Location
Edinburgh or Glasgow, Scotland

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are a global team of over 34,000 people across 30 countries dedicated to improving quality of life. We are seeking Senior and Principal Ecologists with strong botanical expertise to join our growing team in Scotland. This is an excellent opportunity for experienced ecologists to play a leading role in delivering high-quality ecological work across Scotland while developing their careers within a collaborative, forward-thinking consultancy.

Our ecology team supports a wide range of projects across the UK and internationally, including major infrastructure, renewable energy, transport, water, and development schemes. In Scotland, we focus on projects in environmentally sensitive landscapes and seek individuals with strong field botany skills and experience surveying upland habitats.

As a Senior or Principal Ecologist, you will provide technical leadership across a broad range of ecological commissions, focusing on botanical survey, habitat assessment, and upland ecology. You will collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams and clients to deliver high-quality advice that supports sustainable development and positive environmental outcomes. Depending on your level, responsibilities include managing projects, overseeing survey programmes, mentoring junior colleagues, and contributing to the growth of Arcadis’ ecology capability in Scotland.

Key responsibilities include leading and contributing to botanical and habitat surveys, delivering ecological inputs to Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), providing specialist advice on upland habitats, peatland and habitat management, supporting biodiversity strategies and Natural Capital work, managing projects to meet quality, programme and budget requirements, mentoring junior ecologists, and contributing to the continued growth of the ecology business in Scotland.

Experience
- Strong field botany and habitat survey skills
- Proven experience surveying upland habitats in Scotland
- Experience delivering ecological advice for projects such as renewables, grid and transmission, transport, water, or major development
- Excellent technical reporting, project management and communication skills
- Ability to build strong relationships with clients, colleagues and stakeholders
- Experience in NVC survey and knowledge of the Scottish planning and consenting environment is highly beneficial

About you
You are a motivated and experienced ecologist with strong botanical expertise and a passion for upland ecology. You enjoy leading projects and mentoring colleagues, working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, and delivering sustainable environmental solutions. You are committed to supporting biodiversity and natural capital initiatives and thrive in a forward-thinking consultancy environment.

Qualifications
- FISC Level 3+ certificate or equivalent demonstrable botanical expertise
- Strong understanding of Scottish habitats, vegetation communities and upland land use