Senior Ecological Consultant (terrestrial)

Senior Ecological Consultant (terrestrial)

Salary Range (£36,500 - £44,500) aligned to experience.

We are recruiting for a passionate, ambitious individual to join our team of ecological and environmental consultants. The ideal candidate will have an established overall understanding of ecology with a relevant terrestrial specialism. The candidate would ideally have a strong understanding of biodiversity enhancement and experience of authoring Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) chapters. They should be looking to expand and develop their knowledge and experience by contributing to sustainable and ethical development, supporting the move to carbon neutral.

Established in 2012, Affric strive to provide exceptional environmental project support, leading projects through their lifecycle from concept to decommissioning. Based in the Highlands and working across Scotland and further afield, we go above and beyond to create complete consenting packages tailored to our client's needs. As environmental experts, we specialise in managing the consenting process, providing environmental input to project development, and providing on-site and advisory environmental and ecological construction support. We support a range of sectors including: the energy industry; nuclear and grid projects; ports and harbours; roads and quarries.

The Role

You will play an integral role as part of our team, leading valued ecological input to a range of projects from initial feasibility through planning, procurement, construction, operation and in some instances, to decommissioning. 

The appointed staff member will be an active member of the Affric team, leading the provision of ecological advice as part of our multidisciplinary team, and will contribute to the day-to-day tasks of the consultancy as a whole. The role will include:

• Undertake both desk-based and field survey activities to contribute to the understanding of ecology present within a project area;
• Understanding and assessing the implications of projects on ecological receptors, providing input to project design to minimise adverse effects and maximise benefits;
• Identification of mitigation and enhancement techniques;
• Lead authoring and/or quality control reviewing: Survey Reports, Habitat Management Plans, Habitat Regulation Assessments (HRA), Environmental Supporting Documents and Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA);
• Undertaking biodiversity enhancement assessments; and
• Applying for European Protected Species Licences as required.

The successful candidate will be based in the Affric Limited office, 20 minutes southwest of Inverness. On occasion, you may be expected to travel to meet clients' needs; this may include working away for a few days or more at a time. 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Education & Qualifications

Essential Requirements

• Educated to BSc level in a relevant field (i.e., environmental or ecological specialism). 
• Have an appropriate level institute membership (e.g., CIEEM). 
• Full drivers licence. 

Desirable

• Educated to MSc level in an ecological specialism. 
• Chartered Environmentalist / Chartered Ecologist. 

Relevant Experience

Essential Requirements

• Minimum of 4 years' experience in the field of ecological survey and assessment. 
• Have completed Preliminary Ecological Assessments. 
• Be confident in UKHab assessment. 
• Understanding of Biodiversity Enhancement in Scotland. 
• A working knowledge of technical assessments underpinning ecological work (e.g. EcIA, HRA, baseline characterisation, and scientific study design). 
• Understanding of Scottish ecological and environmental legislation, policy and guidance. 

Desirable

• EcIA chapter authoring experience. 
• Survey licence for relevant protected species (bat, otter, Schedule 1 bird Survey and Monitoring). 
• Understanding of EPS licensing processes. 
• Be able to undertake habitat condition assessments. 
• Experience of undertaking Biodiversity Enhancement assessments including use of a metric. 
• Experience in developing ecological mitigation. 

Competencies & Skills

Essential Requirements

• Strong technical writing skills. 
• Can verbally articulate knowledge on specific ecological topics to non-specialists. 
• Ability to communicate with people at all levels. 
• Ability to manage own time and prioritise tasks, and delegate to others. 

Desirable

• Able to use GIS software (QGIS or Arc). 
• Understanding of terrestrial construction techniques. 
• Experience of leadership and/or mentoring others. 
• Experienced in dealing with clients. 

Attitude & Disposition

• Ambitious with a drive to learn and develop themselves. 
• Flexible and adaptable. 
• Positive can-do attitude. 
• Willing and able to undertake site work. 
• Happy to work independently or as part of a small team. 
• Willingness to contribute to projects that might be outside current areas of expertise.

Benefits of Working for Affric Limited

We are a close-knit, friendly, and supportive team in our recently expanded rural office. Your professional development is important to us; we support this through regular internal and external training opportunities. We actively encourage professional growth to enable all our staff to progress into more senior positions within the company.

We offer opportunities to get involved in a wide range of projects at all stages of the project life cycle, and to work collaboratively with other environmental and ecological specialists, engineers, project managers and clients. This role will provide extensive and varied professional development opportunities for the right candidate, offering both desk and site-based experience.

Our benefits package includes:

• 25 days annual leave plus 9 public holidays;
• Company pension;
• Company performance bonuses;
• Health care scheme; and
• Paid subscription fees for professional memberships.