Principal Ecologist
Midlands
Contract or Permanent
The role
* To perform a key role in driving the delivery of HS2’s Green Corridor, assisting the Ecology Lead with:
* Providing technical expertise and guidance on ecological design delivery, particularly on the integration of ecological mitigation into civil engineering and landscape design, with a view to achieving the project goal of No Net Loss of Biodiversity.
* Ensuring the delivery of ecological design and delivery works in accordance with contractual requirements, including HS2 Technical Standards, legislation, policy and best practice guidelines.
* Providing inspiration and technical guidance to the Natural Capital Team.
* The production and/or assurance of high-quality ecological reports and deliverables.
* The design, implementation, monitoring and review of protected species mitigation.
* The assurance of the design and delivery of habitat creation and enhancement measures, including adaptive management based on the outcomes of monitoring data.
* Driving of initiatives for identification and safeguarding of retained habitats.
* Technical assurance deliverables and scopes of work.
* The project management of ecological works packages to enable construction or mitigation activities.
* Solving challenges and problems in design and delivery and identifying solutions to ensure the smooth delivery of design into the delivery of the HS2 Green Corridor.
Interfaces
Internal: Head of Environmental Sustainability – Natural Capital, Ecology Lead, Ecology Team, Construction Teams, Construction Engineers, Environmental Managers, Design Managers, Arboricultural Lead, Landscape Lead, and Ecology Landscape Teams.
External: HS2 Environmental Team, Design Joint Venture. Statutory consultees including Natural England, Wildlife Trusts, and local planning authorities. Approved Ecology Supply Chain
Accountabilities
Driving the development, assurance and implementation of a robust ecological design that conforms to HS2 and industry best practice guidelines, polices and working methods.
Ensuring that the Design is produced in accordance with the Basis of Design document
Assurance of the landscape design shown on the Landscape Environmental Master Plans (LEMPs) is accordance with the:
* Environmental Statement
* No Net Loss Database
* The Ecology Site Management Plans (ESMPs) and Landscape Maintenance, Management and Monitoring Plans (LMMMPs)
Ensuring that the ecology design is appropriate to the location by:
* Checking hydrology/topography for proposed pond locations
* Checking proposed habitats against local area
* Checking proposed habitats against habitat monitoring data
* Checking how previously designed or constructed sites have been integrated into design
Managing design challenges and driving problem solving by:
* Keeping abreast of mitigation site clashes for built EWC sites & ensuring that the required mitigation is programmed into design
* Keeping abreast of mitigation site clashes for designed EWC sites and those to be redesigned
* Ensure that updates to designed sites identified during habitat monitoring are incorporated.
Leading the technical assurance of ecological design by:
* Ensure % monitoring specified in EcMS is reflected in design
* Ensuring that design related U&A and EMR requirements have been incorporated into the design
* Ensuring that ESMP stakeholder consultation is undertaken
* Assuring ecological aspects of Sch 17 and Scheme of Mitigation submissions
* Ensuring pond balance is incorporated
* Ensuring that detailed design does not conflict with protected species licences and method statements
* Ensure documentation is collated for handover
Personal Qualities and Experience
The following qualities/experience are essential:
* Proven and extensive experience of undertaking and implementing the design and delivery of ecological mitigation, enhancement and management for construction projects, particularly NSIPs.
* Thorough understanding and experience of implementing ecological best practice, standards and guidance.
* Strong project management experience and organisational skills.
* Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
* Ideally educated to degree or masters level in an ecology related subject.
* Excellent understanding of ecological legalisation for development and HS2.
* Full driver’s licence and flexibility to travel.
* Protected species licence holder; desirable to be a mitigation licence holder.
* Excellent understanding of the utilities/construction/engineering operating environment.
* Literate in MS Office – Word, Excel, Outlook & GIS.
* Good interpersonal skills and experience of overseeing junior personnel.
* Excellent communication skills and a solution-driven attitude when hosting and contributing to meetings.
* CIEEM Membership or meet the criteria.
* Experienced with communicating with Natural England on projects species licences.
* Skills in working collaboratively to obtain the best outcome for the project.
* Determination to see tasks through to completion with excellent planning.