Location
Croydon, with flexible hybrid working options across UK and Ireland offices including Basingstoke, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, Cambridge, and Dublin.

Hours
Full Time - Flexible hybrid working model

Salary
Competitive salary package (not specified)

About the Role
Join AECOM’s dynamic Nature team as a Principal Marine Ecologist, applying your expertise on national and international projects across diverse sectors such as power and infrastructure schemes, floating offshore wind, interconnectors, habitat restoration, flood defence, and coastal developments including marinas, jetties, slipways, wharfs, and port developments. You will work alongside marine and aquatic ecologists and marine EIA specialists to support and grow the marine ecology team and portfolio of high-profile projects. This client-facing role involves technical project delivery, business development, and reporting to the Marine Ecology Lead.

Your responsibilities include providing expert marine ecological and consenting advice, directing inputs across workstreams, delivering marine ecology impact assessments (including ES chapters, HRA, MCZ, and WFD), and supporting licence and permitting applications. You will ensure the highest quality standards in deliverables, tailoring complex scientific information for varied audiences. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams—including underwater acoustics, coastal processes, water scientists, marine archaeologists, and EIA colleagues—is essential to improve environmental outcomes.

Additionally, you will contribute to business development through technical and fee proposals, marketing, client presentations, and liaison. Effective project management, including resource and budget oversight, progress reporting, and subcontractor management, is required. Mentoring and developing junior team members to foster a supportive environment is also a key part of the role.

At AECOM, you will benefit from career development opportunities, a flexible hybrid working model, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days, all designed to support your growth and well-being.

Experience
- Comprehensive marine ecological expertise with experience preparing and reviewing specialist technical chapters and impact assessments including EIA, HRA, MCZ, and WFD.
- Detailed understanding of UK marine consenting and licensing regimes, with experience liaising with regulatory bodies such as MMO, NRW, Scottish MD, and The Crown Estate.
- Proven ability to provide technical advice and apply advanced scientific practices across diverse marine projects.
- Experience in team coordination, including line management and mentoring junior staff.
- Business development experience including preparing tenders and client presentations.

About you
Confident and effective communicator with excellent writing skills, able to tailor complex scientific information for different audiences. Collaborative team player who thrives in multidisciplinary environments. Motivated to contribute to business growth and client relationships. Committed to mentoring and developing others within the team.

Qualifications
Relevant academic qualifications and professional experience in marine ecology or related fields. Project management skills with willingness to undertake formal training to become an AECOM accredited Project Manager.