.
CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES
Environmental or sustainability certification preferred.
COMPENSATION
Anticipated starting pay range:
Nothing is more important than your health and wellness. DPR offers a variety of medical, dental, vision and wellness benefits to keep you healthy. Read more about eligibility and available benefits programs for skilled craft and labor or experienced professionals and recent graduates.
DPR Construction is a forward-thinking, self-performing general contractor specializing in technically complex and sustainable projects for the advanced technology, life sciences, healthcare, higher education and commercial markets. Founded in 1990, DPR is a great story of entrepreneurial success as a private, employee-owned company that has grown into a multi-billion-dollar family of companies with offices around the world.
Working at DPR, you'll have the chance to try new things, explore unique paths and shape your future. Here, we build opportunity together—by harnessing our talents, enabling curiosity and pursuing our collective ambition to make the best ideas happen. We are proud to be recognized as a great place to work by our talented teammates and leading news organizations like U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, Fast Company and Newsweek.
INTRODUCTION
This role advances DPR's decarbonization strategy through research on circular economy principles, material efficiency, and supply chain engagement. The position researches and develops programs that reduce the environmental impact associated with purchased materials, construction waste, and resource consumption while supporting enterprise climate goals outlined in the Path to Regeneration.
The role requires deep research experience, scientific analysis, and experience with academic studies (Master or PhD a plus). At DPR, roles and responsibilities are more than describing a job title—they are a commitment to building great things together. The job description(s) below defines core responsibilities and the scope of the role and is a starting point. Every employee is expected to lead from where they are, take ownership of outcomes, and always act in the best interest of the team, customer, project and organization.
As a purpose-driven organization on a journey to be most admired, we rely on trust, shared leadership, open communication, disciplined action and a deep respect for the individual to drive exceptional performance. Success is not just about what we build, but who we build and how we build it: with integrity, enjoyment, uniqueness and an ever-forward mindset.
JOB SUMMARY
Advances circular economy principles through waste reduction, material reuse, and environmental compliance. Partners with operations and supply chain teams to reduce virgin material use and improve recyclability.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Supports circularity and material reuse initiatives.
- Assists with environmental compliance and audits.
- Collaborates on waste reduction strategies.
- Supports supply chain circular solutions.
- Contributes to industry research and best practices.
EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, sustainability, or a related field required.
WORK EXPERIENCE
2–4 years of experience in environmental management or circularity required.
CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES
Environmental or sustainability certification preferred.
COMPENSATION
Anticipated starting pay range:
Nothing is more important than your health and wellness. DPR offers a variety of medical, dental, vision and wellness benefits to keep you healthy. Read more about eligibility and available benefits programs for skilled craft and labor or experienced professionals and recent graduates.
DPR Construction is a forward-thinking, self-performing general contractor specializing in technically complex and sustainable projects for the advanced technology, life sciences, healthcare, higher education and commercial markets. Founded in 1990, DPR is a great story of entrepreneurial success as a private, employee-owned company that has grown into a multi-billion-dollar family of companies with offices around the world.
Working at DPR, you'll have the chance to try new things, explore unique paths and shape your future. Here, we build opportunity together—by harnessing our talents, enabling curiosity and pursuing our collective ambition to make the best ideas happen. We are proud to be recognized as a great place to work by our talented teammates and leading news organizations like U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, Fast Company and Newsweek.
See all 268+ 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.