Location
Croydon (other UK locations including Cambridge, Basingstoke, Leeds, Nottingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Liverpool may be considered)

Hours
Full Time - Flexible hybrid working model

Salary
Competitive salary and benefits package

About the Role
Join AECOM’s dynamic Nature team as a Principal Ecologist and help shape the future of the environment. You will lead and support the delivery of high-quality ecological consultancy and advisory services to internal and external clients across a diverse portfolio of projects in power and renewables, infrastructure, environment, and transport sectors. Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including landscape, GIS, engineering, sustainability, and drainage, you will oversee all phases of ecological project work, ensuring resources, budgets, and controls meet programme requirements. Your role will include developing technically robust and pragmatic solutions to complex ecological issues, leading production of ecology chapters for environmental statements and protected species licence applications, and authoring or reviewing project deliverables to ensure high-quality outputs. Become part of a team of around 230 experts in arboriculture, forestry, groundwater, surface water, and ecology, including national and global leaders in impact assessment, habitat creation, ecosystem restoration, and management. AECOM offers an inclusive and forward-thinking environment with career development opportunities, technical practice networks, AECOM University, volunteering days, and a flexible hybrid working model to support work-life balance.

Experience
- Proven experience leading and managing ecological surveys, licensing, and impact assessments.
- Demonstrated ability in work-winning, project management, budget oversight, and leading stakeholder discussions.
- Experience reviewing technical work and supporting wider team members.

About you
- Motivated to push the limits of what’s possible in ecological consultancy.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to deliver pragmatic and technically robust solutions.
- Collaborative team player who thrives in an inclusive and diverse environment.

Qualifications
- Degree or equivalent qualification in ecology or a related subject.
- Membership of an appropriate professional institution and working towards or holding Chartered Ecologist or Chartered Environmentalist status.
- Holder of protected species survey and/or mitigation licences.