Senior Ecologist – Habitat Restoration

Job purpose

The purpose of the role is to provide ecological consultancy support to existing and new clients and provision of ecological services to the Group. Providing consultancy expertise for the disciplines of botany, hydrology and terrestrial ecology. Based in the East Midlands or East Anglia.

Hours of work

Weekly contractual hours are 35 per week, with daily hours being 9am until 5pm, five days per week and a 1 hour paid lunch break each day. The post holder will at times also be required to satisfy overtime requirements and due to the nature of the duties of this post will be required to occasionally stay away from home overnight. Part-time working requests will naturally be considered.

Key tasks and responsibilities

• Delivery of botanical / vegetation surveys, UKHab surveys and preliminary ecological appraisals (PEA) with associated reports, including mapping;
• Conducting a range of land-based surveys on hydrology, soils and topography to inform habitat restoration design.
• Co-ordinating and undertaking ecological clerk of works supervision (ECoW);
• Reacting and responding to environmental incidents, completing the fieldwork necessary to enable a professional ecological impact assessment to be completed with report writing;
• Providing advice to the wider Group and clients on potential ecological impacts and restoration opportunities on emergency and / or planned works and providing specialist input within multi-disciplinary teams;
• Input to the delivery of Water & Ecology reports, including writing and review, monitoring strategies and protocols;
• Mentoring staff, supporting their development of fieldwork techniques, including identification in relevant disciplines, analytical and written skills. Potential for line management responsibilities;
• Supporting team performance by sharing knowledge and best practices at all levels;
• Assisting business development, marketing, quotations and tender writing;
• Helping maintain and develop client relationships through effective project management and provision of excellent customer service;
• Project managing own workload to ensure a successful and profitable delivery;
• Supporting the wider Water & Ecology team with general project delivery;
• Providing accurate and timely information to line management; and
• Any other duties for which the post holder is qualified and able to carry out.

Health and safety

It is your contractual duty to follow Health and Safety instructions issued by the Company, and to take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work. Owing to the nature and the responsibilities of this role, it is expected the post holder will set an example for others to follow regarding health and safety and will be required to address any breach immediately, upholding the principles of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) at all times.

Measures of success

The performance of the post holder will be continually reviewed and as part of the annual appraisal to ensure the service provided is as required by the organisation. The post holder will be provided with guidance as to what is required of them during the course of the contract.

It is the post holder’s responsibility to seek guidance and support should clarification be required in relation to the duties associated with the post.

Knowledge & experience

• Four or five years in an ecological role, ideally with experience of scientific reporting;
• A thorough understanding and experience of one or more the following; hydrology, geology and soils, environmental data analysis or habitat management
• Knowledge of relevant scientific background and interpretation;
• Good personal time management, communication skills with internal and external clients and team members locally and nationally;
• Willingness to learn new skills and to be flexible in terms of travelling and working hours as projects can be distributed across the UK;
• Qualified to degree level in an environmental subject and significant experience in ecology;
• Higher degree would be an advantage;
• Previous commercial and/or research experience would be desirable;
• Comfortable with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and GIS, and wider experience of scheduling / programming using specialist computer programmes would be an advantage; and
• A full UK driving licence.

Additional information

We are a team that is passionate about advancing knowledge and opportunities for habitat improvement. This role is therefore suited to a self-motivated person with excellent communication skills and an enthusiasm for understanding the natural world. It requires flexibility to work away from home for short periods and being able to work in all weathers in physically demanding environments occasionally.