Principal Groundwater Modeler / Hydrogeologist

Spencer Ogden; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Spencer Ogden seeks an experienced Senior Groundwater Modeler/Hydrogeologist to support mining projects across the United States and internationally, with focus on dewatering, water supply development, and water management.

The role leads technical execution, field investigations, conceptual modeling, and numerical groundwater modeling, with opportunities to grow into a Hydrogeology Team Lead position and mentor junior engineers.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Hydrogeology or related discipline.
• 15+ years of mining hydrogeology and mine water management experience.
• Professional credentials preferred (PG/PE).
• Spanish language proficiency is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary groundwater and mine water projects from proposal through execution.
• Develop scopes of work and field investigations.
• Oversee drilling supervision, well construction, and aquifer testing.
• Build and calibrate groundwater and water balance models.
• Prepare proposals, reports, and client presentations.
• Mentor junior staff and collaborate with clients, regulators, contractors.

Skills

Project management

Mentoring

Leadership

Stakeholder coordination

Education

Master's degree in Hydrogeology

Geology

Hydrology

Hydrochemistry

Civil Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering

Environmental Engineering

Tools

MODFLOW

GW Vistas

AQTESOLV

GIS software

Microsoft Access

FEFLOW

GoldSim

Leapfrog

VBA/Python

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Groundwater Modeler / Hydrogeologist to join a highly specialized team supporting major mining projects across the United States and internationally. This is an exciting opportunity to work on complex projects involving mine pit dewatering, underground mine dewatering, water supply development, and mine water management.

Our multidisciplinary team collaborates closely with geotechnical and civil engineering professionals on projects ranging from site development and embankment design to tailings and water management infrastructure. We offer a collaborative, employee-focused environment that emphasizes technical excellence, professional growth, and leadership development.

Position Overview

The Senior Groundwater Modeler/Hydrogeologist will lead technical project execution and project management activities, including field investigations, conceptual model development, numerical groundwater modeling, groundwater resource evaluations, and dewatering system design for mining operations.

This role offers a clear path toward technical and operational leadership, including the potential to progress into a Hydrogeology Team Lead position.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary groundwater and mine water projects from proposal through execution
• Develop and manage technical scopes of work and field investigations
• Oversee activities including:
• Drilling supervision
• Well construction
• Aquifer testing
• Packer testing
• Surface and downhole geophysics
• Groundwater and surface water sampling and monitoring
• Develop conceptual hydrogeologic site models
• Build and calibrate numerical groundwater, unsaturated flow, and water balance models
• Perform predictive modeling to support mining operations and water management planning
• Prepare technical proposals, reports, and client presentations
• Mentor and develop junior technical staff
• Collaborate with clients, regulators, contractors, and internal engineering teams
• Support projects through domestic and international travel as required

Education

• Master's degree in Hydrogeology or a related discipline, including:
• Geology
• Hydrology
• Hydrochemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering

Experience

• 15+ years of experience in mining hydrogeology and mine water management

Technical Skills

Required experience with:

• MODFLOW / GW Vistas
• AQTESOLV
• GIS software
• Microsoft Access

Preferred experience with:

• FEFLOW
• GoldSim
• Leapfrog
• VBA, Python, or other scripting languages

Professional Credentials

• Professional Geologist (PG) or Professional Engineer (PE) registration preferred

Additional Qualifications

• Spanish language proficiency is a plus
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (approximately 5-15%)

If you're an experienced hydrogeologist looking to work on technically challenging mining projects while advancing into leadership, we'd love to hear from you.