Underwater Acoustics Senior Consultant

We are SLR Consulting (Canada), an 800+ team of advisory, environmental/engineering, and regulatory professionals across Canada. We deliver environmental and sustainability services and support clients in complex sustainability challenges.

As our new Underwater Acoustics Senior Consultant, you will play an important role on our global Acoustics and Vibration team. You will lead underwater acoustics modelling and assessment, translate project activities into reliable predictions and clear reports, and guide responsible development while protecting marine environments.

• Underwater acoustics assessments, modelling support, and technical advisory on challenging projects, including coastal and offshore development (ports, terminals, dredging, marine construction, offshore energy, subsea cables, near‑shore infrastructure).
• Vessel and operational noise assessments, cumulative effects considerations, and support for permitting and environmental approvals.
• Technical support for environmental assessments, compliance programs, stakeholder and regulator responses, and, where required, dispute resolution or expert input.

• Develop and run underwater sound propagation and exposure models (continuous and impulsive sources), defining inputs, assumptions, sensitivity checks, and uncertainty.
• Support or lead source characterization, reviewing measurement data, literature values, equipment specifications, and deriving model‑ready source terms.
• Process and interpret underwater acoustic datasets (spectral and time series) with QA checks, event identification, and summary metrics.
• Collaborate with monitoring teams to plan and design underwater noise monitoring campaigns, including instrumentation and data deliverables; some fieldwork may be required.
• Streamline and standardize workflows for modelling, data processing, and reporting, building templates and repeatable methods.
• Prepare and present clear, defensible technical outputs—methods, figures, and reporting suitable for environmental assessments, permitting, and peer review.
• Provide QA/QC review of internal and external deliverables, coordinate with project managers to maintain schedules and budgets, and support proposals, task planning, and technical resourcing.
• Mentor less experienced team members on modelling approach, data handling, and report quality.
• Contribute to business development, client support, technical thought leadership, and shaping underwater acoustics service offerings.

• At least 5 years of consulting experience in underwater acoustics, environmental assessments, permitting, compliance, and/or project approvals.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, acoustics, ocean engineering, marine science, or related field;
  Master’s preferred.
• Professional registration (P.Eng. Canada, PE US, or equivalent) or eligibility for registration in the jurisdiction of assignment.
• Strong command of fundamentals for measuring, modelling, predicting, and evaluating underwater sound—including propagation physics, frequency‑domain concepts, source characterization, and modelling‑to‑field‑data linkage.
• Understanding of marine fauna behavior and responses to underwater sound, and familiarity with marine species impact criteria and assessment frameworks for environmental approvals.
• Proficiency with computational and data tools (Python and/or MATLAB, GIS is a plus) and strong capability with Microsoft 365 tools.
• Experience with underwater acoustics modelling tools or numerical methods used for sound propagation and exposure assessment.
• Ability to document assumptions, run sensitivity checks, and produce reproducible outputs.
• Experience supporting underwater acoustic measurement and monitoring programs—planning, execution oversight, data QA, analysis, and interpretation.
• Direct fieldwork experience is a strong advantage; role may be modelling‑focused depending on project needs.
• Knowledge of marine mammal observation programs, including MMO or PAM integration, observation protocols, and data use in decision making, is an asset.
• Strong technical writing skills for clear, defensible technical reports suitable for…