Senior/Principal Ecologist

Ocean to Earth Recruitment is working with a growing environmental consultancy looking to appoint an experienced Senior or Principal Ecologist in East Sussex.

This is a particularly good opportunity for someone who wants to step away from a larger, more corporate consultancy environment and join a smaller business where they can have more influence, more autonomy and a closer connection to the work they deliver.

The role also offers a four-day working week, alongside flexible hybrid working across home, office and site-based work.

The opportunity

You will join the business at an important stage of growth, with the chance to help shape its ecology offering rather than simply stepping into a fixed structure.

The consultancy already supports clients across central and local government and works on significant highways, infrastructure, utilities, waterways, industrial, housing and environmental management projects across the South East.

This would suit an experienced ecologist who enjoys being trusted to get on with their work, values variety and wants their ideas to have a visible impact on how a team and service develops.

The role

Your work will include:

• Leading and coordinating ecological surveys and fieldwork

• Preparing and reviewing PEAs, EcIAs and protected species reports

• Supporting protected species licensing and mitigation strategies

• Acting as a technical lead across infrastructure and development projects

• Advising clients and project teams on ecological risk and compliance

• Liaising with regulators, stakeholders and multidisciplinary teams

• Supporting projects through planning and construction

• Helping develop the consultancy’s ecology capability as the business grows

There is scope to take genuine ownership of projects and technical decisions, with fewer internal layers than you may find in a larger multidisciplinary consultancy.

What we’re looking for

This is not a junior position, so you will already have established ecological consultancy experience and be comfortable managing your own workload and technical outputs.

You are likely to bring:

• Strong ecological consultancy experience

• At least one protected species licence

• Technical report writing experience

• Confidence managing surveys, projects and clients

• Good knowledge of UK wildlife legislation and planning policy

• A practical, solutions-focused approach

• Full UK driving licence

Additional protected species licences would be particularly useful.

Why consider this opportunity?

The attraction here is not simply the next job title.

It is the chance to join a smaller, growing consultancy with a less corporate feel, where experienced ecologists can have a real say in how projects are delivered and how the ecology service develops.

Alongside the four-day week, the role offers:

• Hybrid and flexible working

• Home, office and site-based working

• Strong pipeline of infrastructure and public sector projects

• Greater autonomy and visibility within the business

• Opportunity to broaden technical and strategic responsibilities

• Scope to influence the future direction of the consultancy

• A collaborative, practical culture focused on delivering good environmental outcomes

If you are a Senior or Principal Ecologist who would value a four-day week, more autonomy and a smaller consultancy environment, contact Vicky Kenrick at Ocean to Earth Recruitment for a confidential conversation.

07341 020135 | vicky@oceantoearth.co.uk

Ocean to Earth Recruitment | Elevating Green Growth