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Principal Hydrogeologist

ITASCA North America | Canada-based

About the role

ITASCA North America is seeking a Principal Hydrogeologist to provide technical leadership, grow client relationships, mentor staff, and help strengthen our hydrogeology practice across Canada and North America.

This role is suited for a senior hydrogeology professional with strong technical credibility, practical judgment, and experience leading complex projects. Mining experience is preferred, particularly in mine water management, groundwater characterization, dewatering, depressurization, seepage, closure, water balance, permitting support, and hydrogeologic support for mine planning and operations.

Why this role matters

Water is often a defining factor in whether mining, infrastructure, energy, and environmental projects can be planned, permitted, operated, and closed successfully.

As a Principal Hydrogeologist, you will help clients understand complex hydrogeologic conditions and translate that understanding into practical decisions. Your work may influence mine water management, dewatering strategy, groundwater characterization, permitting, closure planning, and risk management.

You will also play an important role in growing ITASCA North America's hydrogeology practice by building trusted client relationships, mentoring staff, guiding project teams, and connecting ITASCA's hydrogeology, geomechanics, engineering geology, and numerical modeling capabilities into stronger solutions for clients.

What you'll do

• Provide senior technical leadership on hydrogeology, mine water, and groundwater-related projects.
• Lead and review work involving conceptual hydrogeologic models, field investigations, aquifer testing, groundwater monitoring, dewatering, seepage, water balance, closure planning, permitting support, and impact assessment.
• Translate complex hydrogeologic data into practical recommendations for mine planning, environmental management, water supply, permitting, operations, and risk management.
• Guide or critically review numerical and analytical groundwater modeling, including assumptions, uncertainty, limitations, and implications for client decisions.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and senior client contact.
• Develop client relationships, identify opportunities, and lead proposals, scopes, budgets, schedules, and project strategy.
• Mentor technical staff and support high-quality project delivery through review, coaching, and knowledge sharing.

What you bring

Required

• Advanced degree in hydrogeology, geochemistry, environmental engineering, or a related field.
• Approximately 20+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Proven technical excellence and sound professional judgment in hydrogeology.
• Experience leading, managing, directing, and reviewing complex technical projects.
• Strong experience with conceptual hydrogeologic models, field investigations, hydraulic testing, and hydrogeologic data interpretation.
• Strong client-facing communication skills.
• Experience mentoring staff and contributing to business development.
• Established client relationships in Canada's mining sector.
• Professional Geoscientist or Professional Engineer (P.Geo./P.Eng./PE or equivalent) designation.

Strongly valued

• Mining industry experience, particularly in mine water management, pit dewatering, depressurization, seepage, closure, water balance, permitting, and operational hydrogeology.
• Experience developing and winning consulting work.
• Experience with MODFLOW, FEFLOW, MINEDW, GIS, 3-D visualization, or data analysis.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams.
• Recognition in the hydrogeology, mining, groundwater, or environmental consulting community.

Why ITASCA

For more than 45 years, ITASCA has helped clients solve complex geomechanics, hydrogeology, and engineering geology challenges through technical depth, practical judgment, and innovation.

At ITASCA, you will work on challenging projects where standard approaches are often not enough. Our work combines field experience, scientific and engineering interpretation, advanced analysis, and state-of-the-art ITASCA software to help clients make better decisions.

We are a collaborative, collegial, employee-owned company where technical excellence, curiosity, mentorship, mutual respect, and shared success matter. This is a place for senior professionals who want meaningful influence with clients, colleagues, and the direction of a growing North American consulting practice.

Location and travel

This is a full-time position based in Canada. Preferred locations are Toronto, Vancouver, or Sudbury, but other Canadian locations, including hybrid/remote work options, may be considered for the right candidate.

Travel will be expected for client meetings, site visits, conferences, business development, and internal collaboration.

Compensation and benefits

We value your contributions and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Performance bonuses, including cash and company stock
• Health, dental, and vision benefits for you and your family
• Generous paid time off from day one
• Paid holidays
• Company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance

The anticipated salary range is $180,000-$230,000 CAD. Final compensation will depend on experience and qualifications.

Take the next step in your career and become a valued member of our employee-owned company. Join us at ITASCA, where innovation meets excellence!

ITASCA is an equal opportunity employer, a drug-free workplace, and complies with accessibility regulations as applicable.