Principal Environmental Scientist

Company Description

“Growing my career at AECOM has meant being exposed to amazing experiences - from support and mentorship from my peers and senior business leaders to exciting opportunities working on major and complex EIS projects across NSW including Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport and Great Western Highway Upgrade. I’ve felt trusted and inspired!”  - Alice Thurgood, Team Leader - Environmental Impact Assessment, Sydney 

Come grow with us.

What will your legacy be? Are you excited to be part of the renewable energy transition, or keen to influence city shaping projects or passionate about delivering environmental solutions on some of Australia’s most significant projects? If so, we would love to hear from you! 

With our incredibly strong project pipeline of transformational energy and transport projects we are seeking a Principal Environmental Scientist/Planner or an Associate Director Environmental Scientist/Planner to join our Sydney Environmental Impact Assessment team. 

We are a passionate team of environmental impact assessors working within an organisation creating meaningful change both in Australia and around the globe.  Our team is made up of ten environmental impact assessors and we are looking for a senior professional to join us and lead environmental impact assessments for projects across renewable energy, transmission, transport (road/rail/ports/air), water, and industrial sectors. Our enviable EIS portfolio includes the first offshore wind farm EIS in Australia; longest road tunnel EIS in Australia and the first place-based EIS for an infrastructure project in NSW.  

Our team in Sydney is connected to our colleagues across Australia and New Zealand, and globally across the world, which allows our team members to take up opportunities to work on exciting projects in a variety of regions on both a short term and long-term basis. 

Everyone belongs at AECOM

We’re committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging - because great ideas come from diverse perspectives. AECOM is proud to be a Fortune 500 Most Admired Company, a WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality, #Work180 Equitable Workplace Awards 2025 Winner and an AWEI Bronze Tier LGBTQ+ Inclusive Employer.

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced, senior environmental approvals professional who can lead the delivery of timely, high-quality environmental impact assessments, constraints analyses, strategic assessments and environmental management plans and assist in the organisation of resources, budgets, and timelines for the management of these projects.  

A key differentiator of this role is that we are looking for someone to fill the Environmental Impact Assessment Team Leader role, as a 12 month parental leave cover. This role will provide opportunity for you to shape and grow our team, whilst developing an understanding of the wider leadership opportunities within AECOM. The Team Leader assists in the day-to-day management and leadership of the EIA team of 10+ people.

Some of the Team Leader duties include: 

• Managing day-to-day activities of team members to ensure adherence to AECOM’s policies and procedures. 
• Contributing to staff wellbeing, retention and engagement. 
• Supporting the Sydney Impact Assessment and Permitting Group Leader to deliver the financial year workgroup plan. 
• Fostering an engaged and motivated team of well qualified and experienced staff. 
• Tracking and managing the team’s pipeline of opportunities. 

Qualifications

The following qualifications and experience are highly desired, but if you don’t tick all the boxes you could still be a perfect fit for this role. Please apply, all applications will be considered. 

For this senior position in our team we require someone with: 

• A bachelor’s degree (with post graduate qualifications preferred) in an appropriate discipline such as environmental science, environmental planning, town planning and/or environmental engineering 
• Proven ability to lead the growth and development of teams and individuals 
• Demonstrated strong communication, influencing and leadership skills 
• A drive to mentor junior and mid-level consulting staff to develop their skill sets in the environmental planning and approvals technical area.  
• Proven ability to network and influence at peer levels 
• Industry recognition as a leader in specialist discipline with well-established industry networks 
• Proven ability to develop new client relationships and expand existing relationships through timely delivery of projects, value for money and quality service 
• REAP Certification, or who is eligible for REAP certification and currently seeking REAP certification 
• A high level of technical competence in environmental planning and approvals, due diligence and land use planning 
• A firm grasp of the key environmental issues associated with renewables, transmission, and transport infrastructure projects 
• Extensive experience leading and managing environmental assessment and environmental impact statement projects 
• Superior project management and project delivery skills, including time management and organisational skills 
• Extensive consulting experience, with demonstrated technical, commercial and delivery acumen

Additional Information

Why you’ll love working with us

• Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, part-time, job-sharing and hybrid work options
• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year         
• Swap public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better
• Continuous learning and growth - lunch and learns, professional development courses, financial study assistance, 5 days paid study leave, global career opportunities

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.  Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $13.1 billion in fiscal year 2022. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.