Waste and Resource Management Consultant

Role: Waste and Resource Management Consultant

Location: London, Harwell, Manchester, Glasgow, India - New Dehli / Hybrid 

Role ID:

Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world.

Ricardo, member of WSP, is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering leading-edge and innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. Every day, we enable our customers to solve the most complex and dynamic challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world.

The Role

Our Waste and Resource Management team applies data-driven thinking to solve complex environmental and social challenges. With over four decades of experience, we help governments, international institutions and private organisations develop sustainable, cost-effective waste and resource management systems that make a real difference to communities and the planet.

We work across policy development, infrastructure planning, life-cycle analysis, emissions modelling and technology evaluation – from collections, recycling and composting to waste-to-energy and circular economy solutions. Our team combines deep technical expertise with practical insight to deliver real-world impact.

We develop strategies for zero waste and circular economy, model environmental impacts, assess technologies and landfill sites, advise on procurement and partnerships and lead stakeholder engagement and behavioural change programmes.

This role is ideal for someone with industry experience who enjoys working with data, building models and developing evidence-based strategies. You will collaborate with leading experts and contribute to projects that improve lives and shape a more sustainable future.

Key accountabilities

Project delivery and task management

• Manage small projects or sub-tasks within larger assignments, reporting progress to Project Managers or Project Directors.
• Undertake research, data analysis and modelling to support the development of waste and resource management strategies, options appraisals, feasibility studies and procurement activities.
• Plan and manage own workload across multiple projects, ensuring delivery to time, quality and budget.
• Maintain approximately 85% utilisation on project delivery.

Technical contribution and analysis

• Develop and apply analytical models (typically in Excel) to support waste flow analysis, infrastructure planning, option assessments and financial or environmental evaluations.
• Conduct research and literature reviews, drawing conclusions and presenting evidence clearly.
• Prepare clear, well-structured technical outputs including data summaries, report sections and presentations.
• Contribute to the development of Ricardo's waste data tools, methodologies and knowledge resources.
• Support internal knowledge-sharing and improvement initiatives within the Waste and Resource Management team.

Client engagement and relationships

• Communicate clearly with clients and project partners at an appropriate level, both verbally and in writing.
• Support senior colleagues in preparing client-ready deliverables, presentations and reports.
• Participate in client and stakeholder workshops or site visits where required.

Commercial awareness and business support

• Contribute to proposals and bids under the guidance of senior team members.
• Identify opportunities to improve delivery efficiency or client satisfaction.
• Support the team in developing project budgets, schedules and risk registers.

Professional development

• Take ownership of personal development planning and skills growth within the waste and circular economy field.
• Seek feedback and apply learning to improve performance and technical quality.

Essential technical and professional skills, knowledge and qualification

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in environmental science, engineering, sustainability or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of one to two years' experience working in the waste or environmental sector.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including modelling), PowerPoint and relevant analytical tools.
• Experience of developing, using and reviewing data models (e.g. mass flow, collection, resource planning, options appraisal or costing models).
• Strong research, analytical and data interpretation skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to present data and research findings clearly in written reports and presentations for decision-makers.
• Confident communicator with strong written and verbal English skills.
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced consultancy environment.

Desirable technical and professional skills, knowledge and qualification

• Experience working in a consultancy environment.
• Knowledge of waste management systems, including collections, materials handling, treatment and recovery technologies.
• Understanding of waste policy, legislation and regulatory frameworks in the UK or internationally.
• Operational experience within the waste sector (e.g. local authority, private contractor or waste operator).
• Familiarity with carbon accounting, environmental impact assessment or financial modelling.
• Project management experience and ability to manage small project workstreams.

Working with Ricardo

You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place.

We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on. Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.

Work life balance

We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.

Benefits

We want you to know how much you are valued. Your remuneration and benefits package will reflect that. You will receive a range of benefits which include support for your physical and mental health.

Our core benefits include 25 days' annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.

Next steps

Once you have submitted your application a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date.

Ricardo is a Disability confident employer please advise the recruitment team via if you require any adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment process.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer.

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