Senior Consultant - Lifecycle Assessment/LCA

Role Overview

ERM is seeking an experienced life cycle assessment (LCA) professional to deliver product sustainability engagements for global clients across EMEA and North America, as part of the Sustainable Products and Supply Chain team. Engagements include LCAs, product carbon footprints (PCFs), environmental product declarations (EPDs) and circularity assessments. The role covers ISO 14040/14044, ISO 14067 and ISO 14025-conformant modelling in SimaPro, application of relevant sector rulebooks (such as TfS, PACT, PAS 2090) and product category rules, assessments of low-carbon solutions, and supplier data collection and improvement across chemicals, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and low-carbon technologies.

Key Responsibilities

· Deliver LCA, PCF and EPD studies in line with ISO 14040/14044, ISO 14067, ISO 14025 and the relevant product category rules (PCRs), and lead individual studies or workstreams from goal and scope through to interpretation and reporting.

· Build, adapt and quality-check models in SimaPro (experience with Sphera LCA for Experts/GaBi or openLCA is welcome). Select and justify background datasets (e.g. ecoinvent), allocation approaches and system boundaries.

· Model use-phase, end-of-life and circularity scenarios (recycling, reuse, recycled content), and carry out sensitivity and scenario analysis.

· Apply sector rulebooks and PCRs relevant to each project, for example the TfS PCF Guideline for chemicals and PAS 2090 for pharmaceuticals. Senior colleagues will provide guidance on less familiar frameworks.

· Prepare data collection templates, gather data from client sites and suppliers, and validate and document data quality.

· Use, maintain and improve Excel-based PCF calculation tools and model templates.

· Support the preparation of studies and EPDs for third-party verification or critical review and help respond to reviewer comments.

· Review the work of associates and provide day-to-day guidance on methods and modelling.

· Support project managers with planning, tracking and client communication, and contribute technical inputs to proposals.

· Write clear technical reports and present findings to client teams, virtually or face to face.

· Meet personal billability targets and contribute to project profitability. Work independently and be flexible with working hours to support teams across regions and time zones.

Essential Skills & Experience

· 7-12 years of experience in LCA, product sustainability or sustainability consulting, including at least 3 years of hands-on LCA/PCF/EPD delivery.

· Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Chemical, Environmental, Mechanical or Automotive Engineering, Environmental Science, Industrial Ecology, Sustainability or a related field.

· Strong working knowledge of ISO 14040/14044, ISO 14067, ISO 14025, the GHG Protocol Product Standard and PCRs, including allocation, end-of-life approaches and data-quality requirements. Familiarity with EN 15804+A2 and PEF.

· Strong hands-on SimaPro modelling experience, including building and modifying models, parameters and scenarios. Working knowledge of ecoinvent.

· Experience in client and supplier data collection and data-quality improvement, with good stakeholder and organisational skills.

· Strong analytical skills, advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency, and the ability to produce robust calculations, reports and presentations.

· Experience supporting client delivery and guiding junior colleagues.

· Excellent English communication and presentation skills.

Additional Skillset

· Hands-on use of a sector rulebook (e.g. TfS PCF Guideline, PACT Methodology or PAS 2090), and familiarity with mass balance approaches for bio-based and recycled feedstocks.

· Experience supporting at least one critically reviewed or third-party verified LCA, PCF or EPD.

· Advanced SimaPro skills, such as library and template development and uncertainty (Monte Carlo) analysis.

· Comparative, avoided-emissions or prospective LCA of low-carbon technologies (e.g. hydrogen, low-carbon fuels), including tools and methods such as R&D GREET or EU RED III.

· Awareness of regulations driving product LCA demand, such as EU rules on environmental claims, the Construction Products Regulation, ESPR/Digital Product Passport, the EU Battery Regulation and CBAM.

· Industry experience in chemicals, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals or low-carbon solutions.

· Python for LCA automation or simulation (e.g. Brightway).

· Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG accounting and SBTi exposure, particularly linking product footprints to corporate inventories.

· LCA training or certification, or a GHG verification credential (e.g. ISO 14064-3).

Typical Day-to-Day Activities

· Collect, validate and analyse bill-of-materials, process, energy, supplier and logistics data, and build life cycle inventories.

· Build and update SimaPro models and PCF calculation tools, including QA/QC checks and documentation of how each input is mapped to its dataset.

· Run hotspot, contribution, sensitivity and scenario analyses to identify the main impact drivers and reduction levers.

· Model end-of-life, circularity and lower-carbon alternative scenarios to support client decisions.

· Work with client and supplier teams to close data gaps and support responses to reviewers and verifiers.

· Review associates’ models and reports and help them improve.

· Prepare reports, EPD documentation and presentations, and contribute to proposals and internal knowledge sharing.