Location
London

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Competitive salary and benefits package

About the Role
Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company with over 100 years of engineering excellence and nearly 3,000 employees across more than 20 countries. Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world by delivering innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. We are currently seeking a Principal Consultant to join our Aquatic Ecology Team within the Water & Environment division, which is experiencing substantial growth due to our strong track record supporting the UK water industry.

In this role, you will lead and develop a team of aquatic ecologists, supporting and training junior staff while delivering technical expertise across all project stages including bidding, feasibility, optioneering, field survey programming, detailed design, and assessment. You will contribute to producing consents such as Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA), Water Framework Directive (WFD) assessments, Drought Permits, and Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) assessments as a technical author or reviewer.

The role requires strong organisational skills and the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients to deliver projects on budget and on schedule. You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of water and environmental experts including specialists in EIA, HRA, water resources, hydro-ecology, hydrology, geomorphology, water quality, and natural capital.

Ricardo offers a supportive and inclusive workplace culture where every voice matters. We encourage flexible working arrangements including home, office, or hybrid models to support work-life balance. Our wellbeing-focused culture enables employees to flourish and achieve their full potential.

Benefits
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including 25 days' annual leave plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance, professional subscriptions reimbursement, and a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle. We also provide support for physical and mental health to ensure you feel valued and supported.

Experience
- Extensive experience leading and reviewing aquatic ecology assessments and supporting surveys within the UK water industry.
- Proven ability to lead Ecological Impact Assessments and Habitats Regulations Assessments.
- Strong knowledge of UK and EU wildlife legislation, planning policies, licensing requirements, and best practice survey techniques.
- Experience in planning and coordinating field surveys, analysing and interpreting results, and managing ecological mitigation works.
- Specialist knowledge in fisheries, macroinvertebrate, or macrophyte ecology is preferable.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce accurate technical reports and confidently engage with clients and stakeholders.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and proposals concurrently with strong organisational and multitasking skills.

About you
- A self-starter with excellent team working and communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and a sound understanding of ecological impact assessment.
- Proactive, self-motivated thinker with proven technical reviewing skills.
- Ability to manage and support technical input into proposals and prioritise workload effectively.
- Flexible and adaptable to business needs.
- Committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse working environment.

Qualifications
- A first degree in a relevant environmental discipline, ideally complemented by a postgraduate degree.