Senior Hydrogeologist

Overview

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Do you want to do meaningful work that improves quality of life? At Tetra Tech, you will work with high-performing teams who are passionate about using their expertise to find solutions to complex problems in water, environment, infrastructure, resource management, energy, and international development. We operate a successful groundwater business within our geo-environmental team of approximately 100 professionals, nationally across the UK and Ireland. We manage several high-profile groundwater frameworks with water utility companies and contracts including the GeoEnergy NI – Geothermal Demonstrator, Northern Irish Private Water Supply Framework, Northern Ireland Water Consultancy Framework and Environment Agency National Borehole Decommissioning Project.

Due to recent success in securing long-term hydrogeological and groundwater resource evaluation and implementation projects, we have an opportunity for an ambitious hydrogeologist to join us and manage several Key Client Accounts. This is a consultant or senior role at Consultant or Senior Hydrogeologist grade, with a focus on technical delivery, management, growth and development of our groundwater services.

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, confident and self-motivated, with strong technical and commercial skills and excellent verbal and written communication abilities. This role suits those with an established career in groundwater consultancy, specifically in groundwater resource development. It offers the opportunity to develop project management and leadership skills in a fast-growing, dynamic consultancy environment.

This role provides professional advice on feasibility, investigation, testing, procurement and implementation of new private and public supplies. Our preferred candidate will have proven groundwater experience, ideally with groundwater resource exploitation experience in the UK and Ireland, and a solid understanding of the UK and Northern Irish groundwater abstraction regulatory and licensing regime. Experience in tendering and managing projects of at least £100k+ value is expected.

You will be based at either our Birmingham, Bristol or Cardiff offices, with opportunity to work on hydrogeological projects across Great Britain and Ireland, and internationally. Other Tetra Tech office locations are available for experienced candidates. A flexible approach to time management and willingness to travel from home for short periods is required.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Complete initial desk studies to inform proposed groundwater abstraction locations: assess water demand, identify potential well sites, and evaluate yield, hydraulic efficiency and water quality.
• Coordinate and supervise field reconnaissance to fill information gaps identified in the desk study.
• Audit existing wells or specify and supervise the drilling of trial wells.
• Specify and supervise pumping tests to verify yield and hydraulic efficiency of trial and production wells; prepare subsequent pumping test reports.
• Specify and supervise sampling and testing (microbial and chemical) to verify water quality from trial and production wells; prepare water quality reports.
• Specify, coordinate and supervise activities to assess potential environmental impacts of the proposed groundwater abstraction, and assist in the preparation of abstraction licence applications.
• Select appropriate trial wells for development into full production wells, or specify precise locations for drilling new production wells.
• Act as day-to-day client interface.
• Conduct site visits for technical assessment and problem-solving based on current UK guidance and best practice.
• Manage and technically deliver Hydrogeological Risk Assessments and Desk Top Studies.
• Site supervision of site investigation works, including costing, procuring sub-contractors, logging and sampling soils and rocks, coordinating chemical/environmental and geotechnical analyses, ground gas and groundwater monitoring.
• Logging of soils and rocks to British Standard BS5930 and Eurocode 7.
• Prepare and review health and safety documentation including risk assessments and method statements.
• Prepare factual and interpretative desk studies and site investigation reports, including conceptual site models and quantitative controlled waters risk assessments.
• Undertake and support the design, implementation and interpretation of site investigation data.
• Act as employer’s representative / supervisor on site investigation projects.
• Check and review junior staff and support senior staff to ensure delivery of projects.
• Mentor junior staff, providing technical guidance and support for development in site investigation, assessment and report writing.
• Liaise with clients, local and wider geo-environmental team members and other disciplines on key projects.
• Input into tenders and preparation of fee proposals.

The successful candidate must be willing to travel, have a valid driver\’s license, work independently and have strong written and verbal communication skills.

Skills & Experience Required

A minimum of a good honours degree in earth sciences, geology or geochemistry and a master’s degree or doctorate in hydrogeology. Ability to analyse information and present it clearly in reports or presentations.

• Proficient at writing interpretative reports in support of abstraction licence applications for new private and public supplies and licences for new well fields.
• Experience in designing and procuring groundwater abstraction investigations; desk-based analysis of pumping test data for confined and unconfined aquifer systems.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Experience using pumping test analysis software such as Aquifer Win32 or Aquitest.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a large multi-disciplinary team or independently.
• Willingness to travel away from base office with a high level of personal responsibility and adaptable approach.
• Full clean driving licence.

Desirable

• Chartered status (Institute of Geologists of Ireland or equivalent) with a minimum of 7 years’ professional hydrogeology experience; less experience or non-chartered candidates may be considered.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Ability to use groundwater modelling packages such as MODFLOW.
• Understanding of water chemistry; water treatment experience to a public supply standard.
• Borehole design, installation and pumping test analysis.

About Tetra Tech

Tetra Tech is a leading provider of high-end consulting and engineering services for projects worldwide. We combine the resources of a global, multibillion-dollar company with local, client-focused delivery in more than 400 locations. We are Leading with Science® to provide sustainable and resilient solutions for our clients.

Tetra Tech is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity/shared parental leave, in line with the Equalities Act 2010.

We are happy to discuss flexible working, including reduced hours, flexible start and finish times, or compressed hours. We offer a range of solutions to help you balance work and life.