Senior Principal Consultant - Environmental Permitting/Waste/Decomm (Nuclear)

Stantec; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus schemes

Enhanced pension plan

Private medical insurance

Discounted gym membership

Annual leave purchase/sale option

Job summary

Stantec is seeking a Principal or Senior Principal Consultant in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management to support impactful nuclear projects across the UK. This role involves leading complex consultancy services, developing waste strategies, and driving business growth while mentoring a high-performing team.

The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in the nuclear sector, demonstrating strong technical and leadership skills. This position offers a competitive salary with hybrid working benefits for an ideal work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in environmental and radioactive waste consultancy.
• Strong understanding of environmental permitting and safety cases.
• Proven business development skills in a consultancy context.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of environmental and radioactive waste projects.
• Develop waste strategies and regulatory compliance programs.
• Mentor team members and contribute to business growth.

Skills

Environmental consultancy

Radioactive waste management

Regulatory compliance

Business development

Project management

Client relationship building

Education

Relevant science or engineering degree

Postgraduate qualifications (desirable)

Job description

The Opportunity

Stantec’s Nuclear team is entering an exciting phase of growth. Having secured positions on several significant multi-year frameworks, we are expanding our capability to support some of the most complex and impactful projects across the nuclear sector.

We are looking for a Principal or Senior Principal Consultant in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management to join our growing team. This role offers opportunities to be based in Warrington, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Northampton, or Cambridge, and to work with a wide range of clients including Gigawatt-scale and Small Modular Reactor developers, nuclear site licensees, waste management organisations, regulators, and the defence sector.

This is a unique opportunity to influence the future of the nuclear industry, supporting projects across the entire nuclear lifecycle—from new build and operational facilities through to decommissioning and the safe management of radioactive waste.

About The Role

As a Principal or Senior Principal Consultant, you will play a senior leadership role within the Nuclear team, providing specialist environmental and radioactive waste consultancy services to clients across the UK and internationally.

You will lead the delivery of technically complex projects, supporting nuclear new build and decommissioning programmes through the development of waste strategies, environmental safety cases, permitting strategies, and regulatory compliance programmes. Your expertise will help clients navigate environmental and radioactive waste management challenges while ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory requirements.

Alongside technical delivery you will drive continued growth of the business through business development activities, from identifying opportunities and developing client relationships to leading bids and preparing technical proposals. You will also mentor colleagues, build team capability, and support the growth of a high‑performing consultancy team.

As a senior member of the business, you will contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, helping to shape internal processes, standards, and procedures to ensure we continue to deliver excellence across our projects and services.

Your Impact

In this role you will directly influence the safe, sustainable, and effective management of radioactive materials and environmental challenges across some of the UK’s most important nuclear programmes. Your advice and technical leadership will support clients in making informed decisions that balance operational, environmental, regulatory, and commercial considerations.

Through the development of waste management strategies, environmental submissions, safety cases, and regulatory engagement plans, you will help organisations successfully navigate complex challenges throughout the nuclear lifecycle.

Beyond project delivery you will shape the future of our Nuclear business—strengthening our market position, expanding our client base, and supporting the next generation of nuclear consultants.

About You

You are an experienced environmental or radioactive waste professional with a strong track record of delivering consultancy services within the nuclear sector or other high‑hazard industries. You enjoy solving complex technical challenges, building strong client relationships, and contributing to both business growth and team development.

You Will Bring

• Significant experience supporting environmental, radioactive waste management, or decommissioning activities within the nuclear sector
• A relevant science, engineering, or environmental degree, with postgraduate qualifications desirable
• Direct experience providing environmental and waste consultancy services to nuclear licensed sites
• Strong understanding of environmental permitting, radioactive waste management, environmental safety cases, and regulatory compliance requirements
• Experience engaging with regulators, stakeholders, and clients across complex projects
• Proven business development experience, including opportunity identification, bid leadership, tender preparation, and client management
• Strong project management skills, including project planning, cost control, governance, and delivery assurance
• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing high‑performing teams
• Excellent technical report writing and communication skills
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of risk management within consultancy environments
• Eligibility to obtain UK Security Clearance (BPSS minimum)

Desirable Experience

• Specialist expertise in environmental permitting, BAT/BPM assessments, site end‑state planning, or radioactive waste strategy development
• Familiarity with Earned Value Management methodologies
• Experience working on large‑scale, multi‑disciplinary, multi‑year infrastructure programmes

Benefits

• Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard as well as discounted gym membership and lots more
• Hybrid / Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work‑life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working

About Stantec

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment.