Field Geologist Jobs Irvine CA 2026 

JHA Environmental, Inc. — a civil engineering, land surveying, and environmental services firm — is hiring a Field Geologist I or II for its Southern California environmental group in Irvine. The team investigates and remediates contaminated industrial, aerospace, and commercial sites regulated by DTSC, the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, SCAQMD, and local CUPAs. As a Field Geologist, you will log borings, oversee drilling and monitoring well installation, collect soil, groundwater, and soil vapor samples, interpret subsurface conditions, and work with engineers, geologists, and drilling subcontractors. This is a field-forward technical track where you will spend most of your time on site and grow into the QA/QC authority for field programmes on the path to professional licensure. The salary range is $70,500 to $115,000 per year depending on level, and recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

Requirements Worth Knowing Before You Apply

You need a reliable personal vehicle for business use with insurance meeting JHA’s minimums, a valid licence, and an acceptable driving record.

Field work is outdoors in all weather and includes full PPE with a respirator, lifting 50 lb, local travel, and periodic overnight travel.

Employment requires a drug screen, background check, work authorisation in the US (E-Verify), and HAZWOPER 40-hour training within 90 days (JHA pays) plus an annual physical and respirator clearance.

Company: JHA Environmental — offices in California, Illinois, Georgia, Texas, and Washington

Team: Southern California environmental group based in Irvine (Orange County)

Level I (0–3 yrs): Logs borings, monitors well installation, and collects samples under licensed geologist supervision

Level II (3–7 yrs): Leads site investigation programmes independently, including drilling oversight, well installation, field QA/QC, and subcontractor coordination

Reports To: A Project Manager or senior Engineer/Geologist

Compensation & Support — Field Geologist Irvine

Salary: $70,500 to $115,000 per year, depending on level and experience

Training: JHA pays for OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER and the 8-hour annual refresher

Career Path: Support toward Geologist-in-Training (GIT) and California PG licensure

Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8-hour shifts, with field start times varying by project

Other Benefits: Not detailed in the listing — confirm with JHA

Career Opportunity — Environmental Geology in Southern California

Real Field Work: Spend most of your time on site supervising drilling and collecting data

Regulated Sites: Work on projects overseen by DTSC, Regional Water Boards, SCAQMD, and CUPAs

Licensure Path: Build toward California PG licensure with experience and the ASBOG exams

Career Growth: Pathway from Field Geologist I to II, then Project Geologist and beyond

Position Overview

This Field Geologist role specialises in subsurface characterisation, sampling, and field investigation. You will prepare field programmes — utility clearance through DigAlert/USA, permits, site access, boring layouts, and supplies with the drilling subcontractor — and then oversee direct push, hollow stem auger, and sonic drilling and monitoring well installation. You will log soils using USCS, document well construction, and collect soil, groundwater (including low-flow), and soil vapor and sub-slab samples per DTSC guidance while managing chain of custody and laboratory coordination. Field instruments such as PIDs, water level and interface probes, and multi-parameter meters need operating and calibrating, with calibration logs kept up to date. You will also manage investigation-derived waste, prepare boring logs, well construction diagrams, cross-sections, and field summary tables, support remediation system installation oversight and pilot tests (SVE, air sparge, DPE), give the project manager daily updates, and follow site-specific Health and Safety Plans, leading tailgate meetings when serving as field lead.

Why This Role Matters: Clean-up decisions rest on field data. As Field Geologist, your careful logging, sampling, and QA/QC give regulators and clients reliable evidence about what is in the ground and how remediation is working.

 Key Responsibilities

Field Programme Preparation & Drilling Oversight

• Prepare for field programmes: utility clearance (DigAlert/USA), permits, site access, boring layouts, and supplies with the drilling subcontractor
• Oversee direct push, hollow stem auger, and sonic drilling and monitoring well installation
• Log soils using USCS and document well construction
• Lead field work independently at Level II, including subcontractor coordination

Sampling, Instruments & Waste

• Collect soil, groundwater (including low-flow), and soil vapor and sub-slab samples per DTSC guidance
• Manage chain of custody and laboratory coordination
• Operate and calibrate PIDs, water level and interface probes, and multi-parameter meters; keep calibration logs
• Manage investigation-derived waste characterisation, labelling, and disposal coordination

Reporting & Remediation Support

• Prepare boring logs, well construction diagrams, cross-sections, and field summary tables
• Support remediation system installation oversight and pilot test data collection (SVE, air sparge, DPE)
• Give daily field updates to the project manager and flag changes that affect scope, schedule, or budget
• Have work reviewed before submittal at Level I

Health & Safety

• Follow site-specific Health and Safety Plans at all times
• Lead tailgate meetings when serving as field lead
• Wear full PPE, including a respirator, when required
• Keep training and medical surveillance current

Qualifications & Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Geology, Earth Sciences, Hydrogeology, or a related field
• Valid driver’s licence, acceptable driving record, and a reliable personal vehicle with insurance meeting JHA minimums
• Able to lift and carry 50 lb, stand and walk for long periods on uneven terrain, and wear full PPE including a respirator
• Strong written and verbal communication, attention to detail, a safety mindset, and working knowledge of Outlook, Word, and Excel

Preferred

• Field experience logging borings, overseeing drilling, installing wells, or sampling; internships and co-ops count
• OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER and First Aid/CPR (HAZWOPER required within 90 days; JHA pays)
• Geologist-in-Training (GIT) or intent to sit the ASBOG Fundamentals exam, on the path to California PG licensure
• Master’s degree for Level II placement; familiarity with gINT, ArcGIS, AutoCAD, GeoTracker, or EnviroStor

 About JHA Environmental — Irvine, California

Jacob & Hefner Associates, Inc., doing business as JHA Environmental, Inc., is a civil engineering, land surveying, and environmental services firm with offices in California, Illinois, Georgia, Texas, and Washington. Its Southern California environmental group, based in Irvine in Orange County, investigates and remediates contaminated industrial, aerospace, and commercial sites regulated by DTSC, the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, SCAQMD, and local CUPAs, and operates remediation systems across the region. For geologists who prefer field work to desk work and want a clear route toward licensure, the firm offers structured levels, paid safety training, and close work with engineers and licensed geologists.

Career Excellence: Join JHA Environmental in Irvine — oversee drilling, sample soil, groundwater, and vapor, support remediation systems, and build toward California PG licensure.

Who Should Apply?

• Recent Geology Graduates: With internships or co-ops in drilling, logging, or sampling
• Environmental Field Technicians: Ready to step into geologist responsibilities
• HAZWOPER-Trained Candidates: Comfortable with respirators and site safety plans
• Experienced Field Geologists: With 3–7 years leading investigations and coordinating subcontractors
• Licensure-Minded Professionals: Planning to pursue GIT and California PG licensure

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