Water Quality Field Technician

Environmental Science Associates; Boynton Beach (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

ESOP

401(k) match

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Paid holidays

Job summary

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) seeks a Field Technician/Scientist for the South Florida Water Management District’s Water Quality Bureau. Based at the SFWMD Field Station in Okeechobee, FL, you will join a four‑day field team collecting surface water samples and supporting field and occasional lab activities.

Responsibilities include sampling, equipment calibration, sample prep, and site maintenance.

Qualifications

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in a natural science or related field.
• 0-2 years of professional experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Experience with field sampling techniques and water quality equipment is highly preferred.
• Florida driver's license and the ability to pass a background check.

Responsibilities

• Collect surface water samples by land and boat at various field locations.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain monitoring equipment and auto samplers.
• Prepare samples for laboratory analysis.
• Maintain sampling platforms and sites using basic hand tools and vegetation control equipment.

Skills

Field sampling techniques

Water quality equipment handling

Powerboat operation

Lifting 55 lbs

Strong communication

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in natural science

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeast United States.

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is offering a full‑time position (40 hours per week) to provide field support for the South Florida Water Management District’s (SFWMD) Water Quality Bureau as a Field Technician/Scientist. This position is based at the SFWMD Field Station in Okeechobee, FL, within a team that monitors water quality to comply with permit requirements and legal mandates, and to provide information in support of management decisions and strategies for restoration. The work responsibilities are primarily in the field, but some laboratory work is required. You will be part of the WQ field team that works four 10‑hour days, Monday through Thursday.

What Will You Do

The Field Technician/Scientist position will support water quality sampling and other tasks as assigned. The majority of work will be the collection of surface water samples by land, and boat, at various field locations. The position’s responsibilities include:

• collect manual and electronic surface water quality and/or ecological and biological samples;
• operate, clean, calibrate and maintain monitoring equipment, including multi‑parameter water quality sondes, and automatic water samplers;
• prepare samples for laboratory analysis; and
• clean and maintain sampling platforms and sites, using vegetation control equipment and basic hand tools.

Who You Are

• You must have an associate's or bachelor’s degree in a natural science or related field and 0-2 years of professional experience.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office programs and have strong oral and written communication skills.
• Experience in field sampling techniques for surface water, working with field and water quality equipment, and trailering and operating powerboats (up to 23 feet in length) is highly preferred.
• Must be able to lift 55 lbs., and work daily in remote, hot, humid, and wet conditions in habitats occupied by alligators, snakes, and stinging/biting insects.
• Be comfortable working in the field and work in a laboratory setting occasionally.
• You must pass a background check as a condition of employment and a valid Florida driver's license is also required.
• The starting salary is based upon qualifications and experience, and ranges from $42,000-$44,000 per year.

What’s Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close‑knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company share through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee‑owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

Who We Are

We are a 100% employee‑owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee‑owners and clients.

In accordance with ESA’s duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in‑person ESA work‑related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies.

Please note: We do NOT accept unsolicited resumes from agencies

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability—or unable to use—the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Human Resources Department via email: [e-mail] for assistance.

Please include the following in your message so we can promptly address your request:

• Full name
• The best method to contact you (phone number and/or email address)
• Title of Job Position Applied
• Description of your accommodation request

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)