Principal / Associate EIA Water Specialist

Advance TRS; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40.5 days’ annual leave

Flexible working hours

Pension contributions

Job summary

Advance TRS is seeking a Principal / Associate EIA Water Specialist in Cardiff. The role blends technical authoring, assessments and mentoring, with a strong emphasis on hydrology, hydrogeology and the wider water environment.

You will contribute to robust EIA chapters, review technical work and guide junior specialists within a supportive, employee-owned consultancy. You will lead technical outputs, collaborate across environmental specialisms and play a key role in career development and

Qualifications

• Experience in water environment / EIA consultancy.
• Evidence of writing technical EIA chapters for complex projects.
• Mentoring junior specialists and developing team capabilities.
• Chartered status or working towards chartership in CIWEM/ICE/Geological Society.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior technical specialist within the water environment team.
• Prepare and author technical EIA chapters.
• Lead or contribute to hydrology, hydrogeology and water environment assessments.
• Provide technical input to complex EIA projects and defend conclusions.
• Mentor and support junior team members and contribute to quality assurance.

Skills

Water environment

EIA

Hydrology

Hydrogeology

Technical writing

Mentoring

Chartered status

Stakeholder comms

Independent delivery

EIA processes

Job description

Job Title: Principal / Associate EIA Water Specialist

Salary: £55,000-£66,000 DOE

Location: Cardiff

Working pattern: Highly flexible hybrid – minimum 1 day per week in the office, 4 days remote

Type: Permanent | Full-time

About the Role

Our client is seeking an experienced Water Environment / EIA specialist to act as a technical anchor within their water environment team.

This role is focused heavily on technical authoring, assessment and mentoring, rather than being primarily focused on EIA coordination and administrative project management.

You will use your technical expertise across hydrology, hydrogeology and the wider water environment, preparing and contributing to robust technical assessments and EIA chapters for complex projects.

The role will also involve supporting and mentoring junior specialists, sharing technical knowledge and contributing to the continued development of the wider water environment team.

About Our Client

Our client is a small, employee-owned consultancy with a strong focus on providing a sustainable and supportive working environment.

The business works across a range of environmental and water-related specialisms, providing employees with the opportunity to develop their expertise while also gaining exposure to other areas of consultancy.

They place a strong emphasis on work-life balance, professional development and clear career progression, with structured pay scales and formal criteria for progression between grades.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a senior technical specialist within the water environment team
• Prepare and author technical EIA chapters
• Lead or contribute to hydrology, hydrogeology and water environment assessments
• Provide robust technical input to complex EIA projects
• Review and defend technical assessments and conclusions
• Provide technical advice to project teams and clients
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior specialists
• Support the development of junior team members
• Contribute to technical quality assurance and review
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across different environmental specialisms
• Take ownership of technical outputs and project deliverables
• Contribute to the continued development of the water environment service

What Our Client is Looking For

• Strong professional experience within water environment / EIA consultancy
• Experience working at Principal or Associate level, or ready to progress into this level
• Strong technical knowledge across hydrology, hydrogeology and water environment
• Proven experience writing technical chapters for complex EIAs
• Experience producing robust technical assessments and reports
• Confident in presenting, explaining and defending technical work
• Chartered professional status through CIWEM, ICE, Geological Society or a relevant professional body, or actively working towards chartership
• Strong technical writing and communication skills
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior colleagues
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of technical delivery
• Strong understanding of EIA processes and water environment assessments
• Good stakeholder and client communication skills
• Must have the right to work in the UK

What Our Client Offers

• £55,000-£66,000 salary, depending on experience
• Highly flexible hybrid working
• Minimum 1 day per week in the Cardiff office
• 4 days working remotely
• 40.5 days’ annual leave
• Option to trade up to 10 days’ annual leave for additional salary
• Option to purchase up to 10 additional days’ annual leave
• Flexible working hours
• 5% matched pension contributions
• Tax-free bonus entitlement
• Structured pay scales and clear promotion criteria
• Financial support for professional memberships
• Contributory company pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Medicash health plan
• Virtual GP and counselling access
• Opportunity to work across other consultancy specialisms
• Supportive, employee-owned working environment

Eligibility

• Must have the right to work in the UK
• Must be able to attend the Cardiff office at least 1 day per week
• Relevant professional experience in water environment / EIA
• Professional chartership or active progression towards chartership is required

Opportunity for Growth

This role offers the opportunity to take on greater technical responsibility within a specialist water environment team, while continuing to develop your career towards or within Principal / Associate level.

You will have the opportunity to mentor junior specialists, contribute to technically challenging EIA projects and broaden your experience across the wider environmental consultancy.

With structured pay scales and formal promotion criteria, there is a clear framework for continued career progression.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.