Senior Principal Water Scientist Planning

AECOM; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A global infrastructure consulting firm is looking for a Senior/Principal Water Scientist to join their Water Environment Team in the UK. This role involves preparing bids, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, and providing consultancy services on water-related projects. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in water environment impact assessments and work collaboratively to deliver high-quality outputs. This position supports a flexible hybrid working model and offers extensive career development opportunities.

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Flexible hybrid working model

Technical practice networks

Qualifications

• Extensive experience undertaking Water Environment Impact and WFD/WER assessments.
• Experience across different infrastructure types and planning regimes.
• Be a technical specialist in a field like water science or hydrogeology.

Responsibilities

• Support health, safety and wellbeing of the team.
• Prepare high-quality bids and tenders.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and manage resources.

Skills

Water Environment Impact assessments

Hydrogeology

Hydromorphology

Proposal writing

Job description

Join our dynamic Water Environment Team as a Senior/Principal Water Scientist in our growing team in the UK and Ireland (though other locations may be considered) and benefit through our flexible hybrid working model. At AECOM we are at the forefront of innovation, delivering an exceptional portfolio of water science programs and projects through long‑term partnerships with key clients.

Responsibilities

• Actively support the health, safety and well‑being of the team and other colleagues.
• Support the preparation of high‑quality and commercially astute bids and tenders for water science services across a wide range of sectors including energy, utilities, transport, defence, water, residential and commercial.
• Co‑ordinate multidisciplinary teams—including water scientists, hydrogeologists, hydromorphologists, aquatic ecologists and flood risk specialists—ensuring necessary resources, budgets and controls are in place to meet programme and budget requirements.
• Identify the need for, plan and implement complex monitoring and field work as may be required (e.g. water quality monitoring, flow gauging, hydromorphological surveys, PWS investigations).
• Support delivery of high‑quality water science consultancy and advisory services to both internal and external clients through our check and review processes.
• Support development of technically robust and pragmatic solutions to complex water science issues.
• Communicate effectively and professionally with other members of the Water Environment Team within projects and with clients.
• Engage proactively with statutory stakeholders to resolve matters and ensure agreement on scope of work, mitigation, etc.
• Support production of Water Environment Impact Assessments for Environmental Statements, WFD/WER Compliance Assessments, Nutrient Neutrality Assessments, various management plans and secondary consent applications.
• Author or technically check project deliverables to ensure high‑quality outputs.

Recent Projects

• Water environment impact assessment of some of the largest solar farms to have gained consent in the UK.
• Water science services to support developments of carbon capture technology to existing and proposed developments as well as cross‑country pipelines.
• Complex water quality monitoring to investigate stratification in a Highlands loch associated with a proposed Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme.
• Technical support during details design and secondary consent applications for major energy and highway projects, including the diversion of the River Eye SSSI.
• Water science constraints and opportunities analysis to inform the master‑planning of new residential developments and major linear infrastructure projects.
• WFD/WER Assessments of various proposed infrastructure projects.
• Nutrient neutrality assessments for private developers, technical support to LPAs and supporting NE casework.

Team

Our Water Environment team is multi‑disciplinary, with specialists in geomorphology, hydrology, hydro‑ecology, water quality and hydrogeology comprising 60 surface water specialists and a further 25 hydrogeologists. All members take an active role in client contact and commercial aspects of our projects. Health, safety and environmental considerations underpin all of our work.

Benefits & Perks

You’ll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well‑being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model, technical practice networks, AECOM University and volunteering days.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience undertaking Water Environment Impact and WFD/WER assessments.
• Experience across a range of different infrastructure types and planning regimes (e.g. DCO, TCPA) and project stages (feasibility, concept planning, detail design, construction, post‑construction).
• Be a technical specialist in a particular field (e.g. water science, hydrogeology, hydromorphology).
• Be able to write proposals and develop the scope for surveys, monitoring and assessments.
• Experience of water‑relevant permits, licences, consents and/or Nutrient Neutrality Assessments is beneficial.

Diversity & Inclusion

We celebrate diversity, including neuro‑diversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process please contact us. As an Equal Opportunity Employer we believe in each person’s potential.

Contact

For further information about the role reach out to the recruiter on LinkedIn (Melissa Moody).

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. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm with a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and to environmental, social and governance priorities.

Employment Details

Remote Work: No

Employment Type: Full‑time

Key Skills: Machine Learning, Python, Data Science, AI, R, Research Experience, Sensors, Drug Discovery, Research & Development, Natural Language Processing, Data Analysis Skills, Toxicology Experience

Experience: years

Vacancy: 1