Location
Newcastle upon Tyne

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
Wood has a fantastic opportunity for a suitably experienced ecologist to fill a Consultant (or Senior Consultant for the right candidate) role within our thriving and growing biodiversity team. This role offers the chance to deliver biodiversity inputs across a wide range of projects throughout the UK, with potential for international work. The successful candidate will have broad experience and knowledge of UK ecology including ecological survey, biodiversity legislation, policy and licensing procedures, and ecological mitigation techniques along with their delivery and supervision. You will prepare and ideally review reports and documentation to support consenting regimes. Working closely with team members and colleagues from other technical disciplines, you will provide ecological support on diverse projects nationwide. Depending on experience, opportunities exist to manage or task manage projects, act as lead surveyor, contribute to technical reporting, business development, and mentoring to support the growth of the ecology team.

The role includes:
- Designing and conducting ecological surveys including protected species such as bats, reptiles, badgers, great crested newts, otter, and water vole
- Task managing or leading delivery of ecology survey requirements
- Conducting and/or managing extended Phase 1 and UK Habitats surveys
- Producing reports and mapping including desk studies, baseline reports, mitigation strategies, and supporting Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) delivery
- Supporting senior staff in proposal and bid production
- Conducting and/or overseeing Ecological Clerk of Works duties

Why work for Wood?
Wood’s UK biodiversity, EIA, and planning consultancy team is one of the largest and most diverse, comprising around 70 passionate specialists delivering high-quality ecological services on complex projects across sectors such as low carbon and hydrogen, transport, renewables, nuclear, power, waste, minerals, and property. Working at Wood offers unique personal and professional development opportunities, with a strong focus on work-life balance and support within a friendly, close-knit team. Early career ecologists benefit from line management, mentoring, and buddy systems, with opportunities to join various working groups to shape a flexible and tailored career path supported by colleagues with a wide range of expertise.

Salary & Benefits
Competitive salary
Annual professional membership subscription
Funding for internal and external technical training courses
Company car or cash alternative (dependent on role)
Competitive 25 days holiday with options to buy or sell additional days
Flexible benefits scheme including health insurance, life assurance, flexible working, cycle to work scheme, and contributory pension scheme
Opportunities to participate in STEM activities
TOIL/overtime system

Experience
- Experience working in an ecology-related role
- Good working knowledge of environmental legislation and planning policy
- Experience conducting extended Phase 1 and UK Habitats surveys
- Experience designing, undertaking, and leading ecological surveys for protected species
- Experience acting as or understanding the requirements of an Ecological Clerk of Works
- Experience writing high-quality technical reports such as baseline reports, preliminary ecological appraisals, and ecological mitigation strategies
- Experience in EcIA and designing and delivering ecological mitigation (senior role)
- Experience in project or task management including financial management (senior role)
- Experience in stakeholder engagement and client/contractor liaison (senior role)
- Membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM)
- Flexibility to stay away overnight and work away from home
- Clean, full UK driver’s licence

About you
Strong work ethic with an aptitude to show initiative
Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
Motivated to contribute to business development and mentoring (particularly for senior role)

Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in ecology or a related discipline

Desirable
- MSc or PhD in ecology or similar
- One or more protected species licences (particularly bat)
- Experience in botanical identification
- Experience writing European Protected Species mitigation licences
- Working knowledge of biodiversity offsetting and net gain principles
- Experience in Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA)
- Experience in bat survey and sound analysis
- Experience of energy generation and transmission projects