Principal EIA Consultant

AECOM; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading infrastructure consulting firm in the UK seeks a Principal Environmental Consultant to manage environmental assessments for major development projects. The ideal candidate will have a strong consultancy background and expertise in EIA processes. Responsibilities include collaboration with design teams, client management, and promoting environmental services. A degree in a relevant discipline is required, with chartered status preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience managing multidisciplinary environmental inputs to infrastructure projects.
• Understanding of environmental assessment methods and required legislation.
• Confidence in engaging with diverse stakeholder groups.

Responsibilities

• Manage environmental inputs for large-scale development projects.
• Ensure deliverables meet quality standards.
• Collaborate with design teams to enhance environmental outcomes.
• Manage client relationships and promote services.
• Lead business development opportunities.

Skills

Project management skills

Excellent verbal and report writing skills

Understanding of EIA processes and planning legislation

Experience in consultancy services

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree in a relevant environmental discipline

Job description

Are you passionate about improving the environmental performance of infrastructure development projects and helping the UK to deliver its net zero commitments? If so, we'd love to hear from you at AECOM. By joining us you will work daily with technical experts within our established Environmental Impact (EIA) team which comprises over 165 staff across the UK and Ireland.

We are a founding member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) EIA Quality Mark, whilst everything we do aligns with our environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy. As we are a national team, we are flexible in terms of office location - this includes offices in Basingstoke, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Chesterfield, Croydon, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London Aldgate, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, St Albans, Warrington as well as taking advantage of our flexible hybrid working model.

This position offers an opportunity to manage environmental inputs to large-scale development projects that are transforming our infrastructure - this includes:

• Energy generation projects, including carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and renewables (such as large scale solar and floating offshore wind)
• Energy distribution and transmission projects (including projects forming part of the Great Grid Upgrade)
• Carbon capture pipelines
• Strategic national and regional rail projects
• Highway improvements and greenway projects
• Regeneration projects, including portside developments
• Developments within the ecommerce, minerals and waste, water, defence, aviation, commercial/ residential and industrial sectors

As a Principal Environmental Consultant, you will:

• Provide expertise in managing environmental inputs to EIA screening and scoping reports, environmental assessments/ Environmental Statements (and in the future Environmental Outcomes Reports) and supporting documents, including the technical review of specialist chapters.
• Ensure quality by having a critical eye for detail to ensure that our deliverables are produced to the highest quality standards and compliance with our rigorous quality management procedures.
• Manage projects effectively, using your project management skills to manage resources and budgets (with support as applicable).
• Collaborate with integrated design teams to improve the environmental outcomes of our projects - identifying environmental constraints, impact avoidance and mitigation solutions, as well as opportunities to deliver benefits.
• Manage client relationships and internal supply teams.
• Promote AECOM's environmental services to both internal and external audiences, identifying and leading business development opportunities and associated fee and technical proposal development.

To apply for this role, you'll need to demonstrate interest and experience in managing and coordinating multidisciplinary environmental inputs to infrastructure development projects. You should also have:

• Experience of providing consultancy services
• An excellent understanding of the EIA processes, environmental assessment methods and applicable planning legislation
• A detailed understanding of relevant consenting and licensing regimes
• Confidence when engaging with a wide variety of stakeholder groups
• The ability to work collaboratively as part of an established team, coordinating inputs from specialist technical teams
• Excellent verbal and report writing skills, including technical reviewing
• Project management skills, including programming, staff resource management and budget management
• A degree in a relevant environmental discipline (preferably a Masters degree) and an appropriate professional membership
• Willingness to travel

The following would be a bonus:

• Chartered Environmentalist status
• Interest in line management duties and staff mentoring
• Experience of the DCO and/ or TWAO consenting regimes

AECOM is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we believe in each person's potential. We'll help you reach yours.