Overview

SENIOR ECOLOGIST – Southern Office Lead Consultant.

We would like the right candidate to start in post by Feb/March 2018.

We are looking for a confident and highly experienced Senior Ecologist to join our team of consultants in our Southern Office in Farnham on the Surrey Hampshire border. The successful candidate will be expected to lead and inspire the southern team whilst working in collaboration with the South West team which is led by company founder Mike Cummings. The role will involve: overseeing regional projects, organising and carrying out ecological surveys, and producing a range of reports including protected species license applications. Business management duties will include: Writing fee proposals and tenders, financial management, marketing and general office management. As a senior member of the ecology team the successful candidate will have responsibility for ensuring that advice and recommendations arising from surveys are communicated clearly to clients both verbally and by means of written reports by all team members.

Key Characteristics

The successful candidate must share our passion for ecology and conservation, be enthusiastic, self-motivated and reliable, confident working independently and inspiring as part of our team.

Responsibilities 

The successful candidate will:

  • Be expected to prepare, manage and execute ecological surveys for all species and mitigation projects: mitigation, habitat creation and restoration; Letters of Report and Ecological Survey Reports, Environmental Impact Assessments and Natural England Licences, Habitat Surveys; Phase 1 Habitat Assessment, National Vegetation classification, SSSI Condition Assessments and Tree Surveys.
  • Undertake Protected Species Survey work including out of hours survey work and liaising with groups specific to the completion of client project work.
  • Liaise with clients and sub-contractors on behalf of Darwin Ecology including undertaking site visits.
  • Work in collaboration with the team to design ecological enhancement schemes and effective species mitigation works.

Skills & Qualifications 

Essential

The applicant will need the following:

  • A BSc and MSc in ecology or a closely related subject.
  • Have a minimum of 5 years post-graduation experience in ecology within a consultancy environment, and have extensive experience in a range of habitat and field surveys, analysing and interpreting data and writing professional reports.
  • Appropriate protected species survey licences (bats, GCN, dormice, reptiles etc). Extensive experience in writing license applications for EPS mitigation applications. Proven ability to design, plan and implement mitigation schemes on site working closely with the building teams.
  • Should be able to demonstrate an excellent understanding of the consultant’s role and have proven commercial competency.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to proof read reports to a high standard.
  • An excellent understanding of the planning process and of the construction industry.
  • Applicants should have Associate or Full membership of CIEEM.
  • Proven success of working in a busy team and managing team logistics.
  • Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
  • Ability to work on multiple projects.
  • Ability to undertake all of the above whilst maintaining a sense of humour and positive team spirit.
  • Applicants will need to hold a UK driving licence, have their own vehicle and must be prepared to travel to different sites and to work ecology survey hours.

Additional Desirable skills/criteria

  • Named Ecologist on Protected species licenses.
  • Registered Consultant for BLICL
  • A valid CSCS carder Rail Card
  • GIS skills
  • Practical ecological mitigation skills
  • Marketing and tendering experience

What we offer

  • Salary is competitive and negotiable depending on experience and qualifications but will be in the range of £30,000- £38,000
  • 23 days annual leave
  • Generous annual training budget for structured training events
  • Use of company vehicle
  • Apple Mac Laptop and iPhone
  • Flexible working hours and TOIL for all out of hours survey work
  • Flexible and friendly working environment
  • Serviced office with many facilities in a beautiful rural area on the outskirts of Farnham (Sandy).

About Us

At Darwin Ecology Ltd, we pride ourselves on a professional, solution focused approach combined with a strong conservation ethic and passion for wildlife. Excellent surveys standards, effective and bespoke mitigation and enhancements are at the core of all of our projects. We work on a wide range of projects from small extensions to large multi phase housing developments including National infrastructure projects. Clients include local councils, Historic England, large and small property developers and architects. We have a particular focus on historic and listed buildings and we frequently receive some very interesting historic building projects from our regular clients.

We undertake a wide range of ecological surveys and contracting services across the South (Surrey, Sussex, London, Hampshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire) and South West (Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon, Gloucestershire) regions.

We are a fun and flexible team with a strong work ethic. Our team collaborate between two office bases and meet regularly for training or collaborative work on larger projects.

Applications

Please send a CV, detailing relevant skills and experience and a covering letter to Mike Cummings, Director of Darwin Ecology: mike@darwin-ecology.co.uk

Closing Date: 15th Jan 2018

Interviews will be arranged at a convenient time for the candidate upon receipt of suitable applications.