Senior Engineer - Environment

AECOM; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM in Dubai seeks a Senior Environmental Scientist/Consultant to lead EIA/ESIA delivery across UAE projects, mentoring juniors and guiding complex assessments.

You will coordinate inputs from air, noise, hydrology, ecology and social specialists, apply IFC/Equator Principles where applicable, and engage regulators.

This hybrid role requires strong proposal work, client engagement, and a passion for sustainable legacies within fast-paced infrastructure programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering or related field.
• 8–12+ years of EIA/ESIA delivery experience in consultancy; UAE/GCC experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrable track record leading EIAs for major urban development, transport, energy, water and/or industrial projects.
• Proven competence engaging with UAE regulators and navigating local permitting; experience with IFI standards (e.g., IFC PS) advantageous.
• Valid driving license; willingness to travel for site work as needed.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Ownership: Lead the planning, management and delivery of EIAs/ESIAs from screening through to approvals and post-consent obligations.
• Technical Delivery (EIA/ESIA): Direct and author high-quality regulator-ready chapters and integrated assessments.
• Regulatory and Stakeholder Interface: Engage with UAE regulators and lead stakeholder engagement.
• Commercial and Work Winning: Contribute to proposals, pricing, risk registers and governance.
• Multidisciplinary Coordination: Integrate EIA deliverables with other design and program management outputs.
• Digital, Quality and Safety: Use GIS/data tools, QA/QC, and promote safety culture.

Skills

EIA leadership

Regulatory liaison

Proposal leadership

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering

8–12+ years EIA/ESIA delivery experience

Experience with UAE regulators

Valid driving license; travel readiness

Tools

ArcGIS

QGIS

Job description

• Legal Entity: AECOM MIDDLE EAST LIMITED DUBAI BRANCH
• Business Line: Environment
• Work Location Model: Hybrid
• Operating Group: International
• Primary Location: AE - Dubai, UAE - UBora Tower

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

We are seeking a technically and commercially strong Senior Environmental Scientist/Consultant to join our Environment team in Dubai, with a core focus on leading Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA/ESIA) for fast-paced, multidisciplinary design and infrastructure programs across the UAE and wider GCC. You will own end-to-end delivery of complex assessments, mentor junior staff, and support leadership through exemplary project execution, while actively contributing to work winning and client development. This role is specialist in EIA delivery rather than a single-subject discipline, though a technical specialism (e.g., air quality, noise, hydrology, ecology, social) is welcome as a value-add.

Our core values guide how we operate and what we aspire to: Safeguard, Innovate, Collaborate, Deliver, Sustain and Thrive. We expect you to embody these values in how you lead projects, support teams and engage clients. Our Sustainable Legacies strategy embeds sustainable development and resilience across our work, improves social outcomes, advances net-zero objectives and enhances governance; you will help translate these pillars into practical outcomes on projects.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Leadership and Ownership
  • Lead the planning, management and delivery of EIAs/ESIAs from screening and scoping through to approvals, conditions management and post-consent obligations.
  • Take full ownership of scope, schedule, budget, risks and quality; drive decisive issue resolution and proactive change control.
  • Mentor, coach and quality-review the work of junior and mid-level practitioners; foster a culture of learning and accountability.
• Technical Delivery (EIA/ESIA)
  • Direct and author high-quality, regulator-ready EIA/ESIA chapters and integrated assessments, ensuring robust baseline definition, alternatives analysis, cumulative impact assessment and the mitigation hierarchy.
  • Coordinate inputs from discipline SMEs (e.g., air, noise, hydrology, biodiversity, social) and integrate findings into a coherent assessment narrative and Environmental & Social Management Plans (ESMPs).
  • Apply international lender standards (e.g., IFC Performance Standards/Equator Principles) where applicable and align them with UAE/GCC regulatory requirements.
• Regulatory and Stakeholder Interface
  • Engage with UAE federal and emirate regulators (e.g., MoCCAE, Dubai Municipality) and relevant authorities in free zones as applicable; manage consultations and respond to formal feedback.
  • Lead structured stakeholder engagement processes, ensuring documentation of issues, responses and commitments in line with project governance.
• Commercial and Work Winning
  • Lead and contribute to proposals: technical approach, level-of-effort, pricing, risk registers, execution plans and differentiators; support pipeline development and client account growth.
  • Build trusted relationships with clients; identify cross-sell opportunities and strengthen repeat work through performance and insight-led advice.
  • Support bid governance and approvals; drive compliance with internal quality, risk and ethics standards.
• Multidisciplinary Coordination
  • Integrate EIA deliverables with planning, architecture, engineering and program management outputs; ensure design optimization reflects mitigation and sustainability outcomes.
  • Champion practical, implementable mitigation and management measures aligned with design development, construction sequencing and operational realities.
• Digital, Quality and Safety
  • Utilize data, GIS and collaborative tools to streamline assessments and elevate quality; apply AECOM’s standards, templates and QA/QC processes.
  • Promote a strong safety culture across office and field activities, aligning with AECOM’s Safeguard value and Code of Conduct.
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Qualifications

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering or related field;
• 8–12+ years of EIA/ESIA delivery experience in consultancy; UAE/GCC experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrable track record leading EIAs for major urban development, transport, energy, water and/or industrial projects.
• Proven competence engaging with UAE regulators and navigating local permitting; experience with IFI standards (e.g., IFC PS) advantageous.
• Valid driving license; willingness to travel for site work as needed.

Specific Skills Required

• EIA/ESIA leadership: scoping, ToRs, baseline design, alternatives analysis, impact assessment, mitigation design and ESMP preparation.
• Regulatory and lenders: familiarity with UAE environmental approvals and experience aligning with IFC PS/Equator Principles where applicable.
• Commercial acumen: proposal leadership, pricing, risk/assumption management, governance compliance and negotiation with clients/subconsultants.
• Technical excellence: superior report writing, QA/QC, and integration of multi-discipline inputs into clear, decision-ready outputs.
• Tools and data: competent with GIS (ArcGIS/QGIS) and data management/visualization; statistical literacy beneficial.
• Specialism (bonus): added depth in one domain (e.g., air quality, noise, hydrology, ecology, social) to enhance EIA delivery and peer review.
• Sustainability integration: ability to translate AECOM’s Sustainable Legacies pillars into practical project measures and performance tracking.

Additional Information

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life
• AD&D
• disability benefits
• paid time off
• leaves of absences
• voluntary benefits
• perks
• flexible work options
• well-being resources
• employee assistance program
• business travel insurance
• service recognition awards
• retirement savings plan
• and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com.

What makes AECOM a great place to work

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community - where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.