Senior Aquatic / Fisheries Specialist

Arup; Limerick; Hybrid; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional growth

Global opportunities

Profit sharing

Flexible working

Job summary

Arup is seeking a Senior Aquatic Ecologist to lead freshwater ecology workstreams across Ireland and internationally, delivering complex assessments and biodiversity improvements. You will guide fisheries, habitats, and WFD-related work while supervising junior staff and coordinating with clients and regulators.

You will bring 5+ years in freshwater ecology, strong knowledge of Irish/EU environmental law, and a track record in EcIA, AA, EIAR, and WFD.

Qualifications

• Degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Freshwater Biology, Fisheries Biology, Zoology, or related discipline
• Postgraduate qualification (MSc or equivalent) strongly preferred
• Freshwater ecology experience: typically 5+ years in consultancy
• Knowledge of Irish and EU environmental legislation (Habitats/Birds/WFD)
• Project and client management experience with budgets and multidisciplinary teams
• Mobility: full driving licence or equivalent
• Desirable: Chartered Ecologist (CEcol) or Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv); GIS proficiency

Responsibilities

• Lead freshwater ecology inputs to environmental assessments, planning applications and major infrastructure projects
• Undertake and review ecological assessments (EcIA, AA, Natura Impact Statements, EIAR, WFD)
• Provide specialist advice on river and stream ecology, fisheries, freshwater habitats and protected sites; develop mitigation strategies
• Deliver projects to programme and budget, contributing to management and resource planning
• Prepare and review technical reports for clients, regulators and planning authorities
• Mentor and develop junior ecologists and share knowledge within Arup's ecology network

Skills

Freshwater ecology

Project management

Fisheries biology

GIS proficiency

Education

Ecology-related Bachelor's degree

MSc or equivalent (desirable)

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

QGIS

Job description

Dublin, Ireland

Shape a future with purpose at Arup in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.

Arup's purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world. We guide, plan and design the future of the built environment.Across our offices in Dublin, Cork, and Galway, our teams work on projects that improve lives supporting communities, enhancing biodiversity, and helping our clients meet the challenges of climate change and nature loss.

Dublin, Ireland Shape a future with purpose at Arup in Dublin, Cork, and Galway. Arup's purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world. We guide, plan and design the future of the built environment. Across our offices in Dublin, Cork, and Galway, our teams work on projects that improve lives supporting communities, enhancing biodiversity, and helping our clients meet the challenges of climate change and nature loss. Our ecology team is central to this mission, providing trusted advice on some of Ireland's most complex and high-profile developments. We are now seeking a Senior Aquatic Ecologist to strengthen our freshwater ecology capability in Ireland supporting our technical excellence, developing our people, and shaping the future of ecological practice within Arup.

The Opportunity

We are growing our Ecology and Environmental Services team in Ireland and are looking for an experienced Senior Aquatic Ecologist to play a leading technical role in delivering complex freshwater ecology and aquatic biodiversity projects across Ireland and internationally.

You will work across major infrastructure, transport, renewable energy, water, flood risk, and development projects - providing technical leadership in freshwater ecology, fisheries, aquatic habitats, Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessment, Appropriate Assessment (AA), Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA), and biodiversity enhancement. This role offers a genuine opportunity to influence sustainable project outcomes, restore and enhance freshwater environments, and help clients deliver positive biodiversity and nature results.

As a Senior Aquatic / Fisheries Specialist at Arup, you will:

• Lead freshwater ecology inputs to environmental assessments, planning applications, and major infrastructure projects - taking technical ownership of freshwater and aquatic ecology workstreams, designing and managing baseline studies and monitoring programmes, and delivering outputs that meet the highest technical standards.
• Undertake and review ecological assessments - including Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) and Natura Impact Statements, Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIAR), Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessments, and Biodiversity Net Gain and Nature Positive assessments.
• Provide specialist technical advice on river and stream ecology, fisheries and fish passage, freshwater habitats and species, aquatic macroinvertebrates, white-clawed crayfish, water-dependent habitats, and protected sites; develop mitigation, compensation, and enhancement strategies for aquatic receptors.
• Deliver projects to programme and quality - ensuring outputs are produced on time, within budget, and to Arup's quality standards; contributing to project management, commercial performance, and resource planning across the team.
• Prepare and review technical reports - producing clear, well-evidenced environmental assessments and technical reports for clients, regulators, and planning authorities; engaging directly with clients and statutory bodies to support project delivery.
• Mentor and develop junior staff - supporting the professional growth of junior ecologists, contributing to knowledge sharing within Arup's global ecology network, and helping to shape the future of aquatic ecology practice within the team.

Does this role inspire you?

We are looking for someone who brings a combination of the following. If you don't meet every single point but believe you'd thrive in this role, we'd still love to hear from you.

• Academic background: Degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Freshwater Biology, Fisheries Biology, Zoology, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional qualification and experience. Postgraduate qualification (MSc or equivalent) in a relevant discipline is strongly preferred.
• Freshwater ecology experience: Typically 5+ years' experience in freshwater ecology and environmental consultancy, with a strong track record of delivering freshwater ecology assessments for infrastructure, water, energy, or development projects; demonstrable experience in EcIA, Appropriate Assessment, EIAR preparation, WFD assessment, and freshwater habitat and species surveys, including Freshwater Pearl Mussel mitigation.
• Legislative and policy knowledge: Detailed knowledge of Irish and EU environmental legislation and policy, including the Habitats Directive, Birds Directive, Water Framework Directive, Wildlife Acts, and Planning and Development legislation.
• Project and client management: Proven experience managing projects, budgets, and multidisciplinary teams; you produce clear, well-evidenced technical outputs, manage competing priorities effectively, and engage clients and regulators with confidence.
• Mobility: Full driving licence, or ability to demonstrate equivalent mobility to meet the travel requirements of this role.
• Desirable: Chartered Ecologist (CEcol), Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), or equivalent professional accreditation; experience in fish passage assessment, river restoration, and nature-based solutions; GIS proficiency (ArcGIS Pro or QGIS).

Why Arup?

At Arup, we believe in rewarding our members for their contributions to our shared success. As a trust-owned company, we have the freedom to pursue meaningful work that aligns with our purpose and values. We also offer a unique profit share programme, allowing our members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Benefits That Work For You

• Professional Growth & Development: Benefit from continuous learning opportunities, training programs, and mentorship to enhance your skills and advance your career at Arup.
• Global Opportunities: Collaborate with colleagues worldwide and explore potential short-term or long-term assignments at other Arup offices and project locations.
• Financial Well-being & Ownership: Receive a competitive salary and benefits package and share in Arup's success through our global profit-sharing programme.
• Flexible working: Working from home up to 3 days a week after the probation period is completed.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective where individuality is encouraged. Our strength comes from how we respect, share, and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas. You'll have the opportunity to do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, and to the clients and communities we serve.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a workplace that reflects the rich diversity of the world around us. We actively promote a culture of inclusion where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued.

We welcome applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please visit our Candidate Support page for contact information and assistance. We're happy to help.