Senior Ecologist

Location Norwich
Discipline: Environmental, Ecology, Horticulture, Consultant
Job type: Permanent
Salary: Competitive
Contact name: Nigel Allen

Contact email: nigel@agrecruiting.co.uk
Job ref: AS294
Published: about 2 years ago

​​As a dynamic and growing business, our client is searching for self-motivated and positive-minded Ecologists to join their friendly team in one of their regional offices. The successful candidates will be involved in all areas of our work, supporting clients in a vast range of different sectors. Responsibilities include carrying out habitat and protected species surveys, advising clients of constraints and survey requirements, and establishing opportunities for biodiversity enhancements.

Depending on experience, this position could provide a great opportunity to learn how to lead and deliver individual projects from start to finish, manage sub-contractors and junior staff and write effective technical reports. Due to the culture of the company you would also be encouraged to further your CPD and would be given a chance to learn from more experienced colleagues who are experts in their field and can provide valuable mentoring.

Our client has a number of permanent roles available in several of their well-appointed offices across the UK and the successful candidates will be based from one of these, however, the project-based nature of our work means that there will be a requirement for travel, overnight stays and possibly longer periods of working away from home necessary to complete the contract.

To be considered for this role, you will have:

  • Hold an appropriate degree qualification;

  • Have a minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience;

  • Have excellent knowledge of UK and relevant European environmental legislation;

  • Have excellent fieldwork and report writing skills including protected species surveys, EPSM applications, ES chapters and ecological management plans;

  • Be comfortable with and have experience in attending meetings and liaising with clients, contractors, sub-contractors and third-party stakeholders;

  • Be able to critically review your own work and a minimum 2 years’ experience of reviewing others’ work;

  • Be competent in the survey of and mitigation for one or more of the following key protected species: bats, badgers, birds, dormice, great crested newts, reptiles, and water voles;

  • Hold an EPS and/or conservation licence for one or more of the above species groups;

  • Have up to date knowledge of, and familiarity with, survey guidance for a range of protected species;

  • Demonstrate proven project and staff management experience;

  • Have good excellent organizational skills and an ability to resource work;

  • Be able to manage own workload, be proactive in managing projects and be able to delegate to and provide support to junior staff as appropriate;

  • Be proficient in customer service and able to deliver and lead training events and workshops, both internally to TEC and externally to clients and other stakeholders;

  • Hold full membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM);

  • Be proactive, a self-starter and able to use own initiative when appropriate;

  • Have a full clean UK driving licence;

  • Be eligible to work within the UK.

 

Our client also has a specific requirement for an experienced ecologist with experience in high level reptile mitigation.

Applications are particularly welcome from ecologists who have botany as a specialism and are, or could be certified at FISC level 4 or above.

What’s in it for you?

  • Competitive salary on a scale commensurate with experience (plus £2,000 for London Weighting if applicable);

  • TOIL (time off in lieu) policy and flexible approach to working hours to ensure a healthy work-life balance.

  • 26 days annual leave (& bank holidays) plus an additional day for each year of service up to 29 days

  • Enhanced maternity pay;

  • Opportunities for career development and training;

  • Auto enrolment pension scheme (after 3 months’ service);

  • Cycle to work scheme;

  • Socials, games nights and volunteering days through our staff engagement and development initiative;

  • Fun, friendly, and forward-thinking co-workers;

  • A dog-friendly office.

The client

Our client is one of the UK’s leading independent infrastructure and property consultancies, specialising in environment, ecology, planning and sustainability. Working with

their clients, and with a team comprising many recognised industry leaders, they work on many exciting, complex, challenging and globally relevant projects, programmes and schemes and

are proud of their many and varied achievements. They provide a bespoke professional service to clients so that they can make the right decisions and achieve the best outcomes, and they

do this by leveraging their experience and breadth of skills alongside their insights, commitment, and ethical approach.

 

The company is defined by their unique culture - one that puts people at the core of everything they do. They strive to create a friendly and supportive working environment, encouraging staff

to take advantage of every opportunity for professional development and assisting them in their career progression. Joining our client is a chance to be part of close-knit,

fun, openminded and driven team that really cares about what they do and prides itself on the quality of their work.