Senior Ecologist: Lead High-Impact Projects & Strategy

MKO; Galway; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Pension scheme and life assurance

Paid professional membership

Wellbeing support

Job summary

MKO is Ireland's largest Planning and Environmental consultancy, with 240+ professionals. We seek an experienced ecologist to own complex projects, shape technical approaches, and advise clients.

You will collaborate with the Project Director and Principal Ecologist to influence the Ecology team's direction across major solar, wind, river-restoration, and habitat management initiatives. This role offers hybrid working arrangements and opportunities to develop specialist services while mentoring

Qualifications

• A relevant third-level qualification in ecology, botany, zoology, natural sciences or a related discipline.
• Typically 6+ years of relevant post-graduate ecological experience, ideally including consultancy delivery of large or complex projects.
• Deep technical expertise in ecology, impact assessment or a relevant specialist area, supported by broad consultancy experience.
• Excellent report writing, critical review and quality-assurance capability.
• An excellent understanding of the EU Habitats and EIA Directives insofar as they relate to project-based ecological impact assessments.
• Demonstrated project and people management.
• Confident client leadership and experience providing clear strategic advice in complex situations.
• A strong track record of coaching, mentoring or managing others and building capability through delegation and feedback.
• Commercial awareness and an interest in developing client relationships, new work or services.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, high-value ecology projects from initiation to completion, ensuring delivery to agreed quality, programme and budget requirements.
• Provide strategic ecological advice based on professional judgement, current legislation, policy, guidance and sector context.
• Prepare and sign off high-quality final reports and submissions, including EcIA, Appropriate Assessment, and other complex technical outputs.
• Conduct detailed technical review and quality assurance of internal outputs and relevant third-party inputs.
• Maintain strong client relationships, act as a primary contact for complex requirements or escalations and identify opportunities to add value.
• Manage a portfolio of projects, allocating work, balancing team capacity and monitoring commercial performance.
• Lead on large fee proposals and tenders, help bring in new work and identify emerging services or sectors.
• Manage, mentor and coach team members, including formal people-management responsibilities, where applicable.
• Lead or contribute to technical training, knowledge shares and improvements to templates, standards and working methods.
• Opportunity to develop a specialist service or area of capability where this aligns with client needs and MKO's strategy.
• Work with Project ,Principal Ecologist and senior peers to support technical governance and shape the wider direction of the Ecology team.

Skills

Ecology expertise

Project management

Client leadership

Report writing

Mentoring people

Commercial awareness

Strategic advice

Technical governance

Education

Master's degree in Ecology

Additional relevant qualification

Tools

GIS

Job description

MKO is Ireland's largest Planning and Environmental consultancy, with 240+ professionals. We seek an experienced ecologist to own complex projects, shape technical approaches, and advise clients.

You will collaborate with the Project Director and Principal Ecologist to influence the Ecology team's direction across major solar, wind, river-restoration, and habitat management initiatives. This role offers hybrid working arrangements and opportunities to develop specialist services while mentoring