Senior Ecologist

APEM Ltd.; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Mental health support

Income protection

Job summary

Aspect Ecology, part of the APEM Group, is seeking a Senior Ecologist to join our Crawley team. You will combine hands-on fieldwork with desk-based consultancy, lead habitat and protected species surveys, and produce high-quality ecological reports while managing projects and client relationships.

This role offers opportunities to develop protected species expertise, mentor junior ecologists, and progress toward Principal Ecologist as your experience grows within a collaborative, supportive

Qualifications

• Three years' relevant experience in ecological consultancy or related field.
• A relevant degree or postgraduate qualification in ecology.
• Strong UK habitat and species identification skills, including Phase 1 or UK Habitat Classification surveys.
• Experience undertaking protected species surveys with understanding of UK wildlife legislation.
• Ability to produce clear, high-quality ecological reports.
• Experience managing projects and liaising with clients, with good organisational and communication skills.
• Full or Associate membership of CIEEM, or eligibility to obtain it.
• A full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel to survey sites.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead habitat and protected species surveys.
• Undertake ecological assessments and produce robust reports.
• Manage projects and client relationships, and mentor junior ecologists.
• Provide guidance and support to the team; travel to survey sites as needed.

Skills

Field surveys

Project management

Client liaison

Report writing

Team mentoring

Education

Ecology degree

Tools

QGIS

Job description

About The Role

Are you an experienced ecologist ready to take the next step in your consultancy career? Do you enjoy combining hands-on fieldwork with technical reporting, project management and client relationships? Are you looking for a role where you can develop your specialist expertise, take greater ownership of projects and progress towards Principal Ecologist?

Aspect Ecology (part of the APEM Group) is looking for a Senior Ecologist to join our growing team based in Crawley. You'll be joining an experienced, friendly team of specialists working on a diverse range of projects across the South East and surrounding areas, including residential, commercial and renewable energy developments.

This is a varied role that combines fieldwork with desk-based consultancy. You'll design and lead habitat and protected species surveys, undertake ecological assessments and produce high-quality technical reports. You'll also manage your own projects, build relationships with clients and provide guidance and support to more junior ecologists. With projects of different sizes and complexities, you'll have the opportunity to broaden your experience and develop both your technical and consultancy skills.

We're looking for someone who enjoys taking responsibility, is confident in their ecological knowledge and wants to continue learning. You'll have the support of an established team, opportunities to develop your protected species expertise and a clear pathway towards Principal Ecologist as your experience and responsibilities grow.

To be successful in this role, you'll need:

• At least three years' relevant experience in ecological consultancy or a closely related field
• A relevant degree or postgraduate qualification
• Strong UK habitat and species identification skills, including experience of Phase 1 or UK Habitat Classification surveys
• Experience undertaking protected species surveys, with a good understanding of UK wildlife legislation and mitigation
• The ability to produce clear, high-quality ecological reports, including Preliminary Ecological Appraisals and protected species assessments
• Experience managing projects and liaising with clients, with strong organisational and communication skills
• Full or Associate membership of CIEEM, or eligibility to obtain it
• A full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel to survey sites, including occasional overnight stays

Bonus points if you have:

• One or more protected species survey licences
• Experience of NVC, MoRPh surveys or GIS software such as QGIS
• Experience mentoring junior ecologists or preparing protected species development licence applications

At Aspect Ecology, you'll work alongside knowledgeable and supportive colleagues who are passionate about delivering excellent ecological consultancy. As part of the wider APEM Group, you'll also benefit from opportunities to collaborate with specialists across other environmental disciplines, work on projects that interest you and continue developing your career.

We offer a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, including private medical insurance, access to mental health first aiders and comprehensive income protection.

We are focused on creating a diverse and inclusive team. If you can't tick every box on our job description, then we are still keen to hear from you and are open to supporting your development. That may be working part time or supporting you to gain experience in a specific area – we are a growing company and are able to adapt roles to reflect individual skills.

About Us

The APEM Group is a global environmental consultancy, we work with a range of clients including large corporations and governments to help them understand and solve a wide variety of environmental projects in the UK and globally. Our successful pioneering work has enabled us to grow and combine forces with other businesses who share our ethos and integrity. At our core, our people are working towards the protection of the environment across the globe.