Principal Consultant - Environmental and Ecological Assessment

Ricardo plc; City Of London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in the UK seeks an experienced Principal Consultant specializing in aquatic ecology. You will lead a team, oversee investigations, and contribute to significant ecological assessments. The ideal candidate will hold a relevant degree and possess extensive knowledge of environmental legislation. Benefits include 25 days annual leave, competitive pension scheme, and support for physical and mental health. A commitment to diversity and inclusion is central to the workplace culture.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus 8 flexible bank holidays

Competitive pension scheme

Life assurance

Professional subscriptions reimbursement

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of ecological legislation and practices.
• Experience leading ecological investigations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of aquatic ecologists and support junior staff.
• Deliver and oversee aquatic ecology investigations.
• Contribute to regulatory assessments and project reports.

Skills

Leading Ecological Impact Assessments

Knowledge of UK and EU wildlife legislation

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Team-working skills

Flexibility to adapt around business needs

Education

First degree in a relevant environmental discipline

Postgraduate degree (preferred)

Job description

Role Description

The organization is looking to appoint a Principal Consultant with extensive and relevant experience as a team leader in undertaking and reviewing aquatic ecology assessments and supporting surveys within the UK water industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of aquatic ecologists, supporting and training junior staff.
• Deliver expertise in aquatic ecology investigations across all project stages, from bidding/feasibility/optioneering, extensive field survey programming, 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.
• Maintain strong organisational skills and communicate with colleagues and clients to deliver projects on budget and programme.
• Collaborate as part of a wider team of multi‑disciplinary water and environmental experts including specialists in EIA, water resources, hydro‑ecology, geohydrology, geomorphology, water quality and natural capital.

Key Competencies and Experience

• 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.
• Capable of 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 results, and planning ecological mitigation works.
• Demonstrable specialist knowledge in fisheries, macroinvertebrates or macrophytes is preferable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to produce meticulous and accurate technical reports and communicate confidently with a variety of clients and stakeholders.
• Organised with proven ability to multi‑task and handle several projects simultaneously.
• Ability to manage multiple projects/proposals concurrently.

Skills and Behaviours

• Self‑starter and able to thrive within a small, busy team.
• Excellent team‑working skills, strong communication, sound understanding of ecological impact assessment and close attention to detail.
• Proven technical reviewing skills.
• Ability to manage and support technical input into proposals.
• Flexibility to adapt around business needs.

Working here

You will be warmly welcomed into a workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, committed to a culture of inclusion and support you to find your place.

Benefits

Our remuneration and benefits package reflects the value we place on you. It includes support for physical and mental health, 25 days’ annual leave plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we are committed to diversity, equality and inclusion. We value diversity, recognise that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment, drive innovation and are a disability confident employer.

Next Steps

Once you have submitted your application, a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that timing can vary depending on the volume of applications. We may start to review applications prior to the closing date.

Ricardo is a disability confident employer – if you require any adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment process, please advise the recruitment team via [e-mail].