Purpose / Scope of the Role

Due to the ongoing success and expansion of the business, Aspect Ecology has an excellent opportunity for an Associate Ecologist to join our industry leading team of specialists, working on an exciting range of challenging and interesting projects. As an Associate Ecologist, you will play a key role in delivering terrestrial ecological services, managing complex projects, managing and mentoring junior staff, and contributing to business development.

By joining Aspect Ecology you will be working within an experienced team of terrestrial ecologists who deliver a wide variety of projects within the UK across a range of sectors including housing, retail, employment and renewable energy, amongst others. As part of the APEM Group, you will have the opportunity to work with cross-cutting expertise, not only in the terrestrial sector, but across other allied sectors.

What Success Looks Like in this Role

You will be an experienced consultant with a passion for professionalism and making a positive difference, and extensive professional experience in ecological consultancy or closely related field including the public sector or conservation bodies. Working as an Associate Ecologist you will design, organise and lead protected species and habitat surveys, prepare and review high quality technical reports, and work closely with the senior management team, helping to shape and drive forward company objectives. You will have the responsibility of managing your own workload, mentoring ecologists, meeting tight deadlines and providing specialist ecological advice.

Key Responsibilities

• To design, organise and lead terrestrial ecology survey work and site visits.
• To prepare high quality technical reports and be responsible for reviewing and signing off others’ reports, providing constructive feedback and coaching in order to achieve this.
• To be responsible for ensuring all output is delivered to the highest standard, in line with timescales agreed with the client, within budget and to the highest technical quality.
• Management and mentoring of junior and senior ecologists.
• Business development, including maintaining and extending relationships with existing clients as well as securing and managing new work.
• To work closely with the senior management team to expand the business and deliver the business strategies for the ecology team.
• To independently manage a range of complex projects, budgets, and timelines, ensuring effective communication with clients and stakeholders.
• Client management, successfully developing, maintaining and managing internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• To lead on tender preparation including writing fee proposals, setting budgets, programmes and scope.
• To complete all work in accordance with Aspect Ecology’s health and safety protocols and
• To carry out any additional activities that may be reasonably required or

Skills/Knowledge/Experience/Qualifications

Essential –

• Extensive professional experience in ecological consultancy or closely related field including the public sector or conservation bodies.
• A relevant degree and/or postgraduate qualification, with a strong academic record.
• Comprehensive experience with UK botanical and faunal identification.
• Extensive knowledge and experience of Phase 1 Habitat and / or UK Habitat Classification surveys.
• Extensive knowledge and experience of undertaking protected species surveys, mitigation and licensing, and holder of at least one protected species survey licence.
• Up to date knowledge and in-depth understanding of UK wildlife legislation and policy.
• Experience preparing development licence applications for protected species mitigation.
• The ability to produce concise, high quality, written reports, with experience of Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, EcIAs, HRAs, BNG, protected species survey reports, etc., and to proof-read others’ work.
• Proven experience of managing projects and leading and motivating staff.
• Proven experience of client liaison and management.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment, with effective teamwork and excellent organization and communication
• Full Membership of CIEEM (or be eligible to obtain).
• Ability to travel across the UK, with some requirement for over-night stays.
• A full UK driving licence.

Desirable –

• Experience or training in National Vegetation Classification (NVC) or Modular River Surveys (MoRPh).
• Experience of the appeal process, preparing and/or presenting evidence for Public Inquiries.
• Experience with GIS and ecological modelling tools.
• CSCS card.

About Aspect Ecology

At Aspect Ecology, we specialise in providing ecological consultancy services to a well-established base of high-profile public and private sector clients. Our Oxfordshire-based team has a wealth of experience and expertise advising on an extensive range of projects nationwide with a focus on integrating ecological habitats and wildlife benefits within new developments. We are a professional and friendly team of enthusiastic ecologists who thrive on innovation and delivering a high quality output to our clients – see our website for more information and follow us on LinkedIn.

You can apply for this vacancy through the APEM Group careers portal –

https://jobs.apemltd.co.uk/vacancies/708/consultant-ecologist.html

Our Values

Our most important assets are our people who work for us. We all work as one team and rely on each other. We wish to create a working environment to which our people are proud to belong, by maintaining our values at the forefront of everything we do. These values are:

• Integrity – We do the right thing
• Quality – Quality in everything
• People – We care
• Forward thinking – We focus on the future
• Positivity – We believe we can
• Fairness – We champion equality