Senior Aquatic Ecologist

AECO; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid working

Career development opportunities

AECOM University

Volunteering days

Job summary

AECOM is seeking a Senior Aquatic Ecologist to join the Aquatic Ecology Team. The role can be based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin or Belfast and involves working on baseline data collection, fish passage projects, habitat restoration and water quality investigations.

You will provide EcIA inputs, author technical reports, manage survey design and costing, and contribute to a nationwide team delivering high-impact environmental solutions. Hybrid working and a collaborative culture are emphasized.

Qualifications

• Understanding and applying monitoring techniques for aquatic ecology and related permitting requirements.
• Knowledge of Water Framework Directive (WFD) and related legislation.
• Experience with EcIA/EIA including baseline data collection, impact assessment and mitigation design.
• Experience with WFD compliance assessment and reporting.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Provide aquatic ecology input into EcIA, planning, mitigation and multidisciplinary projects.
• Author technical reports and work with multi-disciplinary teams for specialist input.
• Analyze and process data for ecological projects.
• Produce EcIA documents in line with CIEEM guidelines.
• Manage aquatic ecology input into projects, including survey design and costing.
• Lead a team of aquatic ecologists across offices and laboratories.
• Support the wider environmental business.

Skills

Aquatic ecology monitoring

WFD legislation knowledge

EcIA/EIA experience

WFD compliance assessment

UK driving licence

Job description

• Primary Location: UK - Edinburgh - Tanfield

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

Start here. Grow here.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Aquatic Ecologist to join the Aquatic Ecology Team at AECOM. This role can be based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin and Belfast. Our team are working on a diverse range of projects: baseline data collection and monitoring for major infrastructure and utility projects, fish passage and weir removal projects, habitat restoration for regulators and the private sector, pollution response surveys, water quality investigations, etc.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Providing aquatic ecology input into EcIA, planning, mitigation, and multi-disciplinary projects;
• Authoring technical reports and working with multi-disciplinary teams to provide specialist input;
• Undertaking data analysis and processing;
• Production of EcIA documents in line with CIEEM guidelines;
• Managing aquatic ecologyinput into projects, including survey design and costing;
• Playing an important lead role in a team of multi-skilled aquatic ecologists in AECOM’s nationwide offices and laboratories;
• Supporting the wider environmental business.

If you're passionate about innovation and turning bold ideas into reality, AECOM welcomes you. Join our team, where we don't just construct infrastructure but also uplift communities and enhance lives. Why not give our AECOM Water page on LinkedIn a follow to stay updated on the impactful projects we're working on and see firsthand the difference we're making in the industry!

Come & Grow with Us.

Become part of AECOM's industry-leading Environment Business Line, working alongside specialists in ecology, environmental assessment, nature-based solutions, arboriculture, archaeology, impact assessment and environmental management across the UK & Ireland.

You will join a growing, friendly, and highly motivated team, and contribute to a diverse range of projects: baseline data collection and monitoring for major infrastructure and utility projects, fish passage and weir removal projects, habitat restoration for regulators and the private sector, pollution response surveys, water quality investigations, etc.

Enjoy the Perks.

At AECOM, you'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Understanding and implementing industry standard monitoring techniques and analyses for aquatic ecology and associated consenting/permitting requirements;
• Understanding of legislation relating to the aquatic environment and its implementation, including the Water Framework Directive (WFD);
• Experience of the EcIA/EIA process, from baseline data collection (desk-based and field surveys) to impact assessment and mitigation design;
• Experience of WFD compliance assessment;
• Full UK driving licence.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives.

If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Additional Information

Interested in the role or curious about life at AECOM? Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options.Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.