Senior Geo-Environmental Scientist: Groundwater & Remediation

About the role

ORS’s Environmental team delivers high-quality, science-led solutions that help clients navigate complex environmental and regulatory challenges across Ireland.

ORS is seeking an experienced Senior Geo-Environmental Scientist to join our Environmental Department in a strategically critical role. We are seeking an accomplished geo-environmental or hydrogeology professional who brings deep technical expertise, strong project and client leadership credentials, and the ambition to step into a future-focused leadership role.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping the direction of the Environmental team, leading high-value, complex projects, mentoring the next generation of specialists. You will be working closely with senior management on strategy, capability development, and client growth.

This role will evolve into a key leadership position within the consultancy, and will suit an ambitious and enthusiastic individual.

Technical & Project Leadership

• Provide senior technical leadership across geo-environmental, hydrogeological, contaminated land, and water-related projects, ensuring robust, defensible, and proportionate solutions.
• Lead complex site-specific risk assessments, groundwater investigations, abstraction studies, and remediation strategies for brownfield and development sites.
• Take overall responsibility for the technical quality, programme delivery, resourcing, and financial performance of assigned projects.
• Oversee and contribute to high-quality technical reports, interpretative assessments, modelling outputs, and regulatory submissions.

Groundwater & Environmental Assessment

• Lead and oversee groundwater abstraction feasibility studies, including desk studies, conceptual site models, and demand assessments.
• Specify, coordinate, and supervise field investigations, including reconnaissance, trial wells, pumping tests, and water quality sampling.
• Interpret pumping test data for confined and unconfined aquifer systems and assess yield, sustainability, and environmental impact.
• Support abstraction licence applications and environmental compliance documentation.
• Apply a strong understanding of Irish and EU environmental legislation, EIA processes, and regulatory frameworks.

Leadership, Mentorship & Strategic Growth

• Act as a senior mentor within the Environmental team, supporting and developing junior and mid-level staff through coaching, technical guidance, and quality assurance.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams (ecologists, engineers, planners) to deliver integrated environmental solutions.
• Engage confidently with clients, regulators, and stakeholders, building trusted relationships and supporting repeat business.
• Contribute to the strategic development of the Environmental team, including service line growth, technical innovation, and best practice.
• Progressively assume greater leadership responsibility, with structured support and visibility at senior management level.

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences, Geology, Environmental Science, Geochemistry, or a related discipline.
• A degree or postgraduate qualification in Hydrogeology is desirable but not essential.
• Significant professional experience in a senior technical and project leadership role within environmental consultancy or a related sector.
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex projects, budgets, programmes, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong experience in groundwater investigations, contaminated land assessment, and geo-environmental risk assessment.
• Practical experience with data analysis, conceptual modelling, and interpretation of groundwater and environmental datasets.
• Familiarity with GIS software (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS) and relevant modelling tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex technical information clearly and authoritatively.
• Strong leadership mindset, commercial awareness, and a commitment to technical excellence and professional integrity.

What We Can Offer You

Being part of ORS means more than just a job, it means joining a company that invests in you and your ambitions with…