Environmental Impact Assessment Officer

SA Water; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SA Water in Adelaide is seeking an Environmental Impact Assessment Officer to provide specialist advice across projects, ensuring environmental, heritage and development approval requirements are identified and managed. You will undertake impact assessments, support approval pathways, identify risks, and guide project teams to achieve compliant, best-practice environmental outcomes.

You should have experience in environmental impact assessment, approvals and compliance, preferably in

Qualifications

• Experience in environmental impact assessment and approvals.
• Knowledge of planning, environmental and heritage legislation relevant to assessments.
• Strong written communication and reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide environmental, heritage and development impact assessment services to support regulatory compliance and environmental outcomes across SA Water projects.
• Identify, assess and manage environmental and heritage risks associated with operational and capital works projects.
• Review Contractor Environmental Management Plans to ensure identified risks and approval conditions are appropriately managed.
• Undertake risk-based environmental inspections and audits, communicating outcomes and recommendations to contractors and project managers.
• Maintain and implement environmental frameworks, including Water Affecting Activity and Native Vegetation Clearance approvals, to maximise efficiency and ensure compliance.
• Provide environmental advice and guidance to project teams and contractors to support positive environmental outcomes.

Skills

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Technical writing

EMS knowledge

Education

Science degree

Tools

EMS

Job description

At SA Water, our work sustains life. Every day, we deliver safe, reliable water and wastewater services to more than 1.8 million South Australians, supporting healthy communities across our state.

Behind this essential service are people who care. From engineering and science to construction, digital, operations and customer experience, every role plays a part. We bring our authentic selves to work, driven by purpose, supporting one another to deliver work that truly matters.

About the Role

Are you passionate about environmental sustainability and delivering positive environmental outcomes? SA Water is seeking an Environmental Impact Assessment Officer to provide specialist advice across operational and capital works projects, ensuring environmental, heritage and development approval requirements are identified and effectively managed.

Working across the asset lifecycle, you will undertake environmental impact assessments, support approval pathways, identify and manage risks, conduct audits and inspections, and provide guidance to project teams and contractors to ensure compliance and best-practice environmental outcomes.

About the Person

You are an environmental professional with experience in environmental impact assessment, approvals and compliance, ideally within infrastructure, construction, utilities or a similar industry. You have strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, can confidently navigate environmental legislation and approval processes, and enjoy working collaboratively to achieve practical environmental outcomes.

You are organised, detail-oriented and capable of preparing high-quality technical documentation while balancing competing priorities across multiple projects.

About Growth

The Growth business group is at the heart of shaping South Australia’s future. This team supports housing and infrastructure growth by delivering the infrastructure needed to expand our network and get trusted water and wastewater services to growing communities, enabling South Australians to thrive.

Working in the Growth group means partnering with developers, planners, and government to provide clear pathways, single‑point accountability, and consistent decision‑making for customers. By combining expertise, innovation, and strong relationships, the team delivers smarter solutions that support South Australia’s growth now and for generations to come.

Your responsibilities for this opportunity include:

• Provide environmental, heritage and development impact assessment services to support regulatory compliance and environmental outcomes across SA Water projects.
• Identify, assess and manage environmental and heritage risks associated with operational and capital works projects.
• Review Contractor Environmental Management Plans to ensure identified risks and approval conditions are appropriately managed.
• Undertake risk-based environmental inspections and audits, communicating outcomes and recommendations to contractors and project managers.
• Maintain and implement environmental frameworks, including Water Affecting Activity and Native Vegetation Clearance approvals, to maximise efficiency and ensure compliance.
• Provide environmental advice and guidance to project teams and contractors to support positive environmental outcomes.
  

Your success in this role will come from:

• Tertiary qualifications in a science, environmental or related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Experience undertaking environmental impact assessments and managing environmental and heritage risks associated with infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of Commonwealth and State planning, environmental and heritage legislation relevant to environmental impact assessment.
• Strong communication, stakeholder engagement, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Well-developed technical writing skills, including the preparation of environmental assessments, approval applications and regulatory correspondence.
• Knowledge of Environmental Management Systems (EMS), environmental sustainability principles and approval processes (desirable).
• Understanding of Aboriginal heritage considerations and environmental impacts associated with infrastructure projects (desirable).
  

A great customer experience is best achieved by having a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the community we serve. Applications are encouraged from everyone, including people living with disability, job seekers of all ages, members of the LGBTIQA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Our Industry is like no other. Dive into the wonderful world of water and explore the boundless opportunities. Learn more about the water industry at careersinwater.com.au.