Location
St Albans (other locations may be considered including Newcastle, Manchester, Cambridge, Liverpool, Basingstoke, Croydon, Leeds, Nottingham)

Hours
Flexible hybrid working model

Salary
Negotiable

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 both internal and external clients. Your role will involve overseeing, planning, scheduling, and organising all phases of ecological project work, ensuring resources, budgets, and controls meet programme and budget requirements. You will develop technically robust and pragmatic solutions to complex ecological issues, lead and support production of ecology chapters for environmental statements and protected species licence applications, and author or technically check project deliverables to ensure high-quality outputs. You will also support the continued development of our technical capabilities.

At AECOM, you will be part of a team of around 240 professional experts across arboriculture, forestry, groundwater, surface water, and ecology, including national and global leaders. Our projects span power and renewables, infrastructure, environment, and transport sectors, collaborating with other technical disciplines such as landscape, engineering, sustainability, and drainage. Recent projects include some of the largest solar farms in the UK, energy transition projects, habitats regulations assessments, and masterplanning of new residential developments.

Enjoy a forward-thinking and inclusive environment where your contributions are valued. Benefit from career development opportunities, technical practice networks, AECOM University, volunteering days, and a flexible hybrid working model to support your work-life balance.

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

About you
Motivated and skilled ecologist ready to lead complex ecological projects. Strong communicator with the ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and with clients. Committed to delivering high-quality outputs and continuous professional development.

Qualifications
Degree or equivalent 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.