Principal Ecologist & UK Team Leader

Jacobs; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

24 days holiday (+ option to buy 10)

Pension contributions up to 10%

Health coverage

Employee networks

Family planning support

Parental leave

Life assurance 4x salary

Income protection

Wellbeing hub

CPD opportunities

Charity matched-funding

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Principal Ecologist or Associate Director to lead the Birmingham ecology team within a UK-wide practice. You’ll shape strategy, mentor talent, and deliver high-impact ecological work across water, transport and energy sectors while engaging clients, stakeholders and regulators.

This leadership role blends technical excellence with people development, offering a clear path to influence decisions, drive biodiversity outcomes and advance the firm’s ecology agenda across the UK.

Qualifications

• Chartered status or readiness to achieve it.
• Strong client-facing skills and ability to engage with regulators.
• Proven leadership and mentoring experience in ecology.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic direction for the Birmingham ecology team.
• Mentor and develop team members for UK-wide projects.
• Provide high-quality advice to clients, stakeholders and regulators.
• Oversee Ecological Impact Assessments and Biodiversity Net Gain work.
• Identify, bid for and win new work.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Line management

Client engagement

Ecology expertise

Stakeholder liaison

Education

Chartered status (or readiness to achieve)

Job description

Jacobs is seeking a Principal Ecologist or Associate Director to lead the Birmingham ecology team within a UK-wide practice. You’ll shape strategy, mentor talent, and deliver high-impact ecological work across water, transport and energy sectors while engaging clients, stakeholders and regulators.

This leadership role blends technical excellence with people development, offering a clear path to influence decisions, drive biodiversity outcomes and advance the firm’s ecology agenda across the UK.