Senior Underwater Acoustics & Bioacoustics Consultant
About this role
We are SLR Consulting (Canada), an 1000+ team of advisory, environmental, engineering, and regulatory professionals across Canada. We deliver services through the integration of over 30 disciplines to help clients address some of their most complex challenges around sustainability. We are Making Sustainability Happen.
As our new Senior Underwater Acoustics & Bioacoustics Consultant , you will play an important role on our Acoustics team.
You will work with a multidisciplinary team to support a wide range of clients by leading underwater acoustics modelling and assessment, translating project activities into reliable predictions and clear reports. Your responsibilities include developing sound propagation models, reviewing source data, supporting field measurement and monitoring programs, and contributing to mitigation strategies that protect marine environments and guide responsible development.
As part of a globally connected acoustics and vibration team, you will collaborate across specialties while serving as a senior consultant in underwater acoustics. You will work across projects involving ports and terminals, offshore energy, dredging, marine construction, subsea cables, transportation infrastructure, and other coastal developments throughout North America and internationally.
Responsibilities
Provide technical leadership in underwater acoustics assessments, modelling, monitoring, and advisory services on a diverse range of marine projects, including:
Coastal and offshore development projects including ports and terminals, dredging, marine construction, offshore energy, subsea cables, renewable energy, and nearshore infrastructure.
Vessel noise assessments, construction noise assessments, cumulative effects evaluations, and underwater noise impact studies.
Technical support for environmental assessments, permitting, regulatory approvals, compliance programs, stakeholder engagement, and expert technical advice.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Underwater Acoustics Assessment & Modelling
Develop and run underwater sound propagation and exposure models for both continuous and impulsive sound sources.
Define modelling assumptions, environmental inputs, sensitivity analyses, uncertainty assessments, and quality assurance procedures.
Model sound propagation considering environmental variables including bathymetry, water depth, temperature profiles, salinity, seabed composition, and oceanographic conditions.
Predict underwater noise footprints for proposed and operational marine activities.
Integrate species distribution, hearing sensitivity, and ecological datasets into acoustic models.
Support source characterization using field measurements, literature values, equipment specifications, and operational data.
Evaluate zones of behavioural disturbance, auditory injury, masking, stress responses, and cumulative impacts to marine fauna.
Underwater Sound Measurement & Monitoring
Design, coordinate, and execute underwater acoustic monitoring programs.
Deploy, retrieve, calibrate, and maintain hydrophones and underwater acoustic recording systems.
Measure ambient and anthropogenic underwater noise from shipping, construction, dredging, seismic surveys, and offshore operations.
Support underwater acoustic measurement campaigns and ensure data quality throughout collection and processing.
Coordinate offshore and coastal monitoring programs with multidisciplinary project teams.
Participate in fieldwork as required depending on project needs.
Marine Animal Acoustics
Support studies evaluating marine mammal, fish, sea turtle, and invertebrate responses to underwater sound.
Identify species presence using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), vocalizations, and acoustic signatures.
Analyze behavioural responses to underwater noise exposure.
Support marine mammal observation (MMO) and passive acoustic monitoring programs where appropriate.
Assist with controlled exposure experiments and research initiatives where required.
Data Analysis & Signal Processing
Process, analyze, and interpret large underwater acoustic datasets using Python, MATLAB, or similar analytical software.
Generate and interpret spectrograms, frequency analyses, and time-series visualizations.
Detect, classify, and catalogue biological and anthropogenic acoustic events.
Apply statistical analyses to evaluate relationships between underwater noise and biological responses.
Maintain reproducible analytical workflows and documentation.
Regulatory Support & Environmental Assessment
Prepare technical documentation supporting environmental assessments, permitting applications, regulatory submissions, and compliance reporting.
Respond to technical comments from regulators, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders.
Contribute to underwater noise management strategies and regulatory compliance.
Support dispute resolution and provide expert technical input where required.
Mitigation Planning
Develop practical mitigation strategies to reduce underwater noise impacts.
Recommend mitigation measures including bubble curtains, exclusion zones, timing windows, ramp-up procedures, operational restrictions, quieter technologies, and adaptive management approaches.
Monitor and evaluate mitigation effectiveness through field monitoring and reporting.
Translate modelling results into practical recommendations for clients and regulators.
Project Delivery
Prepare clear, defensible technical reports suitable for environmental assessments, permitting, peer review, and client reporting.
Develop technical figures, modelling documentation, and supporting appendices.
Coordinate with project managers to manage scope, schedules, budgets, technical resources, and deliverables.
Perform QA/QC reviews of internal and external technical work.
Streamline modelling, data processing, and reporting workflows to improve efficiency and consistency.
Leadership & Business Development
Mentor junior staff on underwater acoustics modelling, data processing, technical writing, and quality assurance.
Support proposal preparation, scope development, budgeting, and client presentations.
Build strong client relationships and identify opportunities to expand underwater acoustics services.
Contribute technical thought leadership through publications, conference presentations, workshops, and industry engagement.
Maintain awareness of emerging research, technologies, and best practices in underwater acoustics and marine ecology.
Working @ SLR
With us, there is no doubt you'll grow your subject-matter expertise and industry knowledge. We care about investing in our employees for the long run, and if you ask our team, they'll tell you that's just one of the many benefits of working here. We want to be a place where you can experience career growth and satisfaction for many years.
Here's what else you'll enjoy as part of our team:
Competitive total compensation package including comprehensive benefits, vacation, and wellness initiatives.
Full-time permanent role with opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
Qualifications, Education & Professional Experience
The successful candidate will possess:
Minimum of five years of consulting experience in underwater acoustics supporting environmental assessments, permitting, compliance, or marine infrastructure projects.
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Acoustics, Ocean Engineering, Marine Science, or a related discipline. Master's degree preferred.
Professional registration (P.Eng., PE, or equivalent), or eligibility for registration.
Strong understanding of underwater sound propagation, acoustics theory, source characterization, frequency-domain analysis, exposure assessment, and environmental acoustics.
Demonstrated experience developing underwater sound propagation models and documenting assumptions, sensitivity analyses, uncertainty assessments, and reproducible modelling workflows.
Experience designing and implementing underwater acoustic monitoring programs including hydrophone deployment, calibration, instrumentation, and field data collection.
Strong analytical skills with experience processing large underwater acoustic datasets using Python, MATLAB, R, or similar software.
Experience generating spectrograms, time-series analyses, signal processing, automated detection, acoustic classification, and statistical analyses.
Experience applying passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) techniques and marine mammal acoustic detection systems.
Understanding of marine fauna behaviour and responses to underwater sound, including behavioural disturbance, masking, stress responses, and habitat considerations.
Familiarity with marine mammal, fish, and sea turtle impact criteria and environmental assessment frameworks.
Experience integrating species distribution, hearing sensitivity, and biological datasets into acoustic assessments.
Experience preparing technical reports suitable for environmental assessments, peer review, and regulatory submissions.
Experience developing underwater noise mitigation strategies including bubble curtains, exclusion zones, operational controls, adaptive management, and monitoring plans.
Experience supporting marine mammal observation (MMO) programs or passive acoustic monitoring programs is considered an asset.
Offshore or coastal fieldwork experience is considered an asset.
Experience working with multidisciplinary teams including marine biologists, ecologists, oceanographers, and environmental scientists.
Experience working with regulators, Indigenous communities, government agencies, and industry stakeholders is highly desirable.
Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong organizational, problem-solving, and project management abilities.
Demonstrated mentoring and technical leadership experience.
Proven client relationship and business development experience, including proposal preparation and scope development.
Publication record, conference presentations, or research contributions related to underwater acoustics or marine ecology are considered assets.
Must be legally authorized to work in the country of hire.
Ability to travel throughout North America, including offshore work and cross-border travel where required.
SLR strives to build diverse teams that reflect the communities we work in and encourages applications from traditionally underrepresented groups including women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, people identifying as 2SLGBTQI+, veterans, and people with disabilities.
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