Senior Ecologist

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Ecologist to join a growing multidisciplinary environmental consultancy.

This role is ideal for an ecology professional looking to take a leading role in delivering high-quality ecological services across a varied portfolio of projects. Working alongside specialists from complementary disciplines, you will contribute to all stages of project delivery, from survey design and fieldwork through to reporting, mitigation and client advice.

The position offers a balance of technical work, project management and mentoring responsibilities, making it well suited to an established Senior Ecologist seeking continued career progression within a supportive and collaborative team environment.

The organisation places a strong emphasis on professional development, work-life balance and providing clear opportunities for advancement as the ecology team continues to grow.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and undertake ecological surveys, technical reporting and protected species licence applications.
• Prepare mitigation strategies and review ecological assessments and supporting documentation.
• Deliver and oversee Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA), Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA), Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessments and UKHab surveys.
• Provide clear ecological advice to clients, stakeholders and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Manage project workloads and contribute to successful project delivery.
• Support and mentor junior ecologists, contributing to their technical and professional development.
• Review technical outputs and maintain high standards of quality and accuracy.
• Contribute to a diverse range of projects across multiple sectors.
• Collaborate with colleagues across environmental and planning disciplines to deliver integrated solutions.

Requirements

• Full membership of CIEEM or eligibility to obtain membership.
• Experience within ecological consultancy or a related environmental sector.
• Strong botanical identification and habitat assessment skills.
• Proven experience delivering PEA, EcIA, BNG and UKHab assessments.
• Experience managing projects and working independently while contributing positively to a wider team.
• Excellent report writing, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience supporting or mentoring junior team members.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle suitable for business use.

The following would be advantageous but are not essential:

• Protected species licences, particularly bat and/or dormouse licences.
• Experience preparing protected species licence applications.
• EPS licence experience.
• Experience working across a broad range of development sectors.
• Additional specialist ecological survey skills.

Salary & Benefits

• Competitive salary dependent on experience.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Strong emphasis on work-life balance.
• Training, CPD and ongoing professional development support.
• Clear progression opportunities within a growing ecology team.
• Supportive and collaborative working environment.
• Enhanced pension scheme.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.
• Annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays.
• Health and wellbeing benefits.
• Regular social and team-building events.