Senior Hydrogeologist

Why Black and Veatch

Black & Veatch allows you to lend your talent and perspective to humanity’s biggest challenges in a flexible environment where you are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities. We offer competitive compensation; 401K match and benefits that start day 1.

Our hybrid environment allows you to balance your work and personal life. At Black & Veatch, you own your career with purpose and meaning. You are empowered to grow and explore new possibilities at every step of your career journey. Bring your big ideas knowing you are safe to be who you are and speak up with concerns or questions and put your diverse talents and perspectives to use.

The Opportunity

We are currently looking to add a senior hydrogeologist to support our Supply & Hydrogeology team in California.

Black & Veatch is seeking an experienced water resources or hydrogeology professional to join our growing Supply & Hydrogeology team. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior-level professional passionate about water supply development and management. Our team continues to expand in response to increasing client demand for innovating solutions to challenges such as wellfield development, aging wellfield infrastructure, rehabilitation, operations, regulatory compliance, aquifer storage and recovery systems, injection wells, and alternative water supply strategies.

We are looking for a candidate with strong technical skills and expertise in groundwater supply issues including scarcity, drought resilience, depletion, saltwater intrusion, brackish groundwater development and treatment, brine management, and evolving regulatory frameworks. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment and is eager to contribute to impactful water resource projects across the United States. While primarily a desktop-based position, occasional fieldwork or travel outside the candidate’s home office locality may be required. Although the role is focused on projects in California, the ideal candidate will be comfortable and successful in supporting initiatives nationwide.

This position offers a valuable opportunity to mentor and guide early-career professionals, while also fostering your own growth in technical expertise, project management, and presentation skills. You will collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to support geologic, hydrogeologic, engineering, environmental, and infrastructure initiatives.

The Team

Black & Veatch’s Water Supply & Hydrogeology group helps clients achieve their goals for a reliable,  sufficient, and sustainable water supply. We provide source water management, water quality evaluations, well rehabilitation, wellfield optimization, conceptual and numerical groundwater modeling, and hydrogeologic solutions that leverage assets and enhance system operability. Our team also supports clients focused on civil engineering applications, as well as traditional and alternative energy solutions. 

Key Responsibilities

• Provide professional hydrogeological support for a wide range of domestic and potentially international projects

• Evaluate and interpret geologic and hydrogeologic data

• Review and approve technical work produced by early-career professionals

• Provide guidance to junior staff on technical methods, fieldwork, and reporting

• Ensure staff and subcontractors adhere to project specifications and designs

• Ensure regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local requirements

• Develop detailed project plans, budgets, and resource allocations.

• Coordinate and lead multidisciplinary teams

• Collaborate with project technical leads, project managers, and delivery teams to ensure that work products meet client needs

• Coordinate with clients, regulators, and internal stakeholders

• Facilitate internal cross-solution collaboration

• Present project findings to clients and technical professionals

• Support business development by contributing to proposals and client strategy meetings

• Strong organizational and communication skills (written, verbal, graphical)

• Work independently on tasks and projects with limited supervision

• Adherence to internal company health and safety and other processes and policies

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree Geology, Hydrogeology, Environmental Science, Earth Science, Geosystems Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of relevant experience in the field of hydrogeology, geology, geosystems engineering or environmental geology, including project leadership roles

• Licensed Professional Geologist, Professional Engineer, or equivalent

• Advanced experience conducting subsurface geologic and hydrogeologic evaluations, hydrogeologic conceptualization and aquifer characterization

• Experience with aquifer storage and recovery, managed aquifer recharge, or injection well systems

• Familiarity with brackish groundwater development, desalination, and brine management strategies

• Strong understanding of federal and state water regulations, permitting processes, and compliance

• Active participation in professional organizations

• Industry certifications are a plus (e.g. PMP, EAM Technical certifications)

• Proficiency in GIS tools, data visualization platforms, and geospatial analysis

• Experience mentoring and developing junior staff in technical and professional growth

• Strong understanding of wells and wellfield asset lifecycle, maintenance strategies, and regulatory compliance.

• Strong communication and presentation skills and experience engaging executive level stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver high quality client outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelors' degree in Geology, Geoscience, Earth Science or Environmental Science required. Minimum of 10 years of experience.

All applicants must be able to complete pre-employment onboarding requirements (if selected) which may include any/all of the following: criminal/civil background check, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations.

Certifications

Professional Geologist (PG)

Work Environment/Schedule

• Hybrid or flexible work options may be offered after the first 90 days of employment based upon manager discretion, job performance and work assignments.
• Normal office environment. Some employees are subject to extreme cold (temperatures below 30 degrees for periods of more than one hour), extreme heat (temperatures above 90 degrees for periods of more than one hour), hazards (electrical currents, working on scaffolding and high places, exposures to chemicals), atmospheric conditions (fumes, odors, dusts, mists, gases, poor ventilation), and oils. Some employees are required to use respiratory systems as a result of fumes, mists, gases, or to comply with governmental regulatory requirements. All positions require the following physical abilities: talking, fingering, grasping, hearing, keyboard input, seeing, and writing. All positions require the ability to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects. Work involves sitting most of the time. Some positions require the following physical abilities: reaching, climbing, balancing, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling, walking, standing, pulling, lifting, pushing, carrying, and driving. Some positions require the ability to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or move objects.