Ecology Principal

Arthian Ltd.; Grangemouth; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A consultancy firm in ecology is seeking a Principal Consultant to join their Ecology & Biodiversity Team in Scotland. This role involves managing projects, providing ecological assessments, and leading teams. Ideal candidates should have a degree in Ecology, strong project management skills, and experience in ecological surveys. Benefits include professional subscriptions, extensive annual leave, and flexible parental leave options, making this an excellent opportunity for career growth.

Benefits

Subscription to professional body

Tailored training

33 days annual leave

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous referral scheme

Volunteering Day

Flexible parental leave

Cycle to work and electric vehicle schemes

Qualifications

• BSc and/or MSc in Ecology or related discipline required.
• Must be a Full Member (or eligible) of CIEEM.
• Experience in project management and ecological surveys needed.

Responsibilities

• Manage people, clients, and projects.
• Provide technical leadership and conduct ecological assessments.
• Develop business proposals and engage with clients.

Skills

Project management

Ecological surveys and assessments

Business development

Scottish planning system knowledge

Report writing

Communication skills

Mentoring

Technical review

Problem-solving

Driving licence

Education

BSc and/or MSc in Ecology

Full Membership of relevant professional body

Tools

GIS

Data analysis tools

Job description

Overview

Arthian is recruiting for a Principal Consultant to support the growth of the Ecology & Biodiversity Team in Scotland. Whilst the location can be flexible, we are ideally looking for someone who can commute to our office in Grangemouth one day each fortnight.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to take on a wide variety of challenges, including management of people, clients and projects, technical leadership, business development, commercial management, delivery of training etc. We will work to shape the role around the right person to some degree, but a degree of project management and ornithological skills experience would be advantageous. Our tagline is ‘Shaped by Experience, Powered by People’, and we are proud to provide clients with real-world, pragmatic and focused advice which seeks to support our clients as well as providing benefits to biodiversity.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess a BSc and/or MSc in Ecology or related discipline and be a Full Member (or eligible for Full Membership) of a relevant professional body such as the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

The following skills are considered essential to the role:

• Demonstrable experience in project management, including client liaison, budget management, and team coordination
• Proven experience in leading ecological surveys and assessments across a range of Scottish habitats and species
• Experience in tender writing, fee proposals, and business development
• Good working knowledge of Scottish planning system, wildlife legislation, planning policy, and ecological best practice (e.g. NPF4, CIEEM guidelines)
• Excellent report writing skills, including EcIA, HRA, and mitigation strategies
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to talk to clients about complex problems using plain language
• Experience mentoring junior staff and contributing to team management / development
• Ability to undertake technical reviews of PEAs, ecological assessments and other report types
• A willingness to be inventive and creative in developing ecological solutions to novel problems
• Willingness to travel and work flexible hours, including occasional overnight stays
• Full UK driving licence

The following skills would be advantageous, but are not an essential requirement for the role:

• Chartered Ecologist (CEcol) or Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status
• Experience in ornithological surveys and monitoring, protected species, and/or habitat surveys
• Holding one or more protected species survey licences (e.g. bats, great crested newt, badger, otter)
• Experience working on infrastructure, utilities, or renewables projects
• Experience with stakeholder engagement, including local authorities, landowners, and community groups
• Familiarity with GIS and data analysis tools

About the Offer

The salary range for this role would be commensurate with experience. In addition, Arthian offers numerous benefits including:

• Subscription to a relevant professional body (generally expected to be CIEEM)
• External and internal training tailored around the individual
• 33 days annual leave (leave and public holiday combined) and the option to buy and sell holidays
• An Employee Assistance Programme
• A generous employee referral scheme
• Volunteering Day for a worthy cause
• Fully flexible parental leave options
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle schemes