Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.
Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.
Target Resume Now
Tailor your resume to this Principal Geochemist role.
Rezi rewrites your resume against SLR Consulting's job description. Free.
Tailor your resume to this Principal Geochemist role.
Rezi rewrites your resume against SLR Consulting's job description. Free.
Don't guess if your resume is good enough.
See how it scores against the Principal Geochemist posting at SLR Consulting — free, in seconds.
Don't guess if your resume is good enough.
See how it scores against the Principal Geochemist posting at SLR Consulting — free, in seconds.
About the Role
SLR's Mine Water team is seeking an experienced Principal Geochemist to support a growing portfolio of work, predominantly within the mining sector. This role will provide technical leadership across a diverse range of mining projects, with a particular focus on mine waste and tailings geochemistry, acid rock drainage and metal leaching (ARD/ML), mine water quality, predictive geochemical modelling and mine closure.
Responsibilities
- Lead the technical delivery of complex geochemistry studies across the mining lifecycle, including Scoping Studies, Pre-Feasibility Studies (PFS), Feasibility Studies (FS), Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), operational support and mine closure planning.
- Provide senior technical direction for mine waste and tailings geochemical characterisation programmes, including sample selection and the design of static, kinetic, leach and mineralogical testing programmes.
- Lead the interpretation of complex geochemical datasets and undertake robust assessments of ARD/ML, salinity, constituent mobilisation and long-term water quality risks.
- Develop practical geochemical management and mitigation strategies for waste rock, tailings, stockpiles, pit walls and other mine materials.
- Develop and review geochemical source terms and water quality predictions to support mine water management, groundwater studies, water balances, closure planning and permitting requirements.
- Undertake and oversee advanced geochemical modelling using PHREEQC.
- Provide specialist technical input to mine closure studies, including pit lakes, flooded mine workings, seepage quality assessments, mine water treatment requirements and post-closure monitoring programmes.
- Integrate geochemistry with mine waste, tailings, hydrogeology, hydrology, mine water and closure engineering studies to deliver practical, risk-based recommendations.
- Act as a technical reviewer and quality assurance lead for geochemistry deliverables.
- Lead technical investigations, field programmes, sampling campaigns and laboratory testing strategies where required.
- Manage project scopes, programmes, budgets, resources, laboratories and subcontractors.
- Support proposal development, project planning, client engagement and business development initiatives.
- Build and maintain strong client relationships and identify opportunities to expand geochemistry services across existing and new projects.
- Mentor and develop Senior, Project and Graduate Geochemists.
- Contribute to technical standards, methodologies, data management approaches and modelling capabilities across the team.
- Support industry engagement activities, including technical papers, conference presentations and professional guidance documents.
Requirements
- A BSc or MSc in Geochemistry, Geology, Environmental Geoscience, Earth Sciences or a related discipline.
- Considerable professional experience within mining, environmental consultancy or a closely related sector.
- Extensive experience in mining geochemistry, including mine waste characterisation, ARD/ML assessments and long-term prediction of mine waste behaviour.
- Advanced understanding of contaminant release mechanisms, constituent transport processes and the geochemical evolution of mine wastes.
- Experience designing and managing hydrogeochemical sampling and laboratory testing programmes, including static, kinetic, leach and mineralogical testing.
- Experience acting as a trusted technical advisor to clients and multidisciplinary project teams.
- Significant experience developing geochemical source terms and predicting mine water quality under both operational and closure scenarios.
- Demonstrable expertise in advanced geochemical modelling using PHREEQC and/or Geochemist's Workbench.
- An understanding of how geochemistry integrates with hydrology, hydrogeology, mine water treatment, tailings engineering, mine waste management, mine planning and mine closure.
- Experience delivering geochemical inputs to multidisciplinary studies, including PFS, FS, ESIA, permitting and closure projects.
- The ability to independently lead complex technical workstreams and provide oversight on high-profile projects.
- Excellent technical writing, report preparation and communication skills.
- Experience mentoring, reviewing and developing junior and mid-level geochemists.
- Strong commercial awareness with experience contributing to proposals, project planning and client relationship management.
- Evidence of recognised technical expertise through publications, conference presentations, industry engagement or other professional activities.
- A full UK driving licence.
Skills
- Geochemistry
- Mine water
- Mine waste
- Tailings
- Acid rock drainage
- Metal leaching
- ARD/ML
- Mine water quality
- Geochemical modelling
- PHREEQC
- Geochemist's Workbench
- Hydrogeology
- Hydrology
- Water treatment
- Mining
- Tailings engineering
- Waste management
- Environmental assessment
- Mine closure
- Technical leadership
- Project management
- Client relationship management
- Proposal development
- Business development
- Mentoring
- Technical writing
- Report preparation
- Communication skills
- Commercial awareness
- UK/EU Waste Directive
- Hazardous Waste Classification
- Groundwater Directive
- Environmental Quality Standards
Location
- UK
Work Type
- Hybrid
- Agile
- Flexible working
- Full-time
Experience Level
- Principal
- Experienced
Education Level
- BSc or MSc in Geochemistry, Geology, Environmental Geoscience, Earth Sciences or a related discipline
- PhD (advantageous)
Salary/Compensations
- Competitive salary
Benefits
- Company pension scheme
- Private healthcare and wellbeing support
- Travel and life insurance
- Structured career development and progression opportunities
- Regular performance and career development reviews
- 25 days annual leave plus flexible bank holidays
- Hybrid, agile and flexible working arrangements
- Family-friendly policies that support work-life balance
- Opportunities to work on internationally significant mining and mine closure projects
- Access to industry-leading specialists across a range of environmental, engineering and sustainability disciplines
About the Company
- SLR is a global leader in sustainability solutions, helping clients tackle some of the world's most complex environmental and sustainability challenges.
- With over 5,000 employees operating across more than 125 countries, we combine global reach with local expertise, delivering innovative and practical solutions through a collaborative, people-first culture.
Equal Opportunity
- At SLR, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive.
- Through our Culture & Inclusion Committees, Global Council and Employee Networks, we foster a workplace that celebrates diversity and encourages different perspectives.
- We welcome applications from all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented within our industry.
- We believe that diverse teams create stronger solutions for our clients, colleagues and communities.
- As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we are committed to providing equitable support throughout the recruitment process.
- If you require any adjustments at any stage of your application, please let us know.