Hydrologist/Environmental Data Scientist

Ocean to Earth Recruitment is supporting a leading UK-based water and environmental consultancy with an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and collaborative individual to advance their career as an Environmental Data Scientist/Hydrologist.

About the Role
This is a senior consultancy position with a focus on hydrological methods, modelling tools, and software development. You will work closely with the science and software development teams to deliver practical solutions for water resources management, flood mitigation, and climate adaptation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and managing hydrological methods within a national water resource modelling platform.

• Contributing to flood modelling software development.

• Applying machine learning techniques to enhance existing hydrological models and develop new approaches.

• Translating scientific research into practical software tools, including user interface design and testing.

• Liaising with regulators and users to ensure compliance and usability of products.

Required Skills and Experience
The ideal candidate will be collaborative, innovative, and technically strong, with:

• A first degree (2:1 or above) in Hydrology, Environmental Science, Civil Engineering, or a numerate discipline. Postgraduate qualifications are desirable but not essential.

• Strong coding experience in Python and/or R.

• Experience with machine learning applications to environmental datasets.

• Ability to handle and process complex spatial and temporal datasets (e.g., NetCDF, ASCII).

• Excellent communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Demonstrable experience in hydrology or water-related environmental science.

What You Will Do in Your First Year

• Gain expertise in national hydrological and flood modelling tools.

• Build Python modules and apply machine learning techniques to real-world problems.

• Become familiar with UK water regulatory frameworks.

• Collaborate with leading scientists and regulators.

• Produce high-quality technical reports.

• Work towards professional chartership (e.g., CIWEM).

Career Progression
After your first year, opportunities include:

• Contributing to the strategy for science and commercial software development.

• Expanding technical and software capabilities and diversifying services.

• Managing R&D projects and client proposals.

• Supporting strategic marketing initiatives.

Benefits and Culture

• Competitive salary with structured pay scales and performance-related bonuses.

• Generous pension scheme with employer contributions.

• 40.5 days holiday allowance (buy/sell options available).

• Health and wellbeing support, including private healthcare cashback and virtual GP access.

• Flexible working hours and remote working opportunities.

• Professional development budget with training and membership support.

• Work in a dynamic, collaborative environment with a focus on innovation and sustainability.

Location
The office is located in a scenic, leafy area of Wallingford on the banks of the Thames, featuring excellent transport links and on-site amenities. Remote working can be considered also.