Technical Lead - Birds

ARUP; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Accident insurance

Income protection

Job summary

Arup is seeking a Technical Lead – Birds to shape and grow its ornithology capability across the UK and Europe. You will drive strategic development, client engagement and delivery excellence for bird ecology on major projects.

Lead a multidisciplinary ecology team, map opportunities, and implement innovative tools and surveys to ensure regulatory compliance and sustainable growth. A bachelor’s degree is required, MSc advantageous; flexible, international roles are expected.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated track record in work-winning and growing capability within an Ecology team.
• Proven experience in ornithology/bird ecology, including leading teams or workstreams on major projects.
• Strong knowledge of UK and European bird ecology legislation, policy and best practice.
• Ability to build and maintain senior-level client relationships.
• Strategic thinker with experience in workforce planning, resourcing and recruitment.
• Track record of leading bird ecology input on major projects.
• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant subject.
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MSc in Ecological Consultancy) is advantageous.
• Membership of CIEEM and/or Chartered Ecologist, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Map market opportunities and identify client drivers; strengthen internal capabilities including AI and digital survey tools.
• Build strong, direct relationships with major clients and secure ornithology lead roles on major projects.
• Conduct a comprehensive gap analysis to identify resourcing, skills and capability needs; provide reskilling and recruitment recommendations.
• Review current ornithological skills, distribution and potential within existing teams; model bird workstreams across major projects.

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject

MSc in Ecological Consultancy (advantageous)

Membership of CIEEM and/or Chartered Ecologist

Job description

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

Arup is an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s-built environment.

Organisations and governments are becoming increasingly aware of the global nature crisis, their impact on it, and the need to move towards a nature-positive future. Our integrated nature solutions use nature’s own systems as a design guide, achieving healthier, more resilient environments that support and protect people and communities.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a highly motivated and strategically minded Technical Lead – Birds (TL-B) to drive and shape our ornithological capability across the UK and Europe. This role will focus on strengthening our expertise, understanding client needs, work winning, auditing current supply chains, and ensuring our bird ecology offering is positioned for long-term sustainability and growth. The Technical Lead – Birds role is one of a series of similar roles appointed as part of the new Nature structure within Arup. The Technical Lead will work with Nature director and Nature geographic leads to drive the business forward. These are national (and international) roles that will grow Arup’s profile and impact in their defined areas.

The Technical Lead will have the ability to map market opportunities, identify client drivers, and strengthen internal capabilities (including technological advances in emerging survey techniques) to meet growing demand, ensuring delivery excellence and regulatory compliance. Drive the research into, and implementation of, tools, AI and digital survey and data applications to ensure the team’s future-readiness.

They will build strong and direct relationships with major clients, understanding their needs, and positioning Arup as a trusted advisor for ornithology. They will secure and deliver new ornithology lead roles on major projects, ensuring the ornithology function is self-sustaining and profitable.

Conduct a comprehensive gap analysis to identify resourcing, skills, and capability needs. Provide clear recommendations for reskilling, upskilling, and recruitment to meet market demand. Critically review current ornithological skills levels, distribution, and potential within existing teams. Create model on major projects of bird workstream division and populate with Arup bird ecologists.

It is anticipated that the Technical Lead will support Arup’s growing environmental and social advisory services to Lenders, that requires specialist input into Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) in emerging markets internationally, in addition to work in Europe.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective – in which we encourage individuality to thrive. Our strength comes from how we respect, share, and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives and ideas.

You will have the opportunity do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, to our members and to the clients and communities we serve.

Is this role right for you?

We are looking for people with the following skills –

• A demonstrable track record of work-winning and the growth of capability and specialist resource within a wider Ecology team.
• Proven experience in ornithology/bird ecology, ideally leading teams or significant workstreams within consultancy or large-scale infrastructure/environmental projects.
• Strong knowledge of UK and European bird ecology legislation, policy, and best practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to build and maintain client relationships at a senior level.
• Strategic thinker with experience in workforce planning, resourcing, and recruitment.
• Track record of leading bird ecology input on major projects.
• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant subject.
• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline, such as an MSc in Ecological Consultancy, is advantageous.
• Membership of CIEEM and/or Chartered Ecologist, or equivalent professional body.

What we offer you:

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognizes the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

• Private medical insurance, Life assurance, Accident insurance and Income protection cover.
• In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.
• Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Different People, Shared Values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity orexpression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment thatembraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks supportour inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more aboutlife at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup .

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact Karin Spies at [e-mail] to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your applicationor interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

Our Application Process

Stay safe online – Arup will never ask for your bank details as part of our recruitment process.

Recruitment Agencies – We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list.

Closing date: Friday 7 August2026