Senior Ecologist

We are an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists offering a broad range of professional services. Through our work, we hope to make a positive difference on the environment and the communities where we operate, and to shape a better world. We are an employee-owned organisation and are dedicated to equality in the workplace, and inclusivity in our designs.

Our London office hosts the largest environmental team within the company, currently numbering over 90 people across a variety of different specialist disciplines, including ecology, environmental impact assessment, sustainability, cultural heritage, contaminated land, waste and air quality. Our environmental team sits within a broader planning and consulting team, which includes disciplines such as city planning, landscape architecture, urban design, and economics. This diversity enables large and complex projects to be undertaken both within London and in partnership with our regional offices and centres elsewhere. As a result, our people benefit from opportunities across a range of projects both from a skills and location point of view.

This is an opportunity for a passionate and innovative senior ecological consultant, who has a broad skill set, to join our existing team of twelve in London, which forms part of a wider UK network of around 65 ecologists. Comparable numbers of ecologists sit in other offices in the West (primarily Bristol and Cardiff), the Midlands (Solihull) and the North-East (Leeds), as well as smaller centres elsewhere including East Asia and Australia. We are open to this role being based in one of our other UK offices and we will consider full time and part time applications.

We have a secured workload of projects across London, the UK and internationally, including some of the biggest infrastructure schemes in the region and the country, and require an ecologist to help in the delivery of projects and bids for new work, to be based in our office in Fitzrovia. You will benefit from working on a diverse array of projects of various scales and will be sponsored by a strong team structure and management. You will also be encouraged to explore the potential for various new ecological income streams and new clients, so there’s excellent scope for business and personal development in this role.

The team are becoming increasingly involved in nature positive proposals, including those that consider biodiversity net gain, regenerative design and land management, rewilding and the implementation of other nature-based solutions. We are actively seeking clients who wish to work in this space with opportunities to further develop this business in line with Arup’s strategic aims and commitments on sustainability, climate and biodiversity. It is anticipated that this will become a mainstream part of our project workload in the coming years and we would welcome individuals who are engaged and experienced in these areas.

The Role

As a senior ecological consultant within Consulting Business, you’ll be based mainly in London, with occasional travel to other offices and work locations within the region and beyond.

Your role will be to prepare, manage and execute the delivery of ecological services for internal and external clients within a wide range of projects sectors including water, energy, transport, residential and mixed-use development schemes. We are looking for someone with good team working and communication skills, as well as flexibility, as the role will demand joint working with other ecologists and specialisms to deliver stimulating programmes of work.

Tasks will be diverse and include bids, survey and budget management, technical surveying and reporting, liaison with clients and colleagues within Arup, promoting others in their technical development. As such, the role will be likely to involve a dynamic split of time between office and field environments.

Requirements and Skills

Essential Skills and Knowledge:

• Experience in directing a range of terrestrial ecological surveys - including Phase 1 habitat surveys and protected species surveys
• Organisation and delivery of multi-species survey programmes to time and budget.
• Demonstrable skills and experience of EcIA.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines, while working on multiple projects.
• Holder of personal survey and/or development licenses (e.g. bats, great crested newts, dormice).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology or related subject.
• Appropriate membership of CIEEM

Desirable skills and knowledge:

• Aquatic ecological skills and experience including coastal and/or marine
• Demonstrable skills and experience of BREEAM and HRA
• Active participation in a relevant body such as CIEEM, CIRIA, BTO etc.
• GIS mapping/ CAD skills.