Senior or Principal Consultant, EIA - Onshore Renewables (UK Wide)

WSP — Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Onshore renewable energy technologies play a leading role in meeting the rising demand for power, maintaining secure and reliable energy supplies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and delivering future energy schemes to help create a sustainable world. WSP helps clients plan and execute large-scale renewable energy projects, including solar photovoltaic, onshore wind and battery energy storage systems. Our team of engineers, scientists and technicians partners with clients to meet clean energy objectives. As a leading environmental consultancy in the UK, you’ll contribute to major onshore renewables projects and support the energy transition towards Net Zero. You’ll be encouraged to explore new ideas in a culture that values curiosity and diversity.

With increased governmental support for onshore renewables, this role focuses on navigating regulatory landscapes—supporting the development of onshore renewables projects through strategic planning, environmental advice and technical studies. You’ll deliver services such as planning applications and EIA, and provide support for DCO examinations and planning inquiries.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing the delivery of environmental inputs into onshore renewables projects, including planning applications, EIA, and support for DCO examinations and planning inquiries.


• Delivery of environmental inputs such as EIA screening, scoping reports, environmental constraints studies, environmental management plans and Environmental Statements.


• Building relationships with clients and identifying opportunities to provide support in areas such as resourcing, programming, strategy development and project delivery.


• Participation in bid development and business development activities, including proposals and strategic bid preparation.


• Supporting the development of innovative techniques to shape the business (e.g., Digital EIA, Technical Excellence, Future Ready EIA).


• Mentoring and upskilling junior colleagues to support career development.


• Promoting an inclusive workplace and maintaining health and safety standards aligned with WSP values.


• Contributing to the success of the WSP business strategy and delivering results in a self-motivated way.

What We Will Be Looking For

• A relevant environmental degree in EIA or similar.


• Progress towards Practitioner or Chartered Environmental Status and Full membership of IEMA, or equivalent.


• Demonstrable experience of undertaking EIA for onshore renewables schemes with limited supervision, under UK planning regimes.


• Ability to coordinate tasks across technical teams, external clients, stakeholders and partner organisations, delivering on time and within budget.


• Experience leading and contributing to meetings with wider technical teams and external clients.


• Experience coordinating environmental surveys for EIA, with knowledge of Health and Safety requirements.


• Experience in bid preparation and client change requests with appropriate fee adjustments for renewables projects.


• Excellent written and verbal communication, with strong report writing and quality assurance.

What’s in it for you

• Work-life balance with hybrid working policy (two days per week remote; opportunity to collaborate in UK offices).


• Inclusivity and belonging: welcoming applicants from varied backgrounds and experiences; support for an inclusive culture; employee resource groups.


• Health and wellbeing: Thrive programme; Virtual GP; workplace adjustments; gym membership discounts; menopause support.


• Flex your time: WSP My Hour for daily personal activities; part-time and flexible working; additional leave purchasing; flexible use of bank holidays.


• Your development: training, mentoring, and Chartered status support.

About Us

We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our 72,800 people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity and inclusion. With over 9,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.

EEO Statement

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria and provide workplace adjustments as needed.