Principal Environmental Consultant

Senior Environmental Professional

Orange County, CA Area

Join a Growing Environmental Consulting Firm Where Technical Excellence and Entrepreneurship Are Valued

Our client is a well-established environmental consulting and engineering firm known for delivering complex site investigation, remediation, regulatory compliance, and environmental engineering projects throughout California. The firm has built a strong reputation for helping industrial, legal, commercial, energy, and development clients navigate challenging environmental issues while maintaining a practical, business-focused approach to problem solving. The organization specializes in site characterization, groundwater and soil remediation, regulatory closure strategies, environmental litigation support, and environmental engineering services.

This is an opportunity for a senior-level environmental professional who wants more than project delivery. The successful candidate will play a key role in client development, technical leadership, mentoring staff, and helping shape the continued growth of an established California environmental practice.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Join a respected, privately held environmental consulting firm with a strong reputation in California remediation and site characterization work.
• Work alongside experienced engineers and scientists who focus on solving complex environmental challenges through practical, cost-effective solutions.
• Exposure to a diverse range of projects involving contaminated soil, groundwater, vapor intrusion, site redevelopment, regulatory compliance, and environmental risk management.
• Opportunity to influence business growth, expand client relationships, and have a visible role in the firm's future direction.
• Collaborative culture that emphasizes professional development, knowledge sharing, technical quality, and work-life balance.
• Small-firm agility with the ability to make decisions quickly and pursue innovative, client-focused approaches to site closure and remediation.

Position Overview

The Senior Environmental Professional will serve as a technical and business leader responsible for managing environmental investigation and remediation projects, developing client relationships, mentoring staff, and supporting strategic growth initiatives.

This individual will balance project execution with business development activities, maintaining and expanding relationships with existing clients while identifying and securing opportunities with new clients throughout Southern California.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee complex environmental investigation, site assessment, remediation, and regulatory compliance projects.
• Provide senior-level technical guidance on soil, groundwater, and vapor intrusion investigations, remediation strategies, and closure approaches.
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, quality control, and client communications.
• Develop and maintain relationships with industrial, commercial, legal, development, and public-sector clients.
• Identify, pursue, and secure new business opportunities.
• Prepare and review technical reports, work plans, remedial action plans, cost estimates, and regulatory correspondence.
• Interface directly with regulatory agencies and stakeholders to advance project objectives.
• Mentor and develop junior and mid-level technical staff.
• Support strategic planning and contribute to the continued growth of the environmental practice.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Geology, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree and/or professional licensure (PE, PG, CHG, or similar) preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in environmental consulting, remediation, environmental engineering, or site investigation.
• Strong background in environmental due diligence, site characterization, remedial design, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated success managing environmental projects from proposal through completion.
• Proven business development experience with an established professional network and a track record of generating new revenue.
• Ability to bring existing client relationships and develop additional opportunities within the first several months.
• Experience working with California regulatory agencies and environmental programs.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, presentation, and client management skills.
• Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing and mentoring technical teams.

Ideal Background

We are especially interested in professionals coming from environmental consulting firms who have experience with:

• Site investigation and characterization
• Groundwater and soil remediation
• Environmental compliance and permitting
• Environmental due diligence (Phase I/II ESAs)
• Brownfield redevelopment
• Environmental litigation support
• Remedial design and implementation
• Regulatory negotiations and site closure strategies
• Seller-doer or practice leadership responsibilities

This position offers an attractive platform for a senior consultant, project manager, principal, or practice leader seeking greater influence, visibility, and growth potential within a highly respected environmental consulting organization.