Senior Hydrographic Field Survey Lead — Inland Waterways

Prairie Engineers, P.C.; Hazelwood (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance starting day one

401(k) plan with company contribution

Generous PTO (min 160 hours)

Professional development support

Licensing support

Job summary

Prairie Engineers seeks a Senior Hydrographic Field Surveyor to lead field acquisition and ensure data quality across inland waterways. You will mentor crew members, coordinate with the hydrographic project manager, and travel extensively, including work aboard survey vessels.

You will plan, configure, operate, and troubleshoot HYPACK/HYSWEEP systems (singlebeam, multibeam, sidescan) with GNSS and inertial navigation, while applying USACE and IHO standards to deliver high-quality products.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of hydrographic surveying experience with field acquisition and delivery.
• Strong experience planning surveys and supervising crews in inland waterways.
• Familiarity with USACE and IHO standards and client specifications.

Responsibilities

• Plan and perform hydrographic surveys; guide field crews; safely operate vessels.
• Operate and troubleshoot HYPACK/HYSWEEP with sonar, GNSS, and motion systems.
• Monitor positioning, sound velocity, coverage, and data quality during acquisition.
• Provide input on proposals, survey plans, equipment needs, and staffing.
• Support data processing, QA/QC, and deliverables in coordination with the PM.
• Mentor hydrographers and processing staff; improve procedures and templates.
• Coordinate with related teams on integrated projects.

Skills

Hydrographic surveying

Crew leadership

Field planning

Data QA/QC

Travel readiness

Education

Related degree

Tools

HYPACK

HYSWEEP

Singlebeam sonar

Multibeam sonar

Sidescan sonar

GNSS

Inertial navigation

Sound velocity systems

Job description

Prairie Engineers seeks a Senior Hydrographic Field Surveyor to lead field acquisition and ensure data quality across inland waterways. You will mentor crew members, coordinate with the hydrographic project manager, and travel extensively, including work aboard survey vessels.

You will plan, configure, operate, and troubleshoot HYPACK/HYSWEEP systems (singlebeam, multibeam, sidescan) with GNSS and inertial navigation, while applying USACE and IHO standards to deliver high-quality products.