Project Ecologist

Are you passionate about ecology, and want to develop your professional career with a company who also care and will support your development in this specialist field? Our rapidly expanding ecology team are seeking an enthusiastic, early career Ecologist to work on a wide variety of projects in the south east of England.

This position is offered on a full-time, permanent basis and we offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits.

In this role you will be assisting with a range of tasks including protected species surveying (bats, dormouse, water vole, GCN, reptiles), Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, UKHab surveying and Biodiversity Net Gain assessments, report writing and Ecological Clerk of Works. For anyone with relevant experience, the Project Ecologist role would also include the opportunity to project manage your own small projects, including fee/costings production, invoicing and client interaction. Full training will be provided, with a mix of in-house and external providers. We have several large projects ongoing, which will provide great opportunities to develop new skills and gain experience.

You will be joining a supportive team based in London, with the option of some flexible working with a company-provided laptop. The London office primarily work within London and the surrounding regions of southeast, south and eastern parts of England. Opportunities to support other projects within the UK would also be available. With have a strong team of over 100 ecologists, distributed across the UK and Ireland. We support client projects within the renewable energy field (wind and solar farms, battery stores), infrastructure (road and rail) and commercial and residential developments.

About us

SLR are global leaders in environmental and advisory solutions helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals. We are a consultancy with over 3,000 employees across 6 regions, including over 1,000 in 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 staff 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

In this role you will be assisting with a range of tasks including protected species surveying (bats, dormouse, water vole, GCN, reptiles), Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, UKHab surveying and Biodiversity Net Gain assessments, report writing and Ecological Clerk of Works. It will also include the opportunity to project manage your own small projects, including fee/costings production, invoicing and client interaction. Ongoing training will be provided, with a mix of in-house and external providers. We have several large projects ongoing, which will provide great opportunities to develop new skills and gain experience.

You will be working on a diverse array of interesting projects, which will involve undertaking site visits and conducting field-based surveys, such as habitat classification surveys, protected species surveys and terrestrial/ aquatic ecology surveys. You will provide expert advice to our clients by producing high-quality technical survey reports such as ecological appraisals, ecological impact assessments and protected species survey reports.

About you

Along with recent experience in a Graduate or Assistant Ecologist role and a full UK driving licence, we envisage that you will have:

• Good verbal and written communication skills
• The ability to work away from home and travel to site
• A passion for ecology, demonstrated through relevant volunteering and/or ecological surveying
• A willingness to get stuck into fieldwork straight away, any relevant field experience would be desirable
• The desire to work towards a professional membership, such as with CIEEM

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SLR

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 people 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 people 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.