Principal Technical Consultant, Transactions

ERM; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

ERM seeks a Principal Consultant, Due Diligence (Mergers & Acquisitions) to lead environmental due diligence on upstream and midstream oil & gas assets in Houston/Austin/Dallas and beyond. You will advise on EHS, ESG risks, and liabilities, while expanding ERM’s Transaction Advisory services globally.

You will mentor teams, manage complex engagements, and build senior client relationships across private equity, energy producers and financial institutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, geology, hydrogeology, environmental science, or related discipline.
• 6-8 years (12+ years preferred) of environmental consulting, including 10+ years of oil and gas due diligence experience.
• Project management experience, people leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver timely deliverables.
• Strong technical abilities to identify risks and opportunities in technical docs, site visits and discussions.

Responsibilities

• Lead upstream and midstream environmental due diligence and ESG advisory projects for buy-side/sell-side transactions.
• Provide insights on environmental, health, safety and social risks to influence decisions.
• Advise on liabilities and opportunities (soil, groundwater, ARO, plugging/abandonment, decommissioning).
• Mentor teams and develop client relationships while growing the practice.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Technical due diligence

Regulatory knowledge

Soil & groundwater

ARO estimation

Communication

MS Office

Travel flexibility

Client relations

Education

Bachelor/Master in engineering or related

Tools

Excel

Financial modeling

ASC 410

Job description

Principal Consultant, Due Diligence (Mergers & Acquisitions)

Are you ready to Manage Complex Transactions, Influence Clients, and Drive Sustainable Growth? ERM is seeking a Principal Consultant, Due Diligence (Mergers & Acquisitions) to join our growing team in Houston, TX / Austin, TX / Dallas, TX office. In this strategic role, you will work closely with broader ERM teams to advise infrastructure investors, private equity firms, investment banks, financial institutions, and energy companies on critical upstream and midstream oil and gas investment decisions, helping them identify risks, uncover opportunities, and make informed choices. Working alongside ERM Partners and specialists across the globe, you will play a key role in expanding our Consulting Due Diligence offering in the oil and gas sector while delivering meaningful value to clients navigating complex transactions.

At ERM, sustainability is our business. As the world's largest pure-play sustainability consultancy, we help leading organizations solve environmental, social, and governance challenges while creating long-term business value.

Due to increasing demand for our Transaction Advisory Services, we are expanding our Due Diligence team and seeking a leader who can combine technical excellence, commercial insight, and strong client relationships to drive growth and successful project delivery.

Why This Role Matters

ERM's Transaction Advisory team is experiencing significant growth, serving a robust client base that includes energy producers and midstream operators, Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, and global corporations. In this role, you will play a pivotal role in delivering environmental liability, EHS, and ESG due diligence for upstream and midstream oil and gas mergers, acquisitions, and portfolio assessments - helping clients navigate complex sustainability challenges and seize opportunities in a dynamic market.

What Your Impact Is

Lead medium to large-scale upstream and midstream oil and gas environmental due diligence and ESG advisory projects for private equity, energy, and corporate clients that support buy-side, sell-side, and project financing transactions. Provide actionable insights on environmental, health, safety, and social risks that influence business decisions.

Advise clients on environmental liabilities, risks, and opportunities associated with upstream and midstream oil and gas transactions, including soil and groundwater impacts, asset retirement obligations (ARO), and plugging, abandonment, and reclamation costs. Drive business growth by identifying opportunities and contributing to new business development initiatives.

Mentor and develop consulting teams, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and collaborate with ERM’s global network of subject matter experts.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver upstream and midstream oil and gas environmental, EHS, and ESG due diligence projects from a local to global scale.
• Manage people and projects teams, and serve as senior technical reviewer for soil, groundwater, and liability deliverables.
• Assist in proposal writing and development.
• Analyze complex risks to articulate commercial implications of EHS and sustainability risks.
• Estimate and present environmental liability and ARO exposure ranges (e.g., soil and groundwater remediation, well plugging and abandonment, decommissioning) to inform valuation, price negotiation, and indemnity structuring.
• Identify and develop new opportunities, prepare effective proposals, and take an active leadership role in helping to develop new business, in cooperation with ERM Partners.
• Develop, maintain and expand client relationships while delivering technical excellence that generates repeat business and strengthens branding.
• Collaborate across regions and practice communities to ensure seamless project execution.

What You Will Bring

Required

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, geology, hydrogeology, environmental science, or related discipline.
• 6-8 years (12+ years preferred) of experience in environmental consulting, including 10+ years of oil and gas due diligence experience supporting upstream and midstream transactions.
• Project management experience, people leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate with other diverse teams and subject matter experts to deliver exceptional and timely deliverables to clients.
• Strong technical skills and the ability to identify risks and opportunities within technical documentation, site visits, and discussions relating to operational, regulatory, management systems and overall environmental, health and safety risks.
• Strong knowledge of ASTM Phase I and Phase II standards and core business/legal concepts of transactions.
• Strong knowledge of environmental regulations applicable to upstream and midstream oil and gas operations, including Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) requirements (e.g., Statewide Rules 8 and 14), TCEQ regulations and the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP), and Louisiana oil and gas requirements (e.g., LDNR and Act 312), with additional multi-sector experience (e.g., manufacturing, chemicals, infrastructure).
• Strong background in soil and groundwater assessment, remediation, and risk evaluation at oil and gas sites (e.g., well pads, tank batteries, compressor stations, gas plants, pipelines, and terminals).
• Demonstrated experience estimating asset retirement obligations (ARO) and environmental liabilities, including well plugging and abandonment, facility decommissioning, and site reclamation, with working knowledge of ASC 410 and the financial modeling used to support deal valuation.
• Exceptional communication, presentation and organizational skills; proven ability to write comprehensive due diligence reports.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced consulting environment, manage multiple projects, and travel as needed.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools.
• Driver's License Required: This position requires a valid driver's license and/or the ability to operate a company vehicle due to the nature of job duties, which include frequent travel to various client locations across a large geographical area.

Preferred

• Experience evaluating legacy oil and gas liabilities, including NORM, produced water and saltwater disposal, inactive or orphaned wells, and lease restoration obligations, across Permian, Gulf Coast, and Louisiana assets.
• Formal training / background / experience in Site Investigation and Remediation (SIR), soil and groundwater data and risk evaluations, related land reclamation assessments and planning, ASTM Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, field studies, sampling and related environmental evaluations and projects.
• Experience managing external client projects.
• Ability to manage or assist with complex project delivery involving multiple workstreams and integrated client deliverables.
• Experience supporting data room review, management and site visits, and negotiation of environmental provisions in purchase and sale agreements (representations, indemnities, and escrows) alongside deal counsel.
• Experience advising on EHS and ESG strategies.
• Exposure to private equity or financial sector transactions.

Locations Preferred

• Houston, TX, Austin, TX, Dallas, TX.

Who We Are

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations. At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients.

Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our 'boots to boardroom' approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Thank you for your interest in ERM!