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

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 responsibilities will include planning, scheduling, and organising all phases of ecological project work, ensuring resources, budgets, and controls meet programme requirements. You will develop technically robust and pragmatic solutions to complex ecological issues, lead the 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 Nature business comprising around 240 experts in arboriculture, forestry, groundwater, surface water, and ecology, including national and global leaders. The team covers a wide range of expertise from species licence holders to specialists in impact assessment, habitat creation, ecosystem restoration, enhancement, and management.

Our projects span power and renewables, infrastructure, environment, and transport sectors, often collaborating with other disciplines such as landscape, engineering, sustainability, and drainage. Recent work includes some of the largest solar farms in the UK, energy transition projects, habitats regulations assessments for local authorities, and masterplanning of new residential developments.

Enjoy a supportive and inclusive environment where your contributions are valued, with access to 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, project management, budget oversight, and leading stakeholder discussions. Experience reviewing technical work and supporting wider team members.

About you
Motivated and skilled ecologist ready to lead complex projects and contribute to a collaborative team environment. Strong communicator with the ability to develop pragmatic ecological solutions and maintain high-quality standards. Committed to continuous professional development and technical excellence.

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.