Principal Ecologist
Location: Homebased with occational travel to Edinburgh, Glasgow or Perth
Salary / Benefits: £40,000 - £55,000 plus package including
- Bonus 10% of annual salary
- Pension Scheme
- Buy Sell Holidays
- 25 days holidays plus bank hols.
Role Summary
Due to increased workload a leading infrastructure consultancy are seeking to recruit a Principal Ecologist.
The successful candidate will be responsible for assist the Ecological National Lead to drive and shape a highly-skilled, multidisciplinary ecology team.
The Principal Ecologist will work as part of the Environment and Sustainability team and will act as a focal point for technical delivery within the ecology discipline in the region.
Responsibilities would include providing technically sound deliverables for environmental and ecological engineering outcomes in the delivery of commissions undertaken by the team, as well as supervising the actions of more junior members of the team and acting as people manager when required.
Principal Ecologist Requirements
- A strong undergraduate degree in Ecology, Zoology, Botany, Biology, Environmental Science (with a strong ecology focus) or similar/equivalent.
- A minimum of 10 years demonstrable post-graduate experience preferably in a professional ecological consultancy role encompassing large rail/infrastructure projects.
- Full Membership of CIEEM or equivalent with expertise in protected species surveys.
- EPS Mitigation licence application experience and Protected species licence holder or working towards same (notable species: bats & dormice).
- Comprehensive knowledge of relevant wildlife legislation and ecological survey methodologies.
- Experience in Invasive species survey and management.
- Excellent reporting writing skills with experience in drafting & critically reviewing ecological reports; including Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Ecological Impact Assessments and Method Statements.
- Experience of working closely with regulatory authorities and various stakeholders.
- Experience of managing a team of ecological consultants and/or third-party contractors.
- Strong project management skills with the ability to plan and deliver works in line with budgets and programme deadlines.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the aptitude to rationally explain, explore and discuss ecological issues and capture feedback.
- Health and Safety awareness, especially safe working practices and risk assessment related to ecology fieldwork.
- Valid driving licence.
Principal Ecologist Responsibilities
- Mentor the ecology team members ensuring their professional development needs are identified and delivered.
- Support in managing ecology team resourcing, including hosting resourcing calls and ensuring workload trackers are used effectively as well as inputting into future recruitment needs
- Share industry updates, and changes to ecology guidance and legislation with the wider ecology team; driving continued professional development
- Implement innovation; by working with innovation teams in Amey to introduce new products and practices which enhance efficiency
- Support in maintaining and updating technical ecology report templates and guidance to ensure excellence and consistency in team delivery
- Provide technical review and comment on ecology reports and deliverables
- Identify, forecast and resource ecological survey requirements in relation to both design and construction programmes.
- Coordinate and plan the delivery of all ecological surveys and technical reporting required as part of planning and licence applications; utilising and managing both the in-house ecology team and external ecological sub-contractors.
- Undertake the role of Ecological Lead for projects providing advice and direction to the ecology and environmental teams as well as the design teams and Principal Contractors to ensure compliance with legislation, licencing and planning commitments.
Navartis Ltd is a specialist recruitment company supplying highly skilled technical and management professionals within the global Transportation, Civil Engineering & Utility industries, if you are seeking a new position our recruitment team can locate the opportunity to suit your needs.