Graduate Consultant

About the Role

GHD Advisory is seeking a Graduate Consultant to join the Strategy & Commercial Advisory team in Irvine or San Francisco, CA. This role supports the delivery of strategy, commercial, economic, and organizational advisory assignments across infrastructure sectors. The position is for an early-career professional who is curious, analytical, and collaborative, able to translate complex information into clear, practical insights. The role operates on a hybrid model, requiring three days a week in the office.

Key Responsibilities

• Advisory Project Delivery
• Support multidisciplinary project teams in delivering advisory assignments.
• Contribute to business cases, options assessments, strategic reviews, market assessments, investment prioritization, and commercial frameworks.
• Complete assigned work packages, track actions, and communicate progress, issues, and dependencies to the project lead.
• Follow agreed project controls, document-management practices, and quality-review processes.
• Research and Analysis
• Undertake qualitative and quantitative research using credible sources.
• Collect, organize, and analyze data to identify patterns, risks, opportunities, and implications.
• Assist with benchmarking, precedent reviews, policy analysis, market analysis, and stakeholder analysis.
• Check calculations, evidence, assumptions, and references before materials are submitted for review.
• Client and Stakeholder Support
• Prepare presentations, reports, briefing notes, working papers, and workshop materials.
• Participate in client meetings, interviews, and workshops, including preparation, note-taking, and action follow-up.
• Communicate professionally with clients and internal stakeholders, adapting content for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Build trusted working relationships through responsiveness, reliability, and respect.
• Growth and Market Support
• Support proposals, expressions of interest, capability materials, and opportunity research.
• Assist with sector and account research to understand client priorities and market developments.
• Contribute reusable content, case studies, and lessons learned to the practice knowledge base.
• Team and Professional Development
• Actively participate in the GHD graduate development experience.
• Work collaboratively across disciplines, offices, and geographies.
• Seek and apply feedback, share knowledge, and take ownership of tasks and deliverables.
• Participate in available buddy, mentoring, young professional, and potential rotation opportunities.
• Values, Integrity and Risk
• Demonstrate GHD values and professional conduct.
• Protect confidential and commercially sensitive information.
• Complete required training and comply with applicable policies.
• Escalate concerns, conflicts, risks, or quality issues promptly.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Education:
• Completed bachelor's or master's degree in economics, finance, business, public policy, engineering, planning, data analytics, or a related discipline.
• Experience:
• 0-2 years of experience in a related field.
• Relevant internship, co-op, research, volunteer, or project experience is beneficial but not essential.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze information, solve problems, and communicate findings clearly.
• Proficiency with common productivity tools.
• Exposure to data analysis or visualization tools is advantageous.
• Authorization to work in the country of application.

Salary Range

$60,000 - $70,000 based on experience and location.