Location
Croydon or London, UK

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Competitive salary package

About the Role
Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. We deliver impactful projects across diverse industries, driven by our people’s expertise and commitment. As an employee-owned business, we foster an inclusive and empowering environment where everyone can thrive.

Our Environment and Social division provides innovative ecological and social solutions across sectors, anticipating client needs and shaping sustainable futures. We are leading the way in Nature Services and are seeking a Principal Ecologist to join our Ecology Team in Croydon or London.

In this role, you will act as the Regional Deputy Team Lead, supporting the wellbeing, mentoring, and career development of the Croydon and Reading Ecology Teams. You will line manage team members and collaborate with senior leadership to manage resource utilisation, recruitment, training, and team communications.

Your work will span all project stages from design conception to implementation, influencing scheme design, enhancements, and promoting best ecological practices. Projects include flood defence schemes, biodiversity net gain (BNG) strategies and implementation, specialist species surveys, and landscape-scale nature recovery planning.

The role suits a dynamic, proactive team player eager to contribute to a growing business area and deliver high-quality ecology services in a fast-paced, client-focused environment. You will be primarily office-based with some site work depending on your technical expertise.

Our Croydon office is conveniently located near East Croydon train station, and you will be part of a wider ecology team with diverse skills and licences, working on high-profile infrastructure and environmental projects across the UK.

Experience
- Over seven years' experience in Ecological Consultancy or equivalent with transferable skills
- Proven project management skills
- Experience in people management is desirable
- Experience preparing costs and text for bids is advantageous
- Willingness to travel throughout the UK

About you
- A dynamic, proactive team player with strong communication skills
- Ability to effectively engage with multi-disciplinary teams, clients, and regulators
- Strong report writing skills with experience acting as a checker/reviewer for ecological deliverables
- Committed to supporting staff wellbeing, mentoring, and career development
- Passionate about delivering high standards in ecological advice and nature-based solutions

Qualifications
- Degree in Ecology or a directly related subject; an additional higher degree is advantageous
- Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) or equivalent
- Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Ecologist, or Chartered Biologist status (or able to achieve within 6 months)
- Technical specialism such as protected species mitigation licences or advanced botanical skills
- Level 1 and 2 Bat Licence is desirable