Senior Biodiversity Officer - Ecologist

Penrith City Council; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 107,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Hybrid work options

Job summary

Penrith City Council is seeking a Senior Biodiversity Officer - Ecologist to deliver biodiversity objectives across development assessment, strategic projects and on-ground initiatives. You will provide senior technical advice within the Natural Systems team, guiding ecological outcomes.

Ideal candidates have a strong background in biodiversity conservation, ecology, and environmental management, with knowledge of NSW legislation and a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset.

Qualifications

• Experience or strong interest in biodiversity conservation, ecology or environmental assessment.
• Strong understanding of NSW environmental and planning legislation.
• Sound judgement with a practical, solutions-focused approach to environmental issues.

Responsibilities

• Assess development applications and environmental referrals, providing specialist advice on biodiversity, threatened species, ecological communities and offsets.
• Lead biodiversity management projects, programs and initiatives, delivering within timeframes and budgets.
• Provide expert guidance and technical advice to internal teams, consultants and external stakeholders.
• Support compliance investigations and practical biodiversity outcomes relating to vegetation and ecological matters.
• Build and maintain partnerships with government agencies, consultants and the community.
• Represent Council in meetings, forums and engagement activities as required.

Skills

Biodiversity conservation

Ecology

Environmental assessment

Communication skills

Legislation knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Ecology or Environmental degree

Job description

Senior Biodiversity Officer - Ecologist

At Penrith City Council, it’s not about having to choose.

Life with us is the best of both worlds. https://youtu.be/tlJFbUk4yG4

What we offer you

• Temporary Full-Time (35 hour week, upto 6 months with a possibility of extension)
• Salary: 107,058 – $123,924 + Super
• Flexible Working Arrangements available, including hybrid work options
• The best of both worlds – click here to learn more

Here’s what you’ll be up to

As a Senior Biodiversity Officer, you will play a key role in delivering Council’s strategic biodiversity objectives while supporting sustainable growth across the City.

Working within Council’s Natural Systems team, this role provides specialist, senior-level technical advice on biodiversity and natural resource management and contributes to high-quality environmental outcomes across development assessment, strategic projects and on-ground initiatives.

In this role, you will:

• Assess development applications and environmental referrals, providing specialist advice on biodiversity, threatened species, ecological communities and offsets
• Lead and contribute to biodiversity management projects, programs and initiatives, ensuring delivery within agreed timeframes and budgets
• Provide expert guidance and technical advice to internal teams, consultants and external stakeholders
• Support compliance investigations and practical biodiversity outcomes relating to vegetation and ecological matters
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with government agencies, consultants and the community
• Represent Council in meetings, forums and engagement activities as required

Who we are (And why you’ll love us)

The Natural Systems team works to protect, manage and enhance Penrith’s diverse natural environments while ensuring the City’s growth remains sustainable and responsible.

We provide specialist environmental input across biodiversity, tree management and waterways, including water sensitive urban design (WSUD). Our work spans development assessment, strategic planning, compliance support and on-ground environmental outcomes.

We value collaboration, professional trust and clear communication, and we support flexible working arrangements to help our people do their best work.

Check out our Position Description to learn more about this role.

What are we looking for?

• Experience or a strong interest in biodiversity conservation, ecology or environmental assessment
• Sound judgement and a practical, solutions‑focused approach to complex environmental issues
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work constructively with a wide range of stakeholders
• An interest in applying legislation, policy and best‑practice environmental management
• A genuine passion for protecting and enhancing the natural environment
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in ecology, environmental science, natural resource management or a related discipline.
• Sound working knowledge of relevant NSW environmental and planning legislation
• Please refer to the position descriptions for each position for any additional essential or desirable criteria.

The must-know bits

You will be required to undertake employment checks, which may include a Criminal History Check, Qualification Check, Working with Children Check, Medical Declaration and/or a Functional Test, as relevant to the position for which you have applied.

Where a Criminal History Check is required and has returned a result that indicates disclosable court outcomes, you will be required to provide a copy of the report to Penrith City Council, for review, to progress through the recruitment process.

For more information, contact Natural Systems Team Leader – Mark Chidel on [phone].

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this position.

Council is a Child Safe Organisation. For more information about this, please see our website.

At Penrith City Council, we believe the best of both worlds means embracing the unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences that make our City and our organisation vibrant. We are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported and welcome applicants from people of all backgrounds, abilities and identities.