About Ardent
Ardent is a multi-disciplinary planning and environmental consultancy working across a wide range of projects throughout the UK. Our air quality team is growing nationally and works closely with our noise, transport and energy teams to provide integrated, commercially focused and technically robust advice to clients.
We are looking for someone who wants to contribute to that growth, deliver excellent technical work, support clients effectively, and help develop the next stage of Ardent’s air quality capability.
About the role
Due to our continued growth, Ardent is looking for a Senior Air Quality Consultant to join our growing national air quality team. This is an opportunity for an experienced consultant to play a key role in delivering high-quality air quality, odour, dust and emissions assessments across a varied portfolio of planning, development, infrastructure, transport, energy, regeneration, residential and commercial projects across the UK.
This role would suit an independent and commercially minded consultant with strong technical judgement, good dispersion modelling capability, and experience supporting planning and EIA-led projects. You will be expected to manage your own workload, lead the technical delivery of projects, support clients from a technical advisory perspective, and help maximize opportunities for the continued growth of the air quality team.
Ardent is a multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consultancy. Our air quality team works closely with colleagues in noise, transport and energy, providing integrated advice to clients and project teams. You will be joining a collaborative, technically rigorous and client-focused working environment, with opportunities to shape processes and contribute to the development of a growing team.
Key responsibilities
Technical delivery
You will undertake and manage a range of air quality consultancy tasks, including:
- Preparing air quality, odour, dust and emissions assessments;
- Preparing air quality inputs to planning applications and EIA projects;
- Undertaking desk-based baseline data collection, review and interpretation;
- Designing, implementing and managing ambient air quality, indoor air quality, dust and odour monitoring surveys;
- Undertaking site visits, including monitoring equipment deployment, inspection and maintenance;
- Preparing and reviewing dispersion modelling assessments for road traffic, point, area and volume sources;
- Analysing air quality, emissions, meteorological, traffic and energy-system data;
- Using GIS to support model development, data interpretation and presentation of results;
- Preparing technical figures, appendices and assessment outputs;
- Interpreting relevant guidance, policy, legislation and assessment criteria;
- Identifying project risks, data gaps and assessment constraints and
- Contributing to quality assurance and technical review processes.
Project delivery
You will help lead the delivery of air quality projects by:
- Managing the technical delivery of small to medium-sized projects;
- Coordinating inputs from multi-disciplinary project teams;
- Attending and contributing to client, design team and project meetings;
- Liaising with local authorities, clients and project team members to agree approaches and obtain the information required for assessments;
- Managing your own workload and supporting others to meet deadlines and budgets;
- Preparing clear, accurate and proportionate technical reports;
- Providing technical advice to clients and project teams and
- Supporting the delivery of high-quality work in accordance with agreed scopes, budgets and programmes.
Business development and team support
You will contribute to the continued growth and improvement of the team by:
- Supporting or leading the preparation of fee proposals and tender submissions;
- Contributing to client development and repeat business through high-quality service delivery;
- Helping identify and maximise project and client opportunities;
- Preparing or contributing to sales, capability and marketing material;
- Capturing lessons learned from project delivery;
- Identifying opportunities for technical and process improvement;
- Providing technical mentoring to junior members of the team and
- Supporting the future development of line management responsibilities as the team grows.
Essential skills and experience
You should be able to demonstrate:
- Relevant experience in air quality consultancy or a closely related environmental discipline;
- Experience preparing air quality assessments for planning, EIA, infrastructure or development projects;
- Strong air quality modelling capability and experience applying modelling outputs in technical assessments;
- Knowledge of relevant UK air quality policy, legislation, guidance and assessment practice;
- Experience in air quality data analysis, interpretation and reporting;
- Strong quantitative, analytical and problem-solving skills;
- The ability to prepare clear, concise and technically robust written reports;
- Good communication skills, including the ability to explain technical information to clients, project teams and nonspecialist audiences;
- Commercial awareness, including an understanding of project scopes, budgets, programmes and client requirements;
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines;
- Confidence working independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
- Good attention to detail and a commitment to quality;
- Willingness to travel to project sites across the UK when required and
- A full driving licence valid for use in the UK, as the role will involve travel for site surveys, often with monitoring equipment.
Desirable skills and experience
The following would be advantageous, but are not essential:
- Experience using ADMS-Roads, ADMS 6, AERMOD or other recognised dispersion modelling tools;
- Experience using QGIS or other GIS software;
- Intermediate or advanced Excel skills;
- Experience using Python, R or other programming tools for data processing and analysis;
- Experience preparing EIA air quality chapters;
- Experience of odour, dust, construction-phase or energy-related assessments;
- Experience designing and managing air quality monitoring surveys;
- Experience preparing fee proposals and tender submissions;
- Experience mentoring junior staff;
- Experience working in a consultancy environment and
- Membership of the Institute of Air Quality Management or another relevant professional body.
Qualifications
You should have a relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in environmental science, atmospheric science, engineering, geography, mathematics, physics, chemistry or a related discipline.
A postgraduate qualification in air quality, environmental science or a related discipline would be advantageous but is not essential.
Professional development and progression
We are committed to the continued professional development of our staff. You will be supported by experienced technical and project leaders and encouraged to develop your technical, commercial and project management skills.
The role offers a clear progression route towards Principal Consultant for the right candidate. We also provide support for professional development, including professional memberships, chartership support, internal technical training, conference attendance and mentoring from senior technical leads.
Benefits and working arrangements
Ardent offers a supportive and high-trust working environment, with benefits including:
- Pension;
- Paid professional memberships;
- Flexible working and
- Employee assistance programme.
Hybrid working is available following successful completion of the six-month probation period, subject to role and project requirements.
Following probation, the role will typically require a minimum of three days per week in the office. Exceptions may be agreed with your line manager, depending on role, project and business requirements.
Closing date: 30 November 2026
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