Senior / Principal Ecologist – Bat Specialist

Cotswolds | Hybrid working
Salary dependent on experience and level
Permanent | Full-time

The Opportunity

If you’ve built strong experience in bat ecology and are looking for more ownership, technical influence and scope to shape projects, this could be an interesting next move.

We’re looking for a Senior or Principal Ecologist with a Natural England bat licence to join an established ecology team in the Cotswolds.

This isn’t a role where you’ll simply be handed a larger workload because you’re more experienced. You’ll have the opportunity to use your judgement, lead ecological work, support less experienced colleagues and contribute to the technical quality of projects.

There’s scope to shape the position around your experience too. At Senior level, that could mean taking greater ownership of projects and developing your technical specialism. At Principal level, there’s more opportunity to lead complex work, mentor colleagues and have a wider influence across the ecology team.

The Company

You’ll be joining an established and growing ecological consultancy with a sizeable, collaborative ecology team.

The breadth of experience within the team means there are specialists to draw upon, colleagues to exchange ideas with and opportunities to work across varied ecological projects rather than operating in isolation.

There’s a strong emphasis on technical quality, collaboration and professional development, with a clear progression framework for people who want to continue developing their careers.

It should suit someone who values having autonomy in their work while still wanting the support and technical exchange that comes from being part of a larger ecology team.

What You'll Be Doing

Your work will combine bat ecology, project leadership, technical reporting and wider ecological consultancy.

Depending on your experience and whether you join at Senior or Principal level, you’ll have ownership of projects from initial survey design through to reporting, mitigation and delivery.

You’ll be involved in:

• Leading and delivering bat survey work, assessments and mitigation strategies.

• Applying your bat licence and technical knowledge to projects requiring specialist input.

• Designing proportionate survey strategies and providing pragmatic ecological advice to clients and project teams.

• Producing and reviewing high-quality ecological reports and technical documentation.

• Managing ecological projects, including programmes, resources and project delivery.

• Contributing to wider work including habitat assessment, Biodiversity Net Gain and protected species projects.

• Supporting and mentoring less experienced ecologists and seasonal survey staff.

• Working collaboratively with senior ecologists and other environmental professionals.

• At Principal level, contributing more broadly to technical standards, team development and the delivery of complex ecological projects.

About You

You’re likely to be an experienced consultant who is comfortable taking ownership of ecological work and making sound technical decisions.

A Natural England bat licence is important for this position, alongside strong practical experience of bat surveys, assessment and mitigation.

You’ll probably have worked within an ecological or environmental consultancy and be comfortable balancing field ecology with report writing, project management and client communication.

Just as importantly, you’ll be someone who enjoys sharing knowledge. You don’t need to be interested in traditional line management, but you should be comfortable supporting junior colleagues and contributing positively to the technical development of the wider team.

At Principal level, we’d expect greater experience of leading complex projects, reviewing technical work and providing trusted ecological advice to clients and colleagues.

A strong understanding of UK wildlife legislation, planning and current ecological guidance will be important, together with a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

What's on Offer

The attraction here is the combination of technical ecology, autonomy and a strong team around you.

You’ll have the opportunity to take ownership of interesting ecological work while continuing to develop your expertise within an experienced consultancy environment.

You can expect:

• Hybrid and flexible working.

• Varied ecological projects and meaningful technical work.

• Scope to develop your bat specialism alongside broader ecological consultancy experience.

• Greater project and technical ownership as your experience develops.

• Opportunities to mentor and support other ecologists.

• A clear career development and progression framework.

• Ongoing professional training and development.

• Support for continued professional growth and technical specialism.

• Company pension.

• Cycle to Work scheme.

• Charity volunteering initiative.

For someone joining at Principal level, there is also scope to have a broader influence on project delivery, technical quality and the development of colleagues across the team.

Location & Flexibility

The role is based in the Cotswolds, with hybrid working available.

There will naturally be some travel and fieldwork associated with ecological projects, particularly during the bat survey season, although the role offers a balance between site work, technical reporting and project leadership.

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are required.

Interested?

You don’t need to have decided that you’re leaving your current role.

If you’re a Senior or Principal Ecologist with a bat licence and you’d like more autonomy, interesting project work and the opportunity to develop within a supportive ecology team, it would be good to have an informal conversation.

We can talk through the projects, team structure and expectations at Senior and Principal level before you decide whether it’s worth exploring further.

Contact Vicky at Ocean to Earth Recruitment:
vicky@oceantoearth.co.uk
07341 020135