Freelance Geospatial Data Engineer Jobs in Modesto, CA

The Director of Geomatics is the top regional operations leader responsible for the daily management of NV5's engineering-grade land survey and geomatics services within a designated area. This position oversees regional performance, team leadership, and client satisfaction, aligned with the Geomatics Leadership Matrix and the Vice President-level operating schedule. 

The Director translates BU and Vice President strategies into a workable regional operating plan and ensures disciplined delivery through standardized project controls, predictable workflows, and consistent quality. The Director works closely with the Vice President - Project Controls & UAS Operations and Quality leadership to reduce variance, improve cash conversion, and minimize rework. 

This leader is outward-facing and promotes growth through client engagement, pursuit support, and cross-selling across NV5 service lines, while fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement. 

Core Accountabilities 

• Execution of regional operating plan (revenue, margin, backlog, staffing, equipment). 
• Delivery discipline: scope, schedule, budget-to-actual, change management, risk documentation, and closeout standards. 
• Financial controls: usage, labor efficiency, work-in-progress quality, billing timeliness, A/R aging, and forecast accuracy. 
• Quality and risk: engineering-grade QA/QC compliance, audit readiness, reduced rework, and contract/risk controls. 
• Client program health: satisfaction, issue resolution speed, renewals, and cross-sell growth. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic, Financial, and Operating Leadership 

• Translate the BU and regional business plan into an executable operating plan for the assigned geography, including revenue, margin, backlog coverage, staffing, and equipment targets. 
• Own day-to-day financial management: monitor project gross margin, utilization, labor efficiency, manage backlog conversion, WIP, and A/R; and implement recovery actions for underperforming projects and teams. 
• Support the pricing strategy and contract stance to ensure the delivery of budgeted profitability; escalate exceptions beyond approved authority to the BU Leader/VP according to the delegation of authority. 
• Lead capacity planning and workload balancing across offices and teams to optimize utilization and minimize avoidable subcontractor leakage. 

Operational Excellence and Project Delivery Discipline 

• Ensure consistent application of NV5 project delivery standards from kickoff to closeout: defined scope, schedule controls, budget-to-actual tracking, change management, and documented risks/issues. 
• Collaborate with the Vice President - Project Controls & UAS Operations to establish standardized controls, dashboards, and review schedules; ensure data inputs are timely and accurate. 
• Lead forecasting and variance management through weekly and monthly project reviews; validate assumptions and drive action plans to reduce schedule and margin variance. 
• Drive billing and cash discipline: ensure invoicing is timely, support collections, and maintain healthy DSO and A/R aging in partnership with Finance and Project Managers. 

Quality, Technical Standards, and Risk Management 

• Ensure engineering-grade QA/QC for survey and geomatics deliverables, following NV5 procedures, client standards, and jurisdictional requirements. 
• Collaborate with Quality leadership (including the Director of Quality Control, if applicable) on audits, independent QC reviews, and corrective and preventive actions; monitor rework causes and develop training to minimize repeat defects. 
• Enforce contract administration and risk controls, including clarifying scope, capturing change orders, and maintaining documentation that protects margins and reduces claims exposure. 
• Maintain compliance with client requirements, regulatory standards, and NV5 safety policies; ensure field safety planning and incident preparedness are consistently executed. 

Client, Market, and Cross-Sell Leadership 

• Serve as the regional relationship leader (executive sponsor where applicable) for key clients and programs; maintain strong communication with clients and proactively manage escalations and performance expectations. 
• Drive account penetration and cross-sell strategies in partnership with Business Development and related NV5 verticals (Power, Infrastructure/Transportation, Water, Environmental, Geospatial, Inspection/Integrity). 
• Support pursuit efforts for major opportunities: resource planning, technical approach, staffing, pricing inputs, and risk evaluation to ensure bids align with delivery capacity and profitability objectives. 
• Encourage the adoption of advanced geomatics technologies (UAS, mobile mapping, terrestrial scanning, GIS integration) to boost competitiveness and delivery efficiency. 

People Leadership and Culture 

• Lead, coach, and develop Survey Managers, Project Managers, and field leaders; set expectations aligned with KPIs and reinforce accountability. 
• Recruit and retain top talent; manage onboarding, performance reviews, and development plans; ensure staffing levels match forecast and backlog. 
• Promote a culture of safety, quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement; encourage work-sharing and knowledge sharing across offices and teams. 
• Support succession planning and the development of next-generation technical and operational leaders. 

Governance, Reporting, and Interfaces 

• Provide routine performance reports to BU/VP leadership, including KPI scorecards, forecast updates, staffing outlook, and key risks and opportunities. 
• Participate in monthly and quarterly business reviews and lead action plans to address gaps in plan (revenue, margin, utilization, backlog coverage, DSO). 
• Ensure alignment with shared services and partners (Finance, HR, IT, Safety, Quality) and drive the timely execution of required actions. 

Key Interfaces 

• BU Leader - Geomatics and Vice President, Geomatics. 
• Vice President - Project Controls & UAS Operations (controls, cadence, dashboards, workflow standardization). 
• Quality leadership (audits, standards, corrective actions; Director - Quality Control as applicable). 
• Finance/Accounting (WIP, billing, A/R, forecasting, project profitability). 
• Business Development and Marketing (client plans, pursuits, proposals, cross-sell). 
• Client project stakeholders, subcontractors, and partner firms. 

Decision Rights and Escalation 

• Manage regional staffing allocations, scheduling, and resource balancing within approved headcount and budget; escalate capacity conflicts and headcount adjustments to the BU Leader/VP. 
• Approve project delivery plans and recovery strategies for at-risk work; engage clients as needed to reset expectations and secure change orders. 
• Authorize routine subcontractor use consistently with project budgets and policies; escalate non-standard commitments and procurement outside policy thresholds. 
• Recommend pricing inputs and contract terms; escalate deviations from standard terms, risk thresholds, or margin requirements according to delegation of authority. 
• Enforce quality and safety standards; halt work and escalate when conditions pose unacceptable risks to quality, safety, or licensure. 
• Escalate significant financial, contractual, or reputational issues promptly to BU/VP leadership. 

Required 

•  8-10+ years of progressively responsible experience in land survey/geomatics operations, including project delivery and team leadership. 
• Demonstrated operational and financial discipline: managing schedules, budgets, change orders, WIP/billing, and margin performance. 
• Strong knowledge of survey/geomatics standards, QA/QC practices, and delivery workflows for engineering-grade products. 
• Effective leadership skills: coaching, performance management, staffing, and building high-performing teams. 
• Strong client communication skills and ability to represent NV5 professionally in meetings and project discussions. 

Preferred 

• California Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) license or demonstrated ability to operate under PLS supervision with strong technical expertise; multi-state licensure is a plus. 
• Experience supporting utility, infrastructure, and/or programmatic clients with multiple projects. 
• Proficiency with standard survey/geomatics software and enterprise ERP/project management tools. 
• Experience implementing standardized processes and KPI-focused performance management. 

Education and Licensure 

•  Bachelor's degree in surveying, geomatics, civil engineering, or a related field (preferred), or equivalent experience.
• Professional licensure: PLS strongly preferred for director-level leadership; LSIT or a comparable credential is desirable.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel to project sites and NV5 offices as needed. 

The pay range for this position in California is $180,000 to $225,000 per year. Base pay offered may be higher or lower depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location of the candidate. Restricted stock units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered.

All local employment laws apply. Base pay information is based on market location. Applicants should apply via the NV5 careers site.

NV5 offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, FTO, 401(k) and professional development/advancement opportunities.

NV5 provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. NV5 complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

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