Gary McClean

Overview:

On completion of my academic studies, I joined AECOM working within the remediation services team. Conscious of coming in with a predominantly academic/research background, I enthusiastically participated in the early careers development programme, which provided me with an excellent opportunity to develop my business acumen and network within the industry, completing this programme in June 2023 and being promoted to Senior Consultant in October 2024.

The focus of my role is contaminated land projects, particularly within industrial sectors, and delivering Phase 1 desk studies, Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments and geo-environmental input for Permit Applications and Environmental Impact Assessments. Daily work activities include preparing and reviewing a wide range of technical reports, developing conceptual site models, preliminary risk assessments, generic quantitative risk assessments, remediation options appraisals and site condition reports to support clients with environmental permitting activities.

Current secondment to the MRA:

• Provide specialist technical advice and support environmental decision-making through analysis and interpretation of large geochemical and geophysical datasets.
• Designed a risk assessment matrix adopted within the MRA environmental screening process, improving prioritisation of treatment and remediation options.
• Developed R-based workflows for rapid data cleansing, quality assurance and processing of large environmental datasets.
• Undertake statistical analyses, model fitting, dilution modelling and uncertainty assessment to support mine water treatment and environmental decision-making.

Additional Project Experience:

• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) – Authored geology, hydrogeology and contaminated land assessments for major infrastructure and energy developments.
• Environmental Permitting – Produced Site Condition Reports, risk assessments and permit support documentation for industrial and energy-sector clients.

• Large linear infrastructure schemes - part of a joint venture tiger team conducting desk study and GI specification for electricity transmission networks.
• Natural Capital & Soil Quality Assessment – Designed and delivered baseline soil assessments and natural capital study for rewilding project in Scotland.
• Site Investigation – Supervised ground investigation works throughout the UK and abroad, and produced regulatory-compliant interpretive reporting.

• Vapour Intrusion (VI) Assessment – Assessment and remediation of chlorinated solvent plumes.

• Nuclear Waste Management – Best Available Techniques (BAT) assessment and phase 2 GI to support decommissioning of nuclear waste facilities and development of waste management processes / storage capacity.

• Tender Document Preparation – Prepared Remediation Strategy, technical specification, materials management plan, and tender evaluation report for remediation earthworks projects.