Principal Consultant

Ricardo plc; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A global consulting company is seeking a Principal Consultant to lead their Aquatic Ecology Team. The role involves developing a team of aquatic ecologists, overseeing investigations, and contributing to ecological assessments. Applicants should have extensive experience in the UK water industry and strong communication skills. The position offers flexible working arrangements and a supportive, inclusive culture with generous benefits.

Benefits

25 days of annual leave

8 flexible bank holidays

Competitive pension

Life assurance

Professional subscriptions reimbursement

Flexible benefits

Qualifications

• Extensive and relevant experience as a team leader in aquatic ecology assessments.
• In-depth knowledge of UK and EU wildlife legislation and planning policies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of aquatic ecologists.
• Deliver expertise in aquatic ecology investigations across project stages.
• Organise and communicate effectively with colleagues and clients.

Skills

Leadership

Ecological Impact Assessment

Technical Reporting

Communication

Organisational Skills

Education

First degree in relevant environmental discipline

Postgraduate degree

Job description

Overview

We are currently looking for a Principal Consultant to join our Aquatic Ecology Team.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of aquatic ecologists, supporting and training junior staff.
• With the support of your team of ecologists, deliver expertise in aquatic ecology investigations across all project stages, from bidding/feasibility/optioneering, extensive field survey programming, and detailed design and assessment.
• Contribute to the production of consents such as Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA), Water Framework Directive (WFD), Drought Permits and INNS assessments as a technical author or reviewer.
• Organise and communicate effectively with colleagues and clients to deliver projects to budget and programme.
• Work collaboratively as part of a wider team of multi-disciplinary water and environmental experts, including specialists in EIA, HRA, water resources, hydro-ecology, ground and surface water hydrology, geomorphology, water quality and natural capital.

Qualifications

• Extensive and relevant experience as a team leader in undertaking and reviewing aquatic ecology assessments and supporting surveys within the UK water industry.
• A first degree in a relevant environmental discipline, ideally with a postgraduate degree.
• In-depth knowledge of UK and EU wildlife legislation, planning policies, licensing requirements and best practice survey techniques.
• Capability in leading Ecological Impact Assessments and Habitats Regulations Assessments.
• Good understanding of WFD assessments, particularly the biological metrics and indices that inform ecological status.
• Experience leading, planning and coordinating field surveys, analysing and interpreting survey results, and planning and coordinating ecological mitigation works.
• Specialist knowledge in fisheries, macroinvertebrate or macrophyte ecology (preferable).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce meticulous and accurate technical reports and to communicate confidently with clients and stakeholders.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to multi-task and manage several projects simultaneously; ability to manage multiple proposals concurrently.

Skills and Behaviours

• A self-starter in a small, busy team with excellent teamwork, communication skills, sound understanding of ecological impact assessment, and attention to detail.
• Strong organisational, communication and presentation skills to uphold client and stakeholder relationships.
• Proven technical reviewing skills and proactive, self-motivated thinking.
• Ability to manage and support technical input into proposals and to prioritise workload; flexibility to meet business needs.

Company and Benefits

Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering leading-edge and innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. We enable our customers to solve complex challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world.

You will be welcomed into a workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, creating an inclusive culture. We support you to find your place.

Work-life balance: We offer flexible approaches to work, including remote, office, or hybrid arrangements. Wellbeing is central to our culture, with a range of benefits including 25 days of annual leave, 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive pension, life assurance, and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer with an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach. We are recognised as a disability confident employer and value a diverse workforce that drives innovation.

Next steps