Entry-Level Environmental Field Tech

Thesterlinglab; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Sterling Labs is seeking an Environmental Field Technician to perform wastewater and water quality monitoring across Midwest facilities. You will collect samples, operate field instruments, and ensure data integrity under EMT policies and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities include travel to client sites, performing routine sampling, and documenting field activities while complying with safety procedures.

Qualifications

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to think critically and problem solve.
• Self-directed, goal-oriented and dependable.

Responsibilities

• Perform water quality monitoring using field instrumentation.
• Collect wastewater, groundwater, leachate, stormwater, soil, surface water, and drinking water samples.
• Review and interpret data to identify trends and anomalies.
• Travel to client facilities, including overnight stays and weekend work.

Skills

Communication

Critical thinking

Self-directed

Education

Bachelor’s Degree Preferred

Job description

Description

About Us

Sterling Labs (Environmental Monitoring & Technologies, LLC) is a DoD, NELAP, ANAB, and AIHA-accredited environmental laboratory providing high-integrity analytical data through state-of-the-art technology and validated testing methodologies. For more than 40 years, our work has supported initiatives that protect human health and the environment.

Our success is built on client partnerships and scientific excellence. We collaborate with environmental consultants, engineering firms, and government agencies to deliver reliable, timely analytical results that support regulatory compliance and environmental stewardship. From wastewater testing in the greater Chicago area to nationwide projects with Department of Defense partners, our commitment to quality and innovation continues to drive our growth.

When you join Sterling Labs, you become part of a team of scientists, professionals, and technical specialists who share one purpose:

WE PRESERVE THE PLANET TO PROTECT THE FUTURE

This purpose shapes our culture, drives our decisions, and guides how we serve our clients and support one another. We believe that meaningful progress comes from integrity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to improvement—principles that are reflected in our core values.

Our Core Values

• Integrity in Everything We Do -We act with honesty, transparency, and accountability.
• Customer Focused - We prioritize our clients’ needs and value their feedback.
• We are never satisfied - We seek better ways to serve our clients and support our employees through innovation and growth.

At Sterling Labs, we know our employees are the foundation of our success. We strive to provide a supportive, inclusive, and growth-oriented workplace where every individual is encouraged to learn, innovate, and advance.

Employee Benefits

Sterling Labs offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, financial security, and well-being of our full-time employees:

• Healthcare Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Financial Security: 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance, and short- and long-term disability coverage
• Work-Life Balance: Paid Time Off (vacation, sick leave, and holidays)

Equal Employment Opportunity

Sterling Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, sex, age, disability, marital or family status, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Position Overview

The Environmental Field Technician will engage in wastewater, groundwater, leachate, stormwater, soil, drinking water, and surface water monitoring and sample collection activities. Upon completion of the training program, the Environmental Field Technician will work on monitoring and sampling projects on a variety of matrices at facilities throughout the Midwest. Under the direction of the Groundwater and/or Wastewater Field Manager, the technician will follow standard procedures for data and sample collection to ensure representative samples are collected and meet EMT, client, and regulatory specifications. The Environmental Field Technician must follow protocols and procedures to ensure work is completed safely and ethically, exceeding our client’s expectations. The groundwater and wastewater field services provided support to a variety of clientele, including consulting and engineering firms, private industry, and governmental agencies operating under various environmental rules and regulations.

Compensation $17.25 + benefits and bonus opportunity

Specific Duties Of The Position

• Maintains quality standards in accordance with EMT Standard Operating Procedures, NEFAP Standard, and relevant sampling and analysis standards.
• Perform water quality monitoring using field instrumentation for indicator parameters.
• Collect wastewater, groundwater, leachate, stormwater, soil, surface water, and drinking water samples in accordance with standard operating procedures. Conduct sampling and measurement activities in accordance with EMT policies and procedures.
• Troubleshoot flow measurement, monitoring, and sampling equipment.
• Collect and document accurate and defensible data.
• Install and operate automated wastewater sampling equipment
• Install and operate automated stormwater sampling equipmentInstall and operate flow measurement instrumentation.
• Perform confined space entries to install and maintain monitoring equipment.
• Review and interpret data to identify trends and anomalies.
• Documentation of all field activities is sufficient to reconstruct them.
• Communicate effectively with team members and project management staff to ensure field activities exceed client expectations and quality data is generated. Confer with project managers to coordinate operations and activities in accordance with the contracted scope of work.
• Interact with clients and/or their project engineer/consultant to ensure project specifications are met.
• Adequately prepare and deliver or ship samples to EMT or our partner laboratories.
• Report writing summarizing field activities.
• Perform landfill gas monitoring and flare gas sampling.
• Conduct surface scan monitoring for ground emissions.
• Strictly adhere to EMT data integrity and ethics policy.
• Strictly adhere to EMT safety policies and procedures.
• Travel to client facilities, including overnight stays.
• Work weekends on a rotational basis.
• Such other tasks as may be assigned from time to time, consistent with the objectives of the position.

Requirements

Personal and Professional Credentials

• Bachelor’s Degree Preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to think critically and problem solve.
• Self-directed, goal-oriented.
• Due to the client's requirements for facility on-site access, background checks are required.
• Must possess a valid driver's license.
• Must be able to be insured by EMT's insurance carrier to drive company vehicles safely and effectively. In addition, the ability to drive off-road vehicles is required.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to work in environments with limited access, requiring walking or hiking over uneven terrain and manual transport of field equipment to monitoring locations.
• Must be able to lift, carry, and move field instruments, coolers, and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds using proper and safe lifting techniques.
• Must be able to work safely in confined spaces, near water bodies, and around heavy equipment while following all company safety procedures.
• Must be able to wear and properly use all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including respirators, gloves, safety glasses, protective clothing, and harnesses as needed.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing fieldwork, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, climb, crouch, or crawl, and occasionally reach, balance, or lift objects above shoulder level.
• Must be able to work in all weather conditions and in industrial, solid waste, and construction environments where exposure to noise, odors, dust, or chemicals may occur.
• Must be able to safely handle environmental samples and work in proximity to chemicals and wastewater materials in accordance with company and regulatory safety protocols.
• Must be able to travel to client sites, including overnight stays and occasional weekend work.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.