EIA Hydrology Consultant

ERM; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ArcPro GIS use encouraged

Job summary

ERM is seeking a Consultant Hydrologist EIA Water Specialist to support the team with writing hydrology Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) chapters and associated technical appendices, ensuring compliance with legislation and client requirements. The role includes fieldwork, groundwater and water quality assessments, and collaboration with ecologists, engineers and hydrologists.

You will mentor junior colleagues, review data, and contribute to planning and permitting documentation for

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant subject.
• Experience in EIA water chapters and associated technical studies.
• Familiarity with UK water legislation, WFD compliance, and private water supply regulations.
• Desirable: renewables projects experience incl. onshore wind, solar, and hydrogen; knowledge of planning and environmental requirements.
• Strong report writing and data interpretation skills.
• Ability to manage tasks independently, multi-project work, and mentor junior staff.
• Experience writing flood risk assessments (FRA) and hydraulic modelling is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Support scoping and baseline data collection for surface water and groundwater.
• Liaise with ecologists, hydrologists, and engineers to integrate water considerations into project design.
• Apply best practice mitigation measures and contribute to WFD screening.
• Prepare documentation for planning and permitting processes.

Skills

EIA water studies

UK water legislation

Hydrology data analysis

Report writing

Mentoring

Fieldwork management

Education

Degree in a relevant subject

Tools

ArcPro GIS

Excel

SharePoint

HEC-RAS

FloodModeller

FEH

Job description

Role Overview

ERM is seeking a Consultant Hydrologist EIA Water Specialist to support the team with writing hydrology Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) chapters and associated technical appendices ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and client requirements.

Role Overview

ERM is seeking a Consultant Hydrologist EIA Water Specialist to support the team with writing hydrology Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) chapters and associated technical appendices ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and client requirements.

You will conduct technical assessments, including:

• Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems (GWDTE) risk assessments


• Private water supply risk assessments


• Watercourse Crossing Inventories


• Water Quality Monitoring Reports


• Water Framework Directive assessments.

The role will involve regular fieldwork: site walkovers for EIAs, water quality monitoring, private water supply surveys, writing risk assessments, 4x4 experience desirable.

As a Consultant, part of your role will be to mentor junior colleagues in the above assessments and field survey.

Other Responsibilities

• Support scoping and baseline data collection for surface water and groundwater.


• Liaise with ecologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists, and engineers to integrate water considerations into project design.


• Apply best practice mitigation measures and contribute to Water Framework Directive (WFD) screening.


• Prepare clear, defensible documentation for planning and permitting processes.

Skills & Experience

• Degree in a relevant subject


• Experience in EIA water chapters and associated technical studies


• Familiarity with UK water legislation, WFD compliance, and private water supply regulations / guidance


• Demonstrated experience in renewables projects, including onshore wind and associated infrastructure, solar, and hydrogen with knowledge of planning and environmental requirements


• Strong report writing and data interpretation skills.


• Ability to manage tasks independently, work on multiple projects at a time, and mentor junior staff


• It is desirable for you to have experience in writing flood risk assessments (FRA) and hydraulic modelling.

Tools & Software

• Experience using GIS (ArcPro) for spatial analysis, mapping, surface water modelling, and field survey data collection


• Data analysis and visualisation (Excel)


• Document and collaboration tools (MS Office Suite, SharePoint).


• Desirable: hydrological modelling tools (e.g., FEH, HEC-RAS, FloodModeller).

Career Level Expectations

As Consultant level within ERM, you are developing leadership capability, supporting junior colleagues, and taking ownership of technical deliverables while growing client-facing skills.

ERM is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive, it’s an essential part of what makes ERM a great place to build a career and helps us create better solutions for our clients.

We welcome talent from all backgrounds and provide equal opportunities for every candidate.

If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or need accommodations during the selection process, we’re here to support you.

Our commitment doesn’t stop at hiring. Once you join us, we’ll ensure you have the tools, support, and adjustments needed to succeed and feel a true sense of belonging.

Learn more about our Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (DIB) efforts by visiting our website or exploring our 2025 Sustainability Report..