Principal Geochemist Consultant

AECOM; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Job summary

AECOM is seeking specialists with a background in geochemistry and hydrogeology to lead environmental projects in the UK.

You will assess, design and deliver solutions, manage field investigations, monitor groundwater and supervise remediation, while building client relationships.

This role offers hybrid work with an established, ESG-focused firm and opportunities to advance within a global team.

Qualifications

• Academic background in geochemical and hydrogeological aspects of geoscience, engineering hydrology or related subjects
• Wide range of experience, knowledge and skills in the geochemical and hydrogeological aspects of contaminated land assessment and management
• Strong understanding of contaminated land assessment regulations and guidance
• Hands-on field investigation experience including site management, drilling supervision, installation of monitoring systems, collection of groundwater and ground gas samples
• Sustained experience in hydrogeological site characterisation and risk assessment, with numerical modelling advantageous
• Experience in geochemical assessments, with geochemical modelling advantageous
• Chartered with a recognised institution
• Track record of project delivery and client relationship building

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental assessments including PSA, DSA, QRA, DQRA and CSM development
• Oversee groundwater and surface water monitoring for data-driven decisions
• Design and implement site investigations focusing on geochemical and hydrogeological environments
• Develop, optioneer, specify and validate remediation projects
• Provide strategic advice to clients on managing environmental impacts on water environments

Skills

Geochemistry

Hydrogeology

Regulatory knowledge

Field investigations

Numerical modelling

Client relationships

Chartered status

Project leadership

Education

Geology / Geochemistry / Hydrology degree

Tools

Groundwater modelling software

Site investigation tools

Job description

• Legal Entity: AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Limited
• Business Line: Environment
• Work Location Model: Hybrid
• Operating Group: International
• Primary Location: UK - Birmingham - Colmore Plaza

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

GREAT JOB, GREAT COMPANY

Want to further your career in these aspects of environmental consultancy within one of the UK’s top consultancies? This is a fantastic opportunity to further your career with an established and successful company that prioritises the welfare and wellbeing of our people.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are seeking specialists with a background and proven experience in the fields of geochemistry and related hydrogeology who can demonstrate an aptitude for leading these aspects of projects through initial assessment of the task or problem through to detailed investigations, analysis and provision of sustainable solutions to mitigate environmental risks.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further your career within an established and successful company that has ESG, welfare and wellbeing of staff as core values.

As a project leader, you can handle, with support from senior staff, the technical and commercial aspects of projects with a geochemistry – hydrogeology focus from start to finish. You know how to investigate, analyse, design and deliver solutions that meet the clients' needs and expectations. You can also communicate effectively with clients and staff, build and maintain strong relationships, and provide guidance and support to your team.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Conduct Assessments:Lead the performing of environmental assessments, including PSA, DSA, QRA, DQRA and CSM development, ensuring thorough and accurate evaluations. An aptitude for numerical groundwater – surface water modelling will be considered a further asset
• Overseegroundwater and surface water monitoring, providing critical data for project analysis and decision-making.
• Design Investigations: Lead the design and implementation of site investigations, setting out the rationale, ensuring comprehensive and effective examination of project sites in the geochemical and hydrogeological environment.
• Implement Remediation: Develop, optioneer, specify, detail execute, and validate remediation projects, ensuring successful restoration and compliance with environmental standards.
• Strategic Advice: with the support of senior staff, engage in developing and providing strategic advice to clients on managing and mitigating environmental impacts upon the water environment whether impacts upon surface waters or groundwater

Our award-winning team is one of the largest contaminated land/remediation-focused teams inthe UK, serving a wide range of end markets and clients. Our experts provide one-stop access to services ranging from desk studies, site investigation, risk assessment, remediation (strategy development, optioneering, design, implementation and validation), monitoring and close-out on a wide range of contracts.

We work for leading British and international clients on commissions of varying scale for both public sector bodies and high-profile private sector clients across the commercial development, mining, aviation, rail, power, transportation, technology, regulatory, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Academic background in geochemical and hydrogeological aspects of geoscience, engineering hydrology or related subjects
• Wide range of experience, knowledge and skills in the geochemical and hydrogeological aspects of contaminated land assessment and management
• Strong understanding of contaminated land assessment regulations and guidance
• Previous hands-on experience of field investigation, including site management, drilling supervision, installation of monitoring systems, collection of groundwater and ground gas samples, or the supervision of remediation activities.
• Sustained experience in hydrogeological site characterisation and risk assessment, with numerical modelling being advantageous
• Experience in geochemical assessments, with geochemical modelling being advantageous
• Chartered with a recognised and relevant institution
• Track record of project delivery and client relationship building

Additional Information

Interested in the role or curious about life at AECOM? Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!

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

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options.Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are aDisabilityConfidentEmployer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [emailprotected] if you would like to apply through theDisabilityConfidentInterview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.