Staff Scientist

Growing, Succeeding and Designing Our Future Together

We are looking for future team members who are excited to make an impact. As an employee-owned company, we are dedicated to the betterment of our clients, our communities, and our employees. Your contribution is key to the quality-of-service SMA delivers. Throughout your career with SMA, there will be opportunities for you to improve the skills you need to achieve your professional goals.

We encourage you to explore innovative ways to develop solutions while collaborating with team members inside and outside the organization by providing the framework for you to find success.

We don't just talk about being client-focused; the engineers, scientists, surveyors, technicians and other professionals at SMA live and breathe it. After all, we are members of the communities we help.

• Ownership & Impact: Experience the unique advantage of employee ownership, where your contributions directly shape our company's future.
• Community Focus: We're deeply committed to the communities we serve. Our engineers, scientists, surveyors, and professionals are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that make a real difference.
• Growth & Development: We invest in your professional growth, providing opportunities to expand your skills and collaborate with a dynamic team.
• Proven Excellence: With a legacy dating back to 1985, SMA is a leading engineering firm in New Mexico, renowned for our commitment to infrastructure, water safety, environmental remediation, and more.

Souder, Miller & Associates is recruiting a full-time Staff Scientist I for the Environmental Technical Sector in our Arvada, CO office. Staff Scientist I will assist with projects by performing the duties related to the successful completion and delivery of a project. This position will work closely with senior staff on varied solid waste and environmental projects. Assignments will include a mixture of field and office duties;

collaborative, team‑led projects; and working independently with direction, supervision, and support from project managers and senior engineering staff. New and varied assignments may be made frequently requiring flexibility in travel, self‑directed learning skills and heightened social interaction. Field assignments can be frequent, and the duration can extend beyond one week.

The Company is seeking a candidate with a strong background or interest in hydrogeology, air emission control and compliance, environmental remediation, and basic civil design.

The Staff Scientist I position will directly report to and support senior staff in the Arvada, CO office, and occasionally virtually to senior staff at other offices. Generally, field tasks will include air and groundwater sampling at long‑term solid waste locations. Office duties will primarily be the preparation of compliance reports, design and construction plans, and drawings. This early career position will expose you to varied concepts, tools, and project types, allowing you to find the work that interests you.

• Gauging and sampling groundwater monitoring wells,
• Monitoring subsurface gas concentrations using a four‑gas meter or GEM‑500,
• On‑site construction observation for solid waste earthwork or geomembrane placement,
• Preparing air or water quality reports, which may include using Land Gem or Sanitas statistical analysis software,
• Composing or editing construction quality assurance plans, engineering design and operations plans, and SOPs for field sampling.
• Assisting with the design and drafting of construction drawings.
• Assisting with solid waste facility siting.
• Acquire and develop basic technical skills.
• Apply prescribed techniques and procedures in accordance with established criteria to perform assigned tasks.
• Perform routine technical work that does not require previous experience.
• Collect data and gather information or documents. Perform standard computations or analysis.
• Assist in client contact and communication pertaining to specific projects.
• Assist in the development of scopes of work and cost estimates for projects.
• Attend client meetings and complete field investigations, day or…