Principal Technical Consultant, Transactions

About the Role

ERM is seeking a Principal Consultant, Due Diligence (Mergers & Acquisitions) to join our growing team in Houston, TX / Austin, TX / Dallas, TX. In this strategic role, you will advise infrastructure investors, private equity firms, investment banks, financial institutions, and energy companies on critical upstream and midstream oil and gas investment decisions, helping them identify risks, uncover opportunities, and make informed choices.

Responsibilities

• Lead medium to large-scale upstream and midstream oil and gas environmental due diligence and ESG advisory projects for private equity, energy, and corporate clients supporting buy-side, sell-side, and project financing transactions.
• Provide actionable insights on environmental, health, safety, and social risks that influence business decisions.
• Advise clients on environmental liabilities, risks, and opportunities associated with upstream and midstream oil and gas transactions, including soil and groundwater impacts, asset retirement obligations (ARO), and plugging, abandonment, and reclamation costs.
• Drive business growth by identifying opportunities and contributing to new business development initiatives.
• Mentor and develop consulting teams, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and collaborate with ERM’s global network of subject matter experts.
• Deliver upstream and midstream oil and gas environmental, EHS, and ESG due diligence projects from a local to global scale.
• Manage people and project teams, and serve as senior technical reviewer for soil, groundwater, and liability deliverables.
• Assist in proposal writing and development.
• Analyze complex risks to articulate commercial implications of EHS and sustainability risks.
• Estimate and present environmental liability and ARO exposure ranges to inform valuation, price negotiation, and indemnity structuring.
• Identify and develop new opportunities, prepare effective proposals, and take an active leadership role in helping to develop new business.
• Develop, maintain, and expand client relationships while delivering technical excellence that generates repeat business and strengthens branding.
• Collaborate across regions and practice communities to ensure seamless project execution.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, geology, hydrogeology, environmental science, or related discipline.
• 6-8 years (12+ years preferred) of experience in environmental consulting, including 10+ years of oil and gas due diligence experience supporting upstream and midstream transactions.
• Project management experience, people leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate with diverse teams and subject matter experts.
• Strong technical skills to identify risks and opportunities within technical documentation, site visits, and discussions relating to operational, regulatory, management systems, and overall environmental, health, and safety risks.
• Strong knowledge of ASTM Phase I and Phase II standards and core business/legal concepts of transactions.
• Strong knowledge of environmental regulations applicable to upstream and midstream oil and gas operations, including Texas Railroad Commission (TRRC) requirements, TCEQ regulations, and Louisiana oil and gas requirements.
• Strong background in soil and groundwater assessment, remediation, and risk evaluation at oil and gas sites.
• Demonstrated experience estimating asset retirement obligations (ARO) and environmental liabilities, including well plugging and abandonment, facility decommissioning, and site reclamation.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and organizational skills; proven ability to write comprehensive due diligence reports.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced consulting environment, manage multiple projects, and travel as needed.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools.
• Valid driver's license required due to frequent travel to client locations.

Qualifications

• Preferred: Experience evaluating legacy oil and gas liabilities, including NORM, produced water, and saltwater disposal, inactive or orphaned wells, and lease restoration obligations.
• Preferred: Formal training / background / experience in Site Investigation and Remediation (SIR), soil and groundwater data and risk evaluations, related land reclamation assessments and planning, ASTM Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, field studies, sampling, and related environmental evaluations.
• Preferred: Experience managing external client projects and complex project delivery involving multiple workstreams.
• Preferred: Experience supporting data room review, management, site visits, and negotiation of environmental provisions in purchase and sale agreements.
• Preferred: Experience advising on EHS and ESG strategies.
• Preferred: Exposure to private equity or financial sector transactions.
• Preferred Locations: Houston, TX, Austin, TX, Dallas, TX.

Who We Are

As the largest global pure-play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations to create innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlock commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing 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.