Overview
Principal/Senior Ecologist – Location: Manchester (covering the North West of England). Job Type: Permanent. Salary: £40,000. Service Care Solutions is recruiting on behalf of a growing environmental consultancy for an experienced Principal or Senior Ecologist to join their Manchester team, supporting projects across the North West of England. The role seeks a motivated ecology professional with strong technical expertise, project management capability, and a passion for delivering high-quality ecological services across diverse sectors including residential, commercial, industrial, education, and infrastructure.
The Role
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced ecologist looking to take the next step in their career within a supportive and ambitious consultancy environment. The successful candidate will lead and manage ecology projects from inception through to completion, providing technical expertise across a range of ecological disciplines while supporting the continued growth and development of the ecology team. The role involves working on challenging and varied projects with responsibilities spanning technical delivery, client management, mentoring junior staff, and contributing to wider business development activities.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and deliver complex ecology projects across the North West
* Manage projects from initial client liaison through to completion
* Undertake and review ecological surveys and technical reports including:
o Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA)
o Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA)
o Habitat Regulations Assessments (HRA)
o Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessments
* Advise on mitigation, compensation, habitat enhancement, and management strategies
* Apply and advise on UK wildlife legislation, planning policy, and BNG requirements
* Use the DEFRA Statutory Biodiversity Metric where applicable
* Provide Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) support when required
* Mentor and support Assistant and Junior Ecologists
* Contribute to fee proposals, tenders, and business development opportunities
* Maintain high standards of quality assurance and health & safety compliance
* Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, planners, and stakeholders
Essential Requirements
* Degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, or a related discipline
* Minimum 5 years’ ecology consultancy experience
* Full membership of CIEEM (MCIEEM)
* Strong understanding of UK wildlife legislation and planning policy
* Experience delivering ecological assessments and technical reporting
* Proven project management and client-facing experience
* Experience with Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessments and strategies
* Excellent communication and organisational skills
* Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
* Full UK driving licence
Desirable Experience
* Protected species licences (bats, great crested newts, badgers, dormice, otters, etc.)
* Natural England Class 2 Bat Licence
* Habitat Regulations Assessment experience
* GIS experience
* Staff mentoring or line management experience
* EcIA and Environmental Statement chapter writing experience
What is on Offer
* Competitive salary package
* Excellent career progression opportunities
* Supportive and collaborative working environment
* Opportunity to work on a broad range of high-profile projects
* Ongoing professional development and training
* Flexible working opportunities
* Company benefits package
Note: This description reflects the role and responsibilities; application instructions have been omitted to focus on job content.
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