Spatial Ecologist (GIS)

Queensland Ecologists; Nambour; Hybrid; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Queensland Ecologists is seeking a Spatial Ecologist to work at the frontier of AI and ecology. We already run our own constraints reporting system, which pulls State, Commonwealth and council mapping together for a property, and AI tools are part of how we research, map and report every day.

Most consultancies are only starting to explore this. You will help us push it further, and help set how AI is used well in ecological consulting.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in ecology, environmental science, geography or related field (essential).
• Experience in environmental consulting or related area preferred or beneficial.
• Familiarity with Queensland environmental mapping and regional ecosystems is ideal or willingness to learn quickly.
• Proven self-starter with commercial awareness and ability to deliver client-focused outputs.
• Willingness to travel for field work across SEQ and manage time independently.

Responsibilities

• Design and build spatial and AI tools for ecological assessment.
• Extend in-house constraints reporting system with datasets and report sections.
• Source and maintain State, Commonwealth and council spatial datasets; track mapping changes.
• Prototype and test AI workflows; verify outputs against source data.
• Prepare report figures, constraints mapping and spatial analyses for assessments and development applications.
• Process field data (GPS, drone imagery, survey records) into maps and outputs.
• Assist with field surveys and habitat assessments in South East Queensland.

Skills

Self-starter

Remote work management

Driving licence

Written & verbal communication

Education

Undergraduate degree in ecology or related field

Tools

QGIS

ArcGIS Pro

Python

SQL

Job description

Location Hybrid - mostly from home, some SEQ field work

Employment type Full-time

Salary $65-90k + super, depending on experience

Applications close 11 Nov 2026

Views 110

Queensland Ecologists is seeking a Spatial Ecologist to work at the frontier of AI and ecology. We already run our own constraints reporting system, which pulls State, Commonwealth and council mapping together for a property, and AI tools are part of how we research, map and report every day. Most consultancies are only starting to explore this. You will help us push it further, and help set how AI is used well in ecological consulting. We are looking for an innovative self-starter with an entrepreneurial streak: an ecologist who is deeply inquisitive, enjoys a hard problem, keeps going until there is a working solution, and thinks about what a client would pay for.

What matters most: curiosity, a problem-solving mindset and commercial sense, backed by a degree in ecology or a related field and practical GIS skills. Recent graduates are welcome to apply. Ideally you will have at least a year of experience in environmental consulting or a related area.

About the role

Roughly 70% of the role is product building and 30% is client work. On the product side you will help design, build and test the tools behind our spatial reporting: the data pipelines that pull in government mapping, the AI workflows that research and draft, and the checks that prove the outputs are right. On the client side you will prepare mapping and spatial analysis for real projects, which keeps what you build grounded in what ecologists and clients actually need. The role is hybrid and mostly worked from home, with some field work across South East Queensland.

Key responsibilities

Product building (about 70%)

• Help design and build new spatial and AI tools for ecological assessment
• Extend our in-house constraints reporting system, adding datasets, councils and report sections
• Source, check and maintain State, Commonwealth and council spatial datasets, and track changes to mapping versions
• Prototype and test AI workflows for research, mapping and reporting, and verify their outputs against the source data
• Write up what works and what does not, so good methods become standard practice

Client work (about 30%)

• Prepare report figures, constraints mapping and spatial analysis for ecological assessments, PMAV applications, management plans and development applications
• Process field data (GPS, drone imagery, survey records) into mapping and report outputs
• Assist with field surveys and habitat assessments in South East Queensland

What you need

• An undergraduate degree in ecology, environmental science, geography or a related discipline (essential)
• Working skills in QGIS and/or ArcGIS Pro
• Python, SQL or other scripting experience, or a clear drive to learn it (highly regarded, as much of the role is building)
• A genuine interest in AI and how it can be used in ecology, along with the judgement to verify what it produces
• Ideally, at least a year of experience in environmental consulting or a related area
• Familiarity with Queensland environmental mapping (regional ecosystems, the regulated vegetation management map, koala habitat mapping), or a willingness to learn it quickly
• A self-starter who takes an idea from rough prototype to something clients use, without waiting to be asked
• Commercial awareness: an eye for which tools will save time or win work, and which will not
• Clear writing and the ability to explain technical work to clients
• Ability to work remotely and manage your own time independently
• Current driver's licence and willingness to travel for field work across SEQ

Why Queensland Ecologists

We are a specialist consultancy trusted by developers, landowners and councils for practical, science-based advice. We are a team that builds its own tools, so your ideas reach real projects quickly. You will have a hand in shaping how the practice uses spatial data and AI, with mentoring from a Certified Environmental Practitioner along the way. We are prepared to invest in your development, including additional training, and the role has room to grow as the products do.