Senior Ecologist

SLR has an excellent opportunity for an experienced ecological professional to join our growing, London-based team, covering South-East England.

You will play a lead role in undertaking and delivering a range of projects across our business sectors, particularly including Power, Mining and Minerals and Built Environment. This role presents an exciting opportunity to be responsible for the delivery of ecology inputs to a number of large and complex projects.

About us

SLR are global leaders in environmental and advisory solutions helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals. We are a consultancy with over 3,500 employees across 6 regions – including over 1,500 staff within Europe. SLR’s ‘one team’ culture is at the heart of our business, providing a collaborative and supportive environment for professional development.

Along with competitive salaries, our people enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with a company pension plus excellent healthcare offering, travel and life insurance, critical illness cover and a structured career framework with regular reviews offering outstanding opportunities for progression. Alongside 25 days' annual leave, SLR offer flexible, agile and hybrid working which enables staff to tailor hours worked around core hours, and our family friendly policies help balance the needs of professional and family life.

The Role

Duties will be varied but will include:

• Managing / overseeing ecological aspects of projects, advising clients on schemes such as mixed use and residential developments, minerals/waste projects, infrastructure and energy projects

• Preparation of fee proposals and scope of works, report writing and technical review of peer and sub-contractor reports

• Supervision and mentoring of ecology staff. Depending on skills and experience, the role may also include staff management and leading work on particular ecological specialisms

• Scheduling, managing and ensuring delivery of ecological survey work packages on time and budget, using in-house and occasionally sub-contractor staff

• Liaising with other SLR technical teams on a variety of subjects including planning, landscape, hydrology, noise and air quality whilst working closely with senior members of the ecology team in other SLR offices, both in UK and overseas

The role will involve working with other team members located across the UK and may require short-term travel across the UK and potentially overseas, depending on client/project sites.

About you

You will have an ecological specialism, whether it is habitat survey, protected species, ornithology or another skill. You should be able to demonstrate competence in a range of different areas of ecological consultancy practice and would be able to lead and mentor others in your chosen specialism. We also envisage that you would be able to demonstrate experience of business development, client and project management, preferably gained in a commercial consultancy environment.

• A passion for ecology, for delivering high quality work and for assisting the career development of other ecological professionals

• Demonstrable field survey skills, including surveying UK habitats and survey and mitigation design for protected species

• Demonstrable competence in project management, planning work in line with health and safety procedures, budget management and technical report preparation

• Excellent working knowledge of wildlife legislation and planning policy

• Work experience within a range of sectors including residential/mixed use, infrastructure, minerals and waste, and energy

• Relevant degree level qualification plus appropriate level of membership of CIEEM or equivalent

• Full driving licence valid in the UK

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer, and our expectations go beyond purely complying with legislation. Through our Regional DE&I Committees, Global Council and Employee Networks, we foster an inclusive environment where all individuals regardless of their background can thrive.

We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of their background, including those from groups that are currently underrepresented at SLR, such as: LGBTQ+ people, ethic minority groups, women, and individuals with visible or invisible disabilities, including those who are neurodivergent.

Should you require any special adjustments throughout the recruitment process with us, please let us know. As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we seek to ensure all applicants have equitable support when applying to SLR.