Technical Specialist Ecology

Scottish Water; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility provider in Scotland is looking for an Ecologist to join their Specialist Services Delivery team. You will support operational activities and contribute to woodland creation and peatland restoration projects, providing essential ecological data and guidance. Ideal candidates have solid field ecology skills, knowledge of protected species, and GIS skills. Competitive salary and extensive benefits including generous leave, pension, and flexible working arrangements offered.

Benefits

38 days holiday plus the option to buy more

Flexible working arrangements

Pension and life assurance

Annual company bonus

SW Splash rewards

Qualifications

• Solid field ecology skills, especially with protected species.
• Experience with Environmental Clerk of Works (ECoW) is a plus.
• Professional accreditation from CIEEM or CIWEM is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the Environment Team for ecological support.
• Provide baseline ecological data and habitat reports.
• Conduct site visits and complete ecological assessments.

Skills

Field ecology skills

GIS skills

Understanding of construction or water industry

Collaborative skills

Botanical field skills

Education

Degree in Ecology or Environmental Management

Job description

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.

Most people don't think too much about how clean water reaches their taps.

But Scottish Water fact it's all we think about.

Want to join us As an Ecologist you will support a diverse range of operational activities and capital investment woodland creation and peatland restoration projects within our Specialist Services Delivery (SSD) team.

What you'll do

You will collaborate closely with the Environment Team offering specialised ecological support for projects throughout Scotland. Your role will involve a combination of fieldwork and desk-based tasks providing essential baseline ecological data, habitat reports and expert guidance to ensure that Scottish Water develops in harmony with nature. While most site visits can be completed within a day, occasional overnight trips may be required.

This role would suit someone who's already an established ecologist and can bring their passion for ecology into a practical operational environment. Balancing Scotland's water resources in the face of changing environmental parameters is a unique challenge but one that our staff find extremely rewarding.

What you'll need

You will have solid field ecology skills, especially when it comes to European protected species, common invasive non-native species and habitat mapping. GIS skills are a big plus and it’d be great if you’ve got a good understanding of how things work in the construction sector or water industry.

Beyond that we’re looking for a few nice-to-haves:

• A degree in Ecology or Environmental Management and some experience with Environmental Clerk of Works (ECoW).
• Experience collaborating with different groups to boost biodiversity and professional accreditation from groups like CIEEM or CIWEM.
• Candidates who possess botanical field skills or wish to up-skill in this area are highly desirable.

Looking out for you

While the work we do is important we know its not the only thing that matters. That’s why we make sure you have everything you need to find a good work-life balance. You'll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays), and you can even buy up to five more if you need a little extra time. You can also take time off to volunteer in your community. We embrace flexible working. For your future, there's our pension and life assurance. As for some nice extras, you can expect an annual company bonus and access to SW Splash handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.

The not-so-small print

This role will be a Grade 6. If you're new to Scottish Water you’ll join us on a starting salary of £36,410. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £46,990.

If you're interested in this role or know someone else who might be - we will be accepting applications until midnight on Wednesday 5th November.

We operate Balanced Hybrid working at Scottish Water and we encourage people to work half their time in a Scottish Water location.

Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional and will be confirmed on completion of our pre‑employment screening e.g., referencing criminal record checks, license checks etc. Screening is conducted on our behalf by a third party and must be completed before your start date. Don’t worry – we only start these checks once you've accepted an offer.

A few final things worth knowing

Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criterion. If you're interested in this job but don't tick all the boxes, apply anyway! We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a learning curve, so don't rule yourself out!

Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We’re also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events like menopause. We’re very used to making adjustments, so please don’t be afraid to ask.

As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland it's important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don’t already live there you’ll need to commit to moving here within your first three months.

Please note Scottish Water takes the safety, health and wellbeing of our employees, colleagues and customers very seriously and as such you may be subject to Drug & Alcohol testing in line with our policy.

Finally, candidates who haven’t submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won’t need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted.