Chief Environmental Scientist

We are seeking an experienced Chief Environmental Scientist to lead environmental compliance, water quality, remediation, and reclamation programmes within a large-scale industrial or mining operation in the Southwestern United States.

This role will be responsible for overseeing environmental management systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing complex environmental projects, and providing technical guidance to site leadership on environmental risks and obligations.

Working closely with operational teams, regulators, external consultants, and technical specialists, you will help ensure environmental programmes meet regulatory requirements while supporting responsible operations, long-term sustainability, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Environmental Programme Leadership: Develop, implement, and oversee environmental management programmes covering compliance, environmental safety, remediation, and reclamation.
• Water Quality Management: Monitor and improve water quality practices, oversee groundwater and surface water monitoring programmes, and ensure compliance with applicable environmental permits and standards.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure operations comply with relevant federal, state, and local environmental regulations, identifying potential compliance risks and recommending corrective actions.
• Environmental Project Management: Lead complex environmental projects involving permitting, water quality, remediation, reclamation, and site restoration.
• Environmental Risk & Incident Management: Investigate environmental incidents, coordinate response activities, maintain regulatory documentation, and implement corrective and preventative measures.
• Technical Assessment: Review environmental studies, groundwater models, conceptual site models, monitoring programmes, forecasts, and technical assessments prepared by consultants.
• Regulatory Engagement: Provide technical guidance to site leadership and liaise with regulators, environmental agencies, consultants, and other stakeholders on environmental matters.
• Environmental Standards & Governance: Establish and maintain environmental procedures, technical standards, management systems, and consistent practices across relevant operational areas.
• Budgeting & Strategic Planning: Support environmental budgeting, resource allocation, and long-term planning to address operational requirements and environmental obligations.
• Contractor & Consultant Management: Evaluate and oversee external service providers, manage contracts, and ensure environmental projects are delivered to the required technical and regulatory standards.
• Training & Capability Development: Coordinate mandatory environmental training, develop technical capability within teams, and promote environmental awareness across the organization.
• Documentation & Reporting: Maintain accurate environmental records, compliance reports, incident documentation, and supporting evidence in line with regulatory requirements.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Geology, Hydrology, Earth Science, or a related discipline. Other relevant degrees may be considered alongside appropriate professional experience.
• Minimum of seven years of relevant experience with a bachelor's degree, or five years with a relevant master's degree.
• Demonstrated experience managing environmental programmes, regulatory compliance, and environmental risk within complex operational environments.
• Strong understanding of environmental permitting, water quality management, remediation, reclamation, and environmental monitoring.
• Experience managing environmental projects, including technical oversight, contractor coordination, budgeting, and delivery.
• Knowledge of applicable environmental legislation and regulatory frameworks, including water quality, waste management, hazardous materials, and environmental incident reporting.
• Ability to interpret environmental data, assess technical reports, and evaluate consultant-developed studies and recommendations.
• Experience providing technical advice to operational leadership and developing practical solutions to environmental compliance challenges.