Principal Consultant - Site Investigation and Remediation

Lead Complex Environmental Remediation Projects That Shape Sustainable Outcomes

ERM is seeking a Principal Consultant, Site Investigation and Remediation to join our growing team in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior environmental professional to lead complex investigation and remediation programs while helping clients navigate challenging regulatory environments and achieve successful project outcomes. In this role, you will provide technical leadership, project management, business development, and client advisory services across CERCLA, RCRA, Indiana state regulatory programs, and projects throughout the United States. You will play a key role in growing client relationships, developing innovative remediation strategies, mentoring technical teams, and strengthening ERM's reputation as a trusted environmental consulting partner.

Why This Role Matters?

Environmental liabilities, regulatory complexity, and stakeholder expectations continue to evolve. Organizations need experienced leaders who can deliver practical, technically sound, and cost-effective solutions to environmental challenges. As a Principal Consultant, you will help clients reduce risk, achieve regulatory closure, and implement remediation strategies that create long-term value. Your leadership will influence project success, foster the growth of junior professionals, and support the continued expansion of ERM's Site Investigation and Remediation practice.

What Your Impact Is:

• Serve as a trusted advisor and senior technical leader for complex site investigation, risk assessment, and remediation projects.
• Build and expand client relationships that generate repeat business and support the growth of ERM's Site Investigation and Remediation (SIR) services.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams in the successful delivery of environmental projects with complex technical and regulatory requirements.
• Develop innovative and practical remedial solutions for contaminated soil, groundwater, and soil vapor challenges.
• Strengthen ERM's market presence through technical presentations, publications, proposal development, and client engagement.
• Mentor and develop junior staff while fostering a culture of collaboration, technical excellence, and safety.
• Support business growth by identifying opportunities, preparing winning proposals, and expanding existing client relationships.

What You'll Bring

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in environmental science, geology, engineering, or related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of project management experience.
• Proven business development experience managing large programs/contracts and developing client relationships supported by repeat business.
• Established client contacts and demonstrated success generating and expanding business opportunities.
• Advanced knowledge of the local regulatory climate and proven negotiation skills with state and local regulators.
• Experience managing site investigation and remediation projects involving contaminated soil, groundwater, soil vapor, LNAPL, and DNAPL.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with strong organizational and analytical capabilities.
• Environmental field work experience and current 40-hour OSHA HAZWOPER certification.
• PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) expertise is required.
• Strong knowledge of PCB investigation and remediation processes.
• Established regulatory contacts with U.S. EPA Regions 5 and 7.
• Strong TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) expertise, particularly related to regulated chemicals and PCB compliance.
• Strong commitment to safety, including adherence to established Health and Safety protocols.
• Driver's License Required: This position requires a valid driver's license and/or the ability to operate a company vehicle due to the nature of job duties, which include frequent travel to various client locations across a large geographical area.
• Ability to multi-task, maintain flexibility, travel, and work independently with minimal supervision.

Preferred

• 15+ years of progressive technical experience supporting moderate to complex site investigation and remediation projects under CERCLA, RCRA, and state regulatory programs.
• PFAS/PFOA experience is highly preferred.
• Professional licensure.
• Experience with innovative and emerging remediation technologies.
• Experience leading large-scale remediation programs and managing complex regulatory negotiations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and expand client relationships that generate repeat business to grow SIR services.
• Manage and provide technical expertise on site investigation and remediation projects for a variety of clients with complex technical and regulatory issues.
• Lead and design remedial solutions for contaminated soil, soil vapor, and groundwater using innovative and emerging remedial treatment technologies as well as traditional systems, leveraging ERM's subject matter experts to support project delivery.
• Plan and coordinate field work including sampling, drilling, monitoring well installation, soil, groundwater and LNAPL/DNAPL assessments, vapor intrusion assessments, high-resolution site characterization activities (e.g., passive soil gas surveys, MIP, Waterloo Profiler), remedial construction, and operations and maintenance activities.
• Review and interpret environmental data; evaluate quality assurance and quality control data; develop conceptual site models; identify data gaps; prepare or peer review work plans and technical reports; and develop scopes of work, schedules, budgets, and health and safety plans for projects conducted under RCRA, CERCLA, and Indiana state regulatory programs.
• Evaluate remedial alternatives and assist clients in developing cost-effective closure strategies and negotiating those strategies with regulatory agencies.
• Manage bench-scale testing and pilot testing remedies for contaminated soil, groundwater, and sediments using traditional, innovative, and emerging remediation technologies while monitoring and optimizing remedy performance to maximize value for clients.
• Provide health and safety leadership for project teams and subcontractors by reviewing health and safety plans, conducting field safety audits, reviewing safety observations, and promoting ERM's safety culture.
• Appropriately delegate project assignments to project teams and mentor junior staff to support professional growth and project success.
• Prepare technical proposals and participate in business development activities with existing clients and identified new client opportunities.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with ERM employees, clients, and subcontractors.

Who We Are:
As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

Please submit your resume and brief cover letter. 

ERM does not accept recruiting agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, ERM employees or any other company location. ERM is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 

Thank you for your interest in ERM!

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