Ecologist

Laing O'Rourke; Leiston; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading construction company as an Ecologist for the Sizewell C project, a major energy infrastructure initiative. Your role will involve ensuring ecological compliance, delivering environmental assurance, and collaborating with various stakeholders to enhance sustainability practices in the construction process.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) in major construction projects.
• Full UK driver's licence with flexibility to travel.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., IEEM).

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of ecological requirements and ensure compliance.
• Liaise with regulators and maintain ecological standards.
• Provide on-site ecological advice and supervision.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Knowledge of environmental legislation

Ecological mitigation

Education

Degree or Master's in Ecology or related subject

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Ecologist

Location: Ipswich Project Office / Sizewell C Project Site

Join the exciting journey of one of the UK's largest nuclear projects at Sizewell C!

At the Civil Works Alliance (CWA), we're actively shaping the future of energy by supporting the construction of this transformative 3.2-gigawatt power station. We are looking for a skilled Ecologist to play a key on-site role, supporting the development and delivery of ecological method statements, species licensing compliance, and ongoing site surveys.

You will work closely with contractors, ecological consultants, and stakeholders to ensure all ecological activities meet Sizewell C's competency and training standards, and that mitigation measures are implemented to best practice. Additionally, you will contribute to toolbox talks, site briefings, and regular Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) training sessions, helping maintain high ecological standards and drive continuous improvement in ecological performance and assurance throughout the project.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of ecological requirements, ensuring compliance with licences, legislation, and mitigation plans.
• Support the creation and implementation of ecological method statements and management plans.
• Liaise with regulators, clients, design teams, and site staff to maintain ecological standards.
• Provide on-site ecological advice and supervision, including coaching construction teams on species protection and pollution control.
• Monitor site activities to ensure compliance with ecological controls and conduct site walkovers.
• Investigate ecological incidents, report findings, and recommend corrective actions.
• Stay updated on ecological legislation and standards, supporting environmental management system updates.
• Deliver toolbox talks, briefings, and training to site teams.
• Prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders.

To excel in this role, you will need:

Essential:

• Degree or Master's in Ecology or related subject.
• Proven experience as an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) in civils, utilities, or major construction projects, ideally NSIP.
• Strong knowledge of environmental legislation, ecological mitigation, licences, and consent applications.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., IEEM, Accredited ECoW, AECoW).
• Full UK driver's licence with flexibility to travel.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organisational skills.
• Proven ability to influence environmental and sustainability outcomes on projects

Desirable:

• Internal environmental auditor qualification.
• Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with ISO 14001 implementation.

Why SZC?

This is your chance to contribute to one of the UK's most ambitious infrastructure projects, shaping the future of energy while working in a supportive, dynamic environment. Be part of a team that values innovation, safety, and sustainability at every stage of the journey-from investment to construction and beyond.

About Laing O'Rourke

We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality - this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the 'Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

We want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you need the application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please email [e-mail]

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