Hydrographic Survey Specialist - San Rafael, CA

At Woolpert, you’ll do work that matters.

As a leading global architecture, engineering, and geospatial firm, we help clients solve complex challenges that shape communities, strengthen critical infrastructure, advance technology, and improve the world around us. Here, you’ll collaborate across disciplines, tackle meaningful projects, and build a career defined by growth, opportunity, and impact.

Position Overview  

Woolpert is looking for a Hydrographic Survey Specialist to join our Hydrographic Survey team out of our San Rafael, CA office. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to spend real time in the field, working on marine infrastructure, marine construction, and navigational charting surveys throughout California, with a strong focus on the San Francisco Bay Area and the broader California coast. Travel to other states will come up as project needs dictate, and candidates should expect approximately 100 days of travel throughout each year.  

We are especially interested in candidates who bring both survey skills and vessel operation experience, including towing vessels on trailers. Ideally this person can run the boat as well as run the survey.

We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Applicants must already possess work authorization in the country the job is located.  

What You Will Do  

Field tasks will include:  

• Multibeam and singlebeam hydrographic survey  

• GNSS topographic surveys  

• Terrestrial LiDAR surveys  

• Survey vessel mobilization  

• GNSS and optical horizontal and vertical control surveys  

• Operating and towing survey vessels, and working in coastal waterways  

Office tasks will include:  

• Multibeam and singlebeam data processing  

• GNSS static control network processing and adjustment  

• AutoCAD Civil 3D  

• Mobile and static terrestrial LiDAR survey processing (also referred to as 3D laser scanning) 

What You Will Bring  

• Bachelor's degree in surveying, geomatics, environmental science, ocean engineering, geology, geography, spatial science, marine science, or a comparable field.  

• Self-motivated, quick learning, curious, and resourceful, with a common-sense approach to problem solving and workload management.  

• A genuine interest in working for a marine-focused organization, and an appetite for regular field work and travel.  

• Experience working on vessels and conducting hydrographic or land surveys.  

Preferred experience and qualifications:  

• Experience operating and towing survey vessels.  

• Experience with marine survey software such as HYPACK, QINSy, Qimera, SESWin, Discover, or other hydrographic survey programs.  

• Experience using Global Mapper, AutoCAD, or other CAD software.  

• Experience with magnetometer, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiling, or USBL positioning systems.  

• Experience with LiDAR mapping and processing, including terrestrial or airborne systems.  

• Experience gathering GPS data with Trimble GPS hardware and software, including data processing.  

• Working knowledge of geodesy and experience generating PPK solutions.  

• Experience with 3D visualization.  

• Working toward Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) licensure.  

None of the above is required on day one. We regularly hire people with a variety of backgrounds and give them adequate training on all of these topics, but candidates who already have exposure to any of it is preferred.  

Benefits You Will Love  

Certified as a Great Place to Work, Woolpert is one of the fastest-growing architecture, engineering, and geospatial companies in the world. With over 75 offices and countless projects around the globe, you will work on meaningful assignments that improve quality of life around the world. In addition to competitive pay, we offer a robust set of benefits, including:  

• Principal program: Earn the opportunity to become an owner of the firm.  

• Flexible paid time off and vacation: Take time off when it makes sense for you and your team.  

• Career development: Explore a wide range of learning and growth opportunities within and across industries.  

• Health, life, vision, and dental insurance: Cover all your medical bases.  

• Paid sick time, retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, pet insurance, identity protection, technology stipend, employee assistance program, and more.  

Base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Pay Range

$65,800—$82,300 USD

Find out more about what Woolpert has to offer here: 

Woolpert is an equal-opportunity employer. Woolpert is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals. We recruit, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.  You may view more about EEO on our website: Equal-Employment-Opportunity-The-Law.pdf and EEO is the Law Poster Supplement .

Applicants who require an accommodation throughout the application and interview process should request this in advance by contacting your Recruiter

To all agencies: Please, no phone calls or emails to any employee of Woolpert or any of our subsidiaries about this requisition. All resumes submitted by search firms/employment agencies to any employee at Woolpert via email, the internet, or in any form and/or method will be deemed the sole property of Woolpert, unless such search firms/employment agencies were engaged by Woolpert's Talent Acquisition Team for this requisition and a valid agreement is in place. In the event a candidate who was submitted outside of Woolpert's applicant process is hired, no fee or payment of any kind will be paid.