Senior / Principal Ecologist - BAM Accredited Assessor

Ecological Australia; Canberra; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible work arrangements

Paid birthday leave

Study assistance

Professional membership

Parental leave

Job summary

Ecological Australia, part of the Tetra Tech group, is seeking a BAM-accredited Senior or Principal Ecologist to join Canberra or Mudgee offices. You will lead ecological projects, provide expert advice, and ensure regulatory compliance across renewables, resources and conservation projects.

You'll mentor junior ecologists, develop survey methodologies, and stay current with BAM framework updates, delivering high-quality reports and assessments while collaborating across disciplines.

Qualifications

• Current BAM accreditation under NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
• Expert field ecology skills in flora and/or fauna identification, including threatened species.
• Experience leading ecological projects and coordinating field surveys.

Responsibilities

• Lead biodiversity assessments under the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme (BOS), including BDARs and BSAs.
• Oversee ecological field surveys, including vegetation mapping, vegetation integrity assessments, flora/fauna surveys, and habitat condition assessment.
• Ensure technical accuracy, using the BAM calculator and associated tools with precision and attention to detail.
• Communicate clearly with clients, landholders, and regulators - turning technical concepts into accessible, honest advice.
• Collaborate across disciplines, contributing to a positive, high-performing team environment.
• Mentor and support junior ecologists to shape technical excellence across ELA's ecology team.
• Stay current and connected, participating in forums and staying up to date with legislative, ecological, and BAM framework updates.
• Enjoy solving problems that make a real difference.

Skills

BAM-accredited ecologist

Flora/fauna surveys

Project management

Client relationships

Regulatory compliance

Education

Ecology / Environmental Science degree

Tools

BAM calculator

BOS tools

NSW legislation knowledge

Job description

Senior / Principal Ecologist - BAM Accredited Assessor

Ecological Australia – Canberra ACT

13d ago , from NRMJobs Environmental Jobs

At Eco Logical Australia (ELA), A Tetra Tech Company, we're more than just an environmental consultancy. We're a multi-disciplinary community of over 200 approachable experts who lead with science to inform critical environmental decisions and deliver positive solutions.

Our "Find Your People" philosophy means you'll be surrounded by smart, grounded, and genuinely supportive teammates who love what they do. Our clients trust and rely on us for solutions; together, we work on some of the most complex and meaningful biodiversity projects in NSW and beyond.

ELA operates autonomously within the Tetra Tech group, a leading provider of consulting services worldwide with a network of 49 specialist companies. This unique blend of local expertise and international strength gives our clients the agility of a mid-sized consultancy, backed by the security, resources and opportunities of a global organisation.

We're deeply committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone feels they belong and their contributions are genuinely valued. This commitment is grounded in our core values: Listen First, Share Your Genius, Be Courageous, and Feed the Culture.

Our recruitment practices uphold equal opportunity and accessibility, and our culture actively supports professional growth, wellbeing, and career development in a safe and respectful environment. We offer full-time, part-time and flexible work arrangements - so our people can live their best lives while doing their best work.

We are implementing our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and are proud to partner with CareerTrackers to provide meaningful internship opportunities for First Nations university students.

That's what makes us more than just an environmental consultancy.

What You'll Be Doing

We are looking for a BAM-accredited Senior or Principal Ecologist to join us, based in either our Canberra or Mudgee office.

You will play a key role in leading and coordinating ecological projects, ensuring they are delivered efficiently and effectively while maintaining the highest scientific and regulatory standards. Drawing on your knowledge and experience in ecology, you will provide expert advice to clients, lead flora and fauna assessments, develop survey methodologies and field programs, and oversee technical excellence across project delivery.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the growth of our ecology team while delivering innovative environmental solutions across a diverse range of projects in the renewables, resources and conservation sectors.

As a BAM-accredited assessor and a natural leader who genuinely cares about your team, you will:

• Lead biodiversity assessments under the NSW Biodiversity Offsets Scheme (BOS), including Biodiversity Development Assessment Reports (BDARs) and Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements (BSAs).
• Undertake and oversee ecological field surveys, including vegetation mapping, vegetation integrity assessments, flora/fauna surveys, and habitat condition assessment.
• Ensure technical accuracy, using the BAM calculator and associated tools with precision and attention to detail.
• Communicate clearly with clients, landholders, and regulators - turning technical concepts into accessible, honest advice.
• Collaborate across disciplines, contributing to a positive, high-performing team environment.
• Mentor and support junior ecologists to shape technical excellence across ELA's ecology team.
• Stay current and connected, participating in forums and staying up to date with legislative, ecological, and BAM framework updates.
• Enjoy solving problems that make a real difference.

What You'll Bring

You are a thoughtful, knowledgeable ecologist with a keen eye for detail, a strong ethical compass, and a collaborative spirit. You'll bring:

• Current BAM accreditation under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
• A tertiary qualification in Ecology, Environmental Science/Zoology/Botany or similar.
• Expert field ecology skills in flora and/or fauna identification in NSW, including threatened species.
• Deep knowledge of NSW ecological communities, vegetation classification, habitat assessment, and ecological processes. .
• Demonstrated experience in project and budget management.
• Ability to build and maintain long-term client relationships, supported by a strong professional network, and a consistent track record of delivering high quality work that generates repeat business.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of the BAM calculator, BOS tools, and relevant NSW legislation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce high-quality reports and assessments.
• Well-developed organisational skills with the ability to work independently and in teams.
• Previous experience in consulting and business development combined with a growth mindset and highly developed client relationship skills.
• A current manual driver's licence and willingness to travel for fieldwork.

Why You'll Love Working with Us

You'll love working with us because we will value your expertise, encourage your curiosity and your contributions will have a real-world impact. You'll be part of a team that genuinely enjoys what they do and supports each other to succeed. We offer, .

• A competitive salary subject to annual review.
• Workplace flexibility.
• Paid birthday leave.
• Study assistance scheme and learning opportunities with industry experts.
• Paid membership to one professional organisation annually.
• Collaboration on national projects, building your expertise within a supportive community of practice.
• Genderless 12-week paid parental leave.
• Salary packaging options including for car leasing and salary sacrifice into superannuation or to purchase up to 4 weeks of additional annual leave.
• Opportunity to participate in the Tetra Tech employee stock purchase program, and purchase at a discounted rate (NASDAQ TTEK).

Most of all, we offer purpose-driven work, incredible colleagues, and the opportunity to grow a career where you don't have to choose between quality of work and quality of life.