Ecologist

Morph Ecological Consultants was established in 2020 by Steve Ralph and Nikki Morton to enable us to work on interesting and exciting projects that align with our values, whilst ensuring an excellent work-life-balance. We were struggling to find this combination in larger consultancy settings. Due to continued growth, we are seeking a motivated ecologist to join our small team of like-minded ecologists.

Our projects are varied and we have strong relationships with established clients meaning a lot of our work is with returning customers. We deliver high quality work, therefore there is a high level of support for employees meaning you won’t be sent out on projects alone that you do not feel ready for. There are always ongoing shadowing opportunities on more complex projects to help you develop your skillsets. We also love new and exciting survey methodologies; we have even established our own Conservation Detection Dog team.

Our team has flexible working hours with no rigid timesheets. We trust our employees to ensure their work is completed within a reasonable timescale and that diaries are kept up to date with availability so that surveys can be booked in. Working is remote, but we encourage collaborative working within our registered business address in Newthorpe, Nottinghamshire. We have recently opened up a second base in Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire so often collaborative working is required between the offices. We also more often than not work in pairs (such as when working at height or working near water) therefore you will still feel connected with the rest of the team. We pride ourselves on being a warm, friendly and supportive team, matched with a high degree of professionalism when working with clients.

We are excited to welcome a new member to the team to support our continued company growth. We believe our offering is unique in the ecology sector, so would suit someone looking to have a better work-life-balance and also has the drive to progress professionally with direct support from experienced ecologists.

What the role involves

• Undertaking and assisting with habitat and protected species surveys
• Undertaking Biodiversity Net Gain assessments
• Preparing reports and tender bids
• Managing projects from the initial email enquiry to the project completion
• Mapping in QGIS
• Assisting with supporting interns and/or junior members of staff

What are we looking for?

• Eligible for Associate Membership of CIEEM (working at a Capable level of competence)
• Previous experience of working within an ecological consultancy
• Ability to work independently on straightforward PEAs and BNG assessments
• Botanical identification skills and an understanding of UKHab habitat types
• A good understanding of wildlife legislation and best practice guidelines for a range of species
• Excellent communication, organisational and project management skills
• Any protected species licences, qualifications and / or specialisms would be beneficial
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential due to remote working (we do have a shared company van which can often be used for survey visits)
• We are also open to hearing from candidates that may fit better into Assistant Ecologist (£26,000 pa) or Senior Ecologist (£34,000 – £38,000 pa) roles

What we offer in return

• Flexible, home-based working with no defined working hours within the week to allow for a genuine work-life-balance (a full-time contract is for 40 hours per week with a paid 30-minute lunch break per day)
• A transparent pay scale structure with clear progression
• An additional three days annual leave between Christmas and New Year, plus an extra day off on your birthday
• TOIL based overtime system with no expectation to work more than two anti-social surveys a week (such as bat emergence surveys)
• Excellent training opportunities with ongoing shadowing of senior staff
• Flexible professional development allowing ecologists to deepen expertise or specialise in ecological fields of their choosing
• Encouragement to explore new business opportunities
• Membership to a health cash plan
• Professional memberships and protected species licence renewals paid for