Principal Ecologist

Job Title: Principal Ecologist

Location: West Midlands/Staffordshire

Salary: £60,000 - £68,000 plus car allowance

Are you an experienced, proactive Principal Ecologist looking for a new challenge supporting a major infrastructure project? This role is ideal for candidates seeking to play a leading part in ecological design and delivery, focusing on biodiversity and environmental best practices.

If so, this is the job for you!

HSE Recruitment Network are recruiting for a Principal Ecologist, with the opportunity to represent a forward-thinking, multinational company.
 
The role will be focused on providing ecological expertise and guidance to support the delivery of a nationally significant project. You will be responsible for ensuring technical assurance, integrating ecological mitigation into engineering and landscape design, and overseeing habitat creation and management. The post also includes leadership of technical assurance processes, production and review of key ecological reports, and project management of ecological work packages.


Main Responsibilities:

• Lead and assure the implementation of ecological design according to industry standards and guidelines.
• Ensure project designs satisfy legal, policy, and technical requirements for ecological mitigation and enhancement.
• Produce and review ecological reports and deliverables.
• Oversee and monitor protected species mitigation, including habitat creation and adaptive management.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and work with key stakeholders and statutory consultees.
• Identify and solve design challenges, integrating updates from habitat monitoring and managing risk of conflict with protected species licences and method statements.
• Support stakeholder engagement and consultation, including preparation of technical documentation for planning and compliance

 
Essential Experience, Training and Qualifications:

• Extensive experience implementing ecological mitigation and enhancement for large construction projects.
• Strong understanding of ecological best practices, standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Degree or master’s level qualification in ecology or closely related discipline (preferred).
• Excellent project management, problem-solving, and organisational skills.
• Protected species licence holder; mitigation licence is advantageous.
• Skilled in MS Office and GIS.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively across project teams.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (such as CIEEM), or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to travel, with full driving licence.

 
Interested? Apply now for immediate consideration: simon.gregory@hserecruitment.co.uk // 0121 454 5000

Alternatively, if you know of anyone who may be interested in this opportunity, please forward on our details.