Managing Marine Consultant - Water/Sediment Quality Specialist (Mid-Senior Level)

We are looking for a talented individual with a proven track record of delivering marine water/sediment quality Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) to join our Marine Ecology team, which is part of our Biodiversity group, within our Capital Project Delivery service line.

Our Marine Ecology team offer high-quality services to clients across a range of sectors including marine aggregates, offshore wind, oil and gas decommissioning, wave and tidal energy, subsea cables, coastal/marine engineering, and ports/harbours developments.

The team are currently driving the development of ERM’s Marine Centre of Excellence – a world-leading hub of marine environmental and planning consultancy services for a wide range of clients across numerous seabed user sectors and marine projects, including offshore wind. 

Working in a dynamic and collaborative environment, you will be delivering reports to a high standard, including desk studies, scoping reports, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and specialist advice to UK and overseas Operators, Governments and Regulators. The focus of your input into any EIA and associated documentation will be in, but not limited to, the areas of water/sediment quality and Water Framework Directive (WFD) compliance. You will be providing support in the writing of proposals and contribute to survey design.

Why join ERM?

Flexible working to suit your life – need to do the school run? Not a problem! More productive and happy if you work from home a couple of days per week? Go ahead! Love to travel? Ask about our Cross Border Remote Working! You’ll have 25 days annual leave + public holidays, 6% employer pension contribution, twice annual promotion opportunities, annual salary review and performance related bonus, private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, EV car salary sacrifice scheme, Cycle2Work scheme, travel season ticket loan, volunteering and Give As You Earn opportunities, employee assistance programme and premium account for Calm (the #1 app for sleep and meditation) in order to look after your wellbeing, plus discounts on gym membership and gift cards for a wide variety of retailers and restaurants.

We offer employees a safety first, diverse and inclusive culture in which difference is embraced, valued and celebrated. With a robust career framework in place and 20+ technical communities of global experts you can join, there are great opportunities to advance your career here at ERM.

About you

Essential

• BSc or MSc in a relevant technical subject;
• Knowledge and experience across a variety of industries including oil and gas decom, CCS, renewables (inc. hydrogen) and aggregates;
• A strong robust scientific understanding and track record of:
  • Delivery of WFD compliance assessment for marine and freshwater waterbodies UK and EU wide;
  • Plankton and biogeochemical cycles including water chemistry;
  • Water discharges advice inc. Offshore Chemical Notification Scheme (OCNS);
• Good knowledge and understanding of the UK's marine biodiversity, including awareness of the EUNIS marine habitat classification system;
• Knowledge and understanding of sublittoral benthic survey design and the types of data available from marine biological surveys of the seabed in coastal or offshore environments, including remote sensing and ground truthing survey techniques, and the limitations associated with these data;
• Extensive experience in the use of standard MS Office software;
• Awareness of relevant European and domestic legislation concerning nature conservation and assessment of potential environmental effects in the marine environment, including the Marine and Coastal Access Act, Habitats Regulations, EIA Regulations;
• An enthusiastic attitude and willingness to learn, as part of a team and under own supervision.

Desirable

• 5+ years professional experience in marine consultancy or a technical marine field;
• Comfortable with use of AI for research and workflow management?
• Experience of petroleum exposure risk assessment and EBVs (Essential Biodiversity Variables)
• Experience of Chemical risk assessment with the implementation of toxicity modelling including CHARM and Osborne-Adams.
• Ecotoxicology knowledge
• Experience of project management, including knowledge / experience of completing tasks to agreed budgets and timeframes;
• Background in chemical oceanography with knowledge of physical and geophysical oceanography;
• Experience of GIS packages (preferably ESRI™ ArcGIS or QGIS) to manipulate, interrogate and interpret spatial datasets, including integrating and analysing different types of data from multiple sources;
• Experience of public speaking;
• Specialist knowledge of a specific marine sector and associated potential impacts on the marine environment;
• Understanding of Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRAs) and Marine Conservation Zone Risk Assessments (MCZ);
• Field work experience in sampling, data collection and collation for offshore and nearshore environmental surveys

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ERM is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive, it’s an essential part of what makes ERM a great place to build a career and helps us create better solutions for our clients.

We welcome talent from all backgrounds and provide equal opportunities for every candidate. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or need accommodations during the selection process, we’re here to support you. Our commitment doesn’t stop at hiring. Once you join us, we’ll ensure you have the tools, support, and adjustments needed to succeed and feel a true sense of belonging. Learn more about our Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (DIB) efforts by visiting our website or exploring our 2025 Sustainability Report..