Location
Newcastle Upon Tyne

Hours
Flexible working arrangements to support a healthy work-life balance

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
What if you could shape a career as unique as you? At WSP, you’ll find opportunities to grow and do what matters to you. As a Senior Ecologist, you will join a large, friendly, and diverse team that values collaboration, wellbeing, and professional growth. Flexible working is a core part of our culture, supporting a healthy balance between work, personal life, family, and wellbeing. You will benefit from a strong knowledge-sharing ethos, peer support networks, specialist groups, and open collaboration across all experience levels.

You will work alongside environmental specialists across the UK, gaining exposure to multidisciplinary thinking and global expertise. This role offers the chance to deepen your technical ecological skills, build project management experience, and receive structured mentoring and training. Whether your goal is advancing towards protected species licences or growing into more senior roles, clear progression pathways are available.

You will contribute to large-scale and complex schemes with real influence on biodiversity outcomes at the landscape level. There is room for innovation in survey design, modelling, mitigation planning, and nature-based solutions, allowing you to apply cutting-edge ecological methods while shaping projects with wide-reaching environmental impact. Above all, you will join a team with a strong sense of purpose and take pride in delivering genuinely nature-positive outcomes.

Your New Role - What’s Involved?
Providing technical advice and planning and leading ecology surveys including Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, UKHab surveys, and protected species surveys. Preparing tenders for a range of schemes and suites of habitat, botanical, and protected species surveys. Inputting into ecological deliverables such as Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, Ecological Management Plans, Protected Species Reports, European Protected Species licence applications, Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIAs), Biodiversity chapters of EIAs, and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA). Client liaison and project management. Consultation and negotiation with regulators and stakeholders. Helping to nurture an enthusiastic, supportive, and productive working environment. Providing mentoring and training to the wider ecology team.

Experience
An appropriate academic qualification in a related discipline and membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (mentoring is available for upgrade to Full Membership). Protected species licence(s) or other specialist skill sets relevant to ecological consultancy. Experience undertaking Preliminary Ecological Appraisals, UKHab surveys, and protected species surveys. Experience producing fee quotations and tenders and contributing to technical ecological reports. Ability to work effectively within a team of ecologists and environmental professionals. Excellent knowledge of relevant legislation, policy, and ecological survey methodologies. Ability to author Ecological Impact Assessments is desirable.

About you
Strong communication skills with a solution-focused and proactive attitude. Enthusiastic about mentoring and supporting colleagues. Collaborative and adaptable, with a commitment to delivering nature-positive outcomes. Willingness to engage in continuous professional development and embrace innovation in ecological methods.

Qualifications
Relevant academic qualification in ecology or a related discipline. Membership or eligibility for membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. Protected species licences or specialist ecological skills are highly desirable.