Senior or Principal - Groundwater EIA

Senior or Principal - Groundwater EIA role  appointment would be at Principal or Senior grade, depending on experience. We can be flexible on location within the UK and offer flexible and hybrid work arrangement. Applications for part-time positions are also welcome.

We are looking for an experienced professional who has interest and experience in groundwater and wider-water EIA, but also has sufficient familiarity with other groundwater-related disciplines (e.g., hydrogeological conceptualisation, groundwater modelling, water resources assessment and planning, dewatering and groundwater drainage, peat management, and/or groundwater quality) to direct and lead complex projects for a range of clients.

• Playing a leading role in project delivery, including managing the interface with clients and internal stakeholders. Senior members of the team are expected to review and check the inputs of others within the business to deliver high quality technical outputs that meet client requirements. More experienced members of the team would also be expected to undertake final review and approval of documents.
• Sustainable Water Management and Earth and Environment teams to develop business opportunities and prepare successful proposals, with Senior grades growing into this role with guidance from others.
• Manage or direct projects effectively, balancing programme, budget and quality requirements, and ensuring that the highest health and safety standards are adhered to. The complexity and scale of projects will be tailored to individual experience, with Senior grades supported by more experienced colleagues.
• Providing technical guidance, training and support to junior colleagues.
• Playing a key role in growing WSP's technical capability, knowledge and innovation base to develop new services for our clients.

Your team

Due to strong and sustained growth in our Sustainable Water Management business, we are seeking experienced applicants to join our team of 350 water science and engineering professionals. Applicants are invited to further strengthen our senior level technical capability in groundwater and wider water EIA and to lead the delivery of a range of project work, including planning and DCO applications for major infrastructure development.

We have a strong portfolio of major infrastructure projects such as Sizewell C nuclear power station and HyNET North West, and with clients such as National Grid, Scottish Power Energy Networks and Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks delivering significant investment in wind farm and grid refurbishment.

The Sustainable Water Management business operates as a national team and work is shared around the team in a fair and transparent way, ensuring project allocation takes into account personal interests and development aspirations and much as practicable. As a senior member of the team you would be actively involved in the continued growth, development and resourcing of the team.

Key locations for our continued growth include Newcastle, Glasgow, Bristol, London and Liverpool, although interest in our other established water teams in Basingstoke, Manchester, Leeds and Wrexham would be considered.

• Experience working in groundwater and wider water EIA, including groundwater site investigation, hydrogeological, water supply and conservation site risk assessments, and WFD assessments, at least some of which should have been in consultancy.
• Demonstrable experience of leading or major contributor to technical inputs and teams for successful project delivery for planning and permitting for major infrastructure projects. This could include preparation of groundwater EIA, WFD and supporting study inputs to planning applications and developing applications for environmental permits. The main focus of the role will be on groundwaters, but experience of delivering assessments for surface waters or peatland is also useful.
• Understanding of the WFD and its application for management of the water environment in the UK.
• Good knowledge of the regulatory context for planning and EIA in the UK. Experience of the Development Consent Order planning regime…