Project Scientist - Indianapolis, IN

Tetra Tech; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Merit-based rewards

Work-life balance

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Tetra Tech is seeking a full-time Project Scientist based in Indianapolis, IN to support complex environmental projects, on-call emergency responses, and travel across the Midwest and United States. You will contribute to data collection, field analyses, and prepared reports while gaining experience and training from a mentoring environment.

Ideal candidates have a science background with 0–3 years of experience, strong writing and communication skills, and the ability to work in a collaborative

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, geology, or related physical science.
• 0–3 years of environmental consulting or related experience.
• Customer focused and work well in a team environment.
• Effective time management and organizational skills.
• Able to be on‑call as needed and travel up to 75% of the time.
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills, as well as proficiency with MS Office applications are required.
• Passing a criminal background check.
• Driving on a regular basis; valid driver’s license and good driving record.

Responsibilities

• Conduct multi-media environmental sampling (soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and air).
• Support emergency response activities, including maintaining on-call readiness and mobilizing to sites.
• Calibrate, operate, and maintain field monitoring equipment and document usage.
• Collect, document, and manage field data with QA/QC requirements.
• Assist with preparation of technical reports and regulatory/client deliverables.
• Perform field audits, inspections, and site assessments to support investigations and remediation.
• Coordinate with project managers, field teams, laboratories, subcontractors, and clients.
• Maintain inventory and readiness of field supplies, PPE, and equipment.
• Operate and maintain project vehicles and readiness for deployment.
• Adhere to health and safety requirements and participate in safety briefings.
• Travel to project sites and client locations, including extended travel.

Skills

Teamwork

Time management

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or related physical science

Tools

MS Office

Job description

The Opportunity

Tetra Tech is looking for a full-time Project Scientist based in Indianapolis, IN.

Position Summary

The selected candidate will provide support on a variety of complex and interesting environmental projects, including emergency response with on-call support and significant travel opportunity. This position will involve project management, providing technical support in the areas of emergency response, environmental investigation, brownfields, and remediation. Members of the emergency response team are responsible for maintaining on-call readiness to handle emergency responses and provide remedial and restoration guidance/solutions to clients throughout the Midwest and across the United States, including the oversight of site operations and health and safety.

In this position you will be part of a project team, gaining valuable data collection experience in the field and preparing detailed analysis of field data and project reports. Tetra Tech provides mentoring and training opportunities to help staff develop their skills and diversify their experience and interests.

Essential Job Functions

The following duties are considered essential to the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions:

Conduct multi-media environmental sampling (soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and air) in accordance with approved work plans, SOPs, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Support emergency response activities, including maintaining on-call readiness, mobilizing to sites, and assisting with time-sensitive field operations and site stabilization efforts.

Calibrate, operate, and maintain field monitoring equipment (e.g. PID/FID, air monitoring instruments, water quality meters) and ensure proper documentation of calibration and use.

Collect, document, and manage field data, including completion of field logs, chain-of-custody forms, and electronic data systems in accordance with QA/QC requirements.

Assist with preparation of technical reports, including data interpretation, figures, tables, and summaries for regulatory and client deliverables.

Perform field audits, inspections, and site assessments to support environmental investigations, remediation activities, and compliance monitoring.

Support hazardous waste site activities, including waste characterization, handling coordination, and compliance with applicable health and safety protocols.

Coordinate with project managers, field teams, laboratories, subcontractors, and clients to support project execution, schedules, and deliverables.

Maintain inventory and readiness of field supplies, PPE, and equipment, including preparation for mobilization and restocking following field events.

Operate and maintain project vehicles and ensure readiness for deployment to field sites.

Adhere to all company health and safety requirements and participate in safety briefings, trainings, and incident reporting.

Travel to project sites and client locations, including extended travel and field deployments, as required by project needs.

Why Tetra Tech

At Tetra Tech, we are Leading with Science to solve the world’s most complex challenges. Our industry-leading experts in engineering and consulting are committed to driving positive change in communities around the world. For over 60 years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. Today we stand as a market leader, offering cutting-edge solutions in water, environment, energy, and international development. Our work has improved more than 625 million lives around the world.

Your Impact

Join Tetra Tech to make a real difference. Our work leverages cutting-edge technologies, advanced analytics, and the expertise of world-class scientists and engineers to create meaningful change around the world. Discover your full potential – join us to advance your career while leaving a lasting legacy.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in science, geology, or related physical science degree.

0-3 years of environmental consulting or related experience.

Customer focused and work well in a team environment.

Effective time management and organizational skills.

Able to be on‑call as needed and travel up to 75% of the time.

Excellent technical writing and communication skills, as well as proficiency with MS Office applications are required.

In addition, the following is required:

Passing a criminal background check.

Driving on a regular basis. Passing a motor vehicle record background check and maintaining a valid driver's license and good driving record is required.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of federal and state environmental regulations, emergency response, and remediation management.

Experience with vapor intrusion assessments, PFAS sampling, hazardous waste site investigation and field sampling, feasibility studies, remedial design, site remediation, air quality, ecological restoration, and water resources.

Previous experience working on EPA projects.

Data literacy, including comfortability working in cloud-based environments such as SharePoint Online.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made.

Lift heavy field sampling and other equipment weighing up to 50 lbs.

Meet physical demands of hazardous waste site work.

Participation in required health and safety training (e.g., HAZWOPER) and medical monitoring programs is required.

Work is performed in a combination of office, field, and client site environments, with a large portion of time spent in outdoor and industrial settings.

Fieldwork may occur at active or former industrial facilities, construction sites, hazardous waste sites, and emergency response locations with varying levels of physical and environmental complexity.

Regular exposure to variable weather conditions, including cold, heat, humidity, precipitation, and wind, during field assignments in the Midwest.

Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required and provided to work around environmental hazards, including chemicals, petroleum products, hazardous substances, dust, vapors, fumes, and elevated noise levels;

Work may be conducted on uneven terrain, near heavy equipment, or in areas with limited access.

Field assignments may require extended workdays, non-standard hours, and rapid mobilization in support of emergency response activities, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Travel to project sites may be frequent and may include overnight stays and short-notice deployment.

Office-based work includes prolonged periods of computer use, data analysis, and report preparation in a professional office setting.

Additional Information

This full-time position requires approximately 50-75% travel, depending on project needs and emergency response activities. Overnight and short-notice travel, including weekends, should be expected.

Standard schedule is Monday through Friday during normal business hours; however, hours may vary based on project needs. Flexibility is required to accommodate fieldwork, travel, and emergency response activities.

Additional time may be required to meet project deadlines, support field events, or respond to emergency situations.

Participation in an on-call rotation (anticipated approximately one week per month) is required. During on-call periods, the candidate must be available to respond to emergency response needs, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Must be able to drive on a regular basis. Passing a motor vehicle record background check and maintaining a valid driver's license and good driving record is required.

Life at Tetra Tech

The perks of working at Tetra Tech include:

• Comprehensive and market-competitive benefits.
• Merit-based financial rewards.
• Flexibility and company-wide commitment to work/life balance.
• Collaborative team atmosphere that values the contributions of all employees.
• Learning and development opportunities for ongoing professional growth.

Benefits

Tetra Tech offers comprehensive benefit options that allow employees to design a plan based on individual needs and assists in planning for long-term financial security. Available benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, term life, disability, accidental death & dismemberment coverage, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Spending Account (HSA), time off with pay, 401k retirement plan, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

About Tetra Tech:

Tetra Tech is the leader in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure, providing high-end consulting and engineering services for projects worldwide. Our 25,000 employees work together to provide clear solutions to complex problems by Leading with Science to address the entire water cycle, protect and restore the environment, design sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and support the clean energy transition.
Tetra Tech is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital or familial status, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. Tetra Tech is a VEVRAA federal contractor and we request priority referral of veterans.

We invite applications from all interested parties.

Explore our open positions at https://www.tetratech.com/careers. Follow us on social media to learn more about our people, culture, and opportunities:

LinkedIn: @TetraTechCareers
X (Twitter): @TetraTechJobs