Risk Assessor II

Hydrogeologic, Inc; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 96,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

HGL is seeking a Risk Assessor II to support environmental projects nationwide, with a hybrid Reston, VA role. You will prepare human health and ecological risk assessments and lead technical deliverables under CERCLA and RCRA guidelines.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree in a related field, 6+ years of DoD/EPA project experience, and strong data analysis and communication skills to clearly present findings to clients and regulators.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in toxicology, environmental science, public health, engineering, or related health or environmental science discipline.
• At least 6 years of work experience in environmental consulting or regulatory environment on DoD or EPA projects, focusing on site investigation and risk assessment.
• Experience implementing EPA Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund and/or EPA Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund.
• Working knowledge of CERCLA and RCRA regulations and ability to integrate federal requirements with state rules.
• Ability to present technical information to scientific, regulatory, and public audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, travel as needed, and work independently.
• Willingness to learn new technologies to improve project delivery.

Responsibilities

• Manage and analyze large environmental datasets.
• Prepare tables, figures, and data exhibits.
• Author risk assessments and risk assessment work plans.
• Review environmental and toxicological studies and reports.
• Support remedial strategy design and cleanup level development.
• Conduct statistical analyses and comparisons of site vs background data.
• Lead project risk assessor in client meetings and discussions.
• Provide technical direction to junior staff.

Skills

Data analysis

Regulatory knowledge

Risk assessment

Technical presentation

Learning new tech

Education

Bachelor’s degree in toxicology, environmental science, public health, engineering, or related field

Advanced degree (MS/MPH/PhD) preferred

Tools

LOCUS

Statistical software

Generative AI tools

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Full Time Reston, VA, Reston, VA, US

Salary Range: $96,480.00 To $144,720.00 Annually

Job Title: Risk Assessor II
Location:Reston, VA

Description/Job Summary

POSITION DESCRIPTION

HGL is seeking a Risk Assessor II to support environmental projects, including hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste; PFAS; mining; and military munitions response program projects nationwide. The Risk Assessor II will prepare human health risk assessments and/or ecological risk assessments in accordance with CERCLA, RCRA, and applicable state guidance, with support from HGL’s risk assessment team, including senior- and principal-level staff. The ideal candidate can lead both human health and ecological risk assessments; candidates with strong experience in either discipline will also be considered. This role is well suited for a self-directed individual who enjoys integrating complex environmental data, technical analysis, and regulatory requirements to support sound project and remedial decisions. HGL is seeking to fill one hybrid position based out of our Reston, VA office.

Responsibilities/Duties

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

• Manage and analyze large environmental datasets.
• Prepare tables, figures, and other data exhibits.
• Author risk assessments, risk assessment work plans, and other technical deliverables.
• Review and interpret environmental and toxicological studies and reports.
• Support remedial strategy design, including development of risk-based cleanup levels.
• Conduct statistical analyses, including statistical comparisons of background data to site data.
• Serve as the project risk assessor in project meetings and technical discussions with clients, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders.
• Lead and provide technical direction to junior-level staff.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL

• Bachelor’s degree in toxicology, environmental science, public health, engineering, or a related health or environmental science discipline.
• At least 6 years of work experience in an environmental consulting or regulatory environment on DoD or EPA projects, with a focus on site investigation and human health or ecological risk assessment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience implementing EPA’s Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund and/or EPA’s Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund.
• Working knowledge of relevant federal regulations, especially CERCLA and RCRA, and the ability to integrate federal requirements with varying state regulations.
• Ability to present technical information effectively to scientific, regulatory, and public audiences.
• Ability to succeed in a fast-paced consulting environment, manage multiple project assignments, meet strict deadlines, travel to client facilities as needed, and work independently as a self-starter.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and adopt new technologies and digital tools to improve project delivery and operational efficiency.

Desired Qualifications

WHAT YOU NEED TO STAND OUT – Preferred, not required

• Advanced degree (MS, MPH, or PhD) in toxicology, environmental science, public health, engineering, or a related health or environmental science discipline.
• Experience completing statistical comparisons of site data to background data and geochemical evaluations to distinguish site-related contaminants from background constituents.
• Experience in technical areas beyond risk assessment—such as contaminant fate and transport, analytical chemistry, characterization of the nature and extent of contamination, or development of remediation strategies—to support integration across project teams.
• Experience designing and leading baseline ecological risk assessments that include collection of site-specific data, such as biota tissue, toxicity testing, bioaccumulation studies, or habitat and/or species surveys.
• Experience in blood lead modeling to support human health risk assessments.
• Familiarity with environmental databases, primarily LOCUS, and statistical software.
• Experience using generative AI tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, or similar) to improve technical writing, data analysis, research, visualization, or project delivery efficiency.

Physical & Environmental Requirements

PHYSICAL & COGNITIVE REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged sitting up to 70% of the time.
• Viewing computer screen for extended periods.
• Analyzing and synthesizing data.
• Managing competing deadlines and shifting priorities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Office work environment.

This description is not a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that may be required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may be assigned or may be changed at any time with or without notice.

Details

Work Schedule:HGL office work is dictated by a 5-day work week; however, fieldwork schedules will deviate based on job requirements and may require longer hours and weekends.

Office Type:Hybrid (3 days in office)

Travel:Minimal but as needed to client facilities; percentage varies by project assignment.

All positions are subject to a pre-hire education and driving record verification.

At HGL, we share a drive and vision to restore natural resources and provide ongoing stewardship of our environment to benefit present and future generations. We believe that we can make a difference in improving the world we live in through collaboration, teamwork, and a positive work environment. This unites and empowers us to strive for excellence in all our endeavors.

HGL - WHO WE ARE

The exceptional quality of our people is key to our strength. We value our employees as individuals and as important members of our team. We offer a work environment that is flexible, inclusive, and dedicated to creating a sustainable future. By cultivating a culture of innovation, we’re able to adapt and augment our services to solve complex environmental and natural resources challenges.

Projects at HGL primarily span the United States and its territories, tackling problems associated with emerging contaminants (like PFAS), radiological contamination, and military munitions, along with chemical contamination in groundwater, surface water, sediments, and soil.

With over 550 employees, HGL is large enough to execute high-profile projects, but small enough to develop personal working environments with our talented team members. By joining HGL, you will be working toward restoring the environment and protecting our future.

HGL - WE INVEST IN YOU

It’s not just a job, it’s your career. HGL provides career growth opportunities via mentoring, training, education, and support for your certifications and licenses. Achieve your career goals and help HGL achieve its mission of restoring the environment to beneficial use for our clients and communities.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other protected category. Some positions may require U.S. citizenship. Applicants who wish to request a reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process should contact Human Resources directly at 703-478-5186.

Digital & AI Proficiency:

HGL encourages the responsible use of approved AI-enabled and digital technologies to improve productivity, technical quality, decision-making, and project delivery. Candidates who demonstrate curiosity, adaptability, and experience leveraging emerging technologies are highly valued.

The annual salary for this position ranges from $96,480.00 - $144,720.00.

This position's final salary can be impacted by various factors including, but not limited to, contractual requirements, geographic location, job-related education, training, experience, and skills. If your desired salary falls outside of this range, we hope you'll still apply as there may be other positions that better align.