About Us

Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change’s role is to protect the environment and human health through regulatory excellence, partnership and promotion. To achieve these goals, we develop legislation, regulations, policies and standards for regulated activities based on sound scientific knowledge and expertise.

Our goal is to develop programs and provide scientific and technical services to protect the environment and public health across many regulatory and non-regulatory programs. For more information, please visit us at https://novascotia.ca/nse/

About Our Opportunity

Our team in the Sustainability and Applied Science Division is looking for a Senior Industrial Hydrogeologist to work alongside a diverse team of passionate scientists, engineers and technicians whose work drives the protection and stewardship of our province’s water resources. We participate in cross-departmental and cross-governmental teams, with academic partners and consultants to achieve the efficient protection, use and regulation of provincial water resources to support the environmental and economic development priorities of the Province.

As a Senior Industrial Hydrogeologist, you’ll lead efforts in managing and protecting Nova Scotia’s groundwater resources, particularly as they relate to current and proposed industrial developments. In this strategic role, you will act as one of the province’s lead experts in hydrogeology, providing guidance on environmental assessments, regulatory frameworks, and groundwater protection strategies. Your work will help ensure sustainable water use and environmental integrity as Nova Scotia advances major industrial projects and natural resource activities.

You’ll also contribute to provincial and national groundwater initiatives, mentor regional hydrogeologists, oversee major research and monitoring programs, and support policy development that ensures the sustainable use and protection of groundwater in Nova Scotia.

Primary Accountabilities

As a Senior Industrial Hydrogeologist on our team, you will contribute to our branches’ work by participating in the following:

• Lead provincial programs and initiatives to manage groundwater resources, with a core focus on impacts related to industrial operations such as mining, energy projects, manufacturing, and large-scale developments.
• Develop and implement legislation, regulations, guidelines, and policies related to groundwater and well management, particularly in the context of industrial water use and contamination risk.
• Serve as a Departmental senior hydrogeological advisor for industrial environmental assessments, technical reviews, and stakeholder consultations.
• Manage province-wide groundwater projects, including budgeting, procurement, and contractor oversight.
• Guide the assessment and mitigation of potential industrial impacts on public and private water supplies, environmental receptors, and aquifers.
• Lead research initiatives and monitoring programs to inform industrial water management practices and regulatory decision-making.
• Represent the Department on intergovernmental committees, industry working groups, and public forums addressing industrial development and groundwater sustainability.
• Develop and deliver training for regional staff and contribute to educational materials and policy guidance for industrial clients.
• Provide support as a subject matter expert in public meetings, community outreach programs, interdepartmental task forces or committees dealing with specific water resources management issues.

Qualifications and Experience

You are a Professional Geoscientist licensed, or eligible to be licensed, in Nova Scotia, with a minimum degree of Bachelor of Science in Geoscience or a related area of study, such as hydrogeology, geology, earth sciences, or environmental sciences.  To ensure you are successful in this role, we are looking for a senior hydrogeologist with at least eight years of experience in hydrogeology.

You also possess the following:

• Working knowledge of the principles of geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, geochemistry, water supply development, well construction, water quality, drinking water protection, groundwater contamination, site remediation methods, climate change environmental issues, and groundwater resources evaluation procedures.
• Familiarity with the Nova Scotia Environment Act, Regulations and policies relating to water resources development and protection (drinking water, water wells, water withdrawals, contaminated sites, environmental assessment and so on) would be an asset.
• Experience in groundwater project management (in areas such as groundwater monitoring programs, site remediation projects, groundwater supply development, environmental site assessments, etc.), field hydrogeological methods, groundwater data management, and environmental assessment application reviews or preparation (with a specific focus on groundwater).
• Experience in Industrial Approvals – components related to water withdrawals, groundwater monitoring plans, etc.; Policy/regulation and guideline development; Communicating complex scientific concepts in plain language to the public, stakeholders, or senior leadership and Mentoring or supervising technical staff, students, or project teams.

Capabilities:

• Ability to independently coordinate and manage projects
• Strong communication and leadership skills: ability to prepare technical reports and deliver presentations and other information materials.
• Interpersonal skills: the ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams and the public, and have demonstrated program and staff supervisory experience.
• Sound professional judgement and the ability to handle complex policy and communication issues in a timely manner.

Equivalency

Advanced post-graduate degrees and training focused on hydrogeology, as well as experience working in government, will be considered valuable assets. Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

This position offers greater work-life balance with benefits such as:

• Flexible work locations and hours (normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day).
• Long weekend every 3 weeks with our earned day off work plan.
• Minimal work travel within the Province, so you can be home each night.
• Little to no overtime expected, but if required, we compensate you for it.
• Ability to disconnect from work when the day is done.

Additional Information

PLEASE NOTE: This competition will be used to fill a permanent opportunity where the successful candidate may work from either the Halifax or Truro office location. If the Truro office is the preferred work location, travel to the Halifax Office will be required periodically.

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• Department specific flexible working schedules