Associate Ecologist | Bath, London, Leeds, Manchester

Overview

This role can be based in any of our UK offices (Bath, London, Leeds, Manchester) with hybrid working arrangements to suit, and can be offered on a permanent or contract basis.

In this role, you will be able to be part of a small team that has a key influence on the outcomes of a wide variety of diverse and interesting projects across the UK and/or internationally – from urban renewal and regeneration schemes to regional-scale nature-based solutions strategies and habitat restoration plans.  Whether you want to specialise in particular aspects of UK work or experience as much variety as possible across our global portfolio, we will support you to do that and enable you to shape your career in the direction that you want to take it.

This role will encompass: 

• UK focus: supporting the UK Ecology and Biodiversity Management lead in the strategic growth of climate resilience and nature-based solutions work, including the opportunity to lead service offers you have a particular interest in, and to grow your own team to deliver these.
• International focus: providing direct-to-client ecological advice in areas such as regional environmental plans, environmental zoning plans, regional restoration and offsetting strategies, masterplans and EIAs.
• Providing senior input into multidisciplinary projects, including liaising across disciplines, presenting findings and recommendations to clients, managing team inputs and being responsible for the technical outputs of the team.
• Defining ecological survey requirements, liaising with species’ experts (we routinely work with IUCN experts on our international and large-scale projects) and managing sub-consultants to carry out surveys.

• Advising on biodiversity restoration/enhancement and integration of green infrastructure and other nature-based solutions to secure biodiversity gain and strengthen climate change resilience measures.
• Advising on the implementation of international best practice such as the International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standard 6, which relates to biodiversity (it is recognised that candidates may not already have this experience, and full training and support can be provided).
• Senior technical review of reports and presentations
• Project management, including resource planning, managing budgets, and contribution to work winning, including the preparation of proposals.
• Management and mentoring of more junior team members.
• Liaising with clients and building client relationships.
• Keeping up to date with industry standards and collaborating across the company to ensure that biodiversity is central to the work that Buro Happold does.

We are looking for:

• Experienced individuals who are passionate about their work and have a strong technical background in ecology (terrestrial or marine) or a related discipline, either in the UK or internationally.
• Either:
  • A technical understanding of, and experience in, the UK planning system and ecological legislation and best practice, including master planning, Ecological Impact Assessment, Biodiversity Net Gain and Biodiversity Action Plans or
  • Experience of working on international projects requiring IFC Performance Standards to be met, including a good technical understanding of PS6 and related reporting requirements.
• Experience of successful multidisciplinary project delivery, through:
  • proactively working with design teams to ensure that biodiversity considerations are embedded into the decision-making process.
  • planning and management of budgets and time management.
  • communicating biodiversity issues to a variety of audiences, through meetings, presentations and reporting.
• The desire to coach and mentor more junior staff to help them develop their own technical and commercial skills.
• In general, having a positive, solutions-focussed and collaborative approach to working within the team, and encouraging independent thinking, innovation and a supportive working environment.

Join us to find out what you’re really capable of. #LI-TG1 #LI-Hybrid

What we offer you

Bring your knowledge and expertise to one of the world’s most respected consultancies.

• Hybrid working arrangements
• Attractive salary
• Discretionary bonus
• Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements
• Generous company pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
• Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts
• Enhanced parenthood leave policies
• A strong commitment to continuous development. Whatever stage in your career, we have a learning and development programme that will enable and empower you
• Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions
• A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities
• An opportunity to support your local community and those in society that are most in need, wherever they are located in the world through our Share Our Skills (SOS) programme
• A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring
• An international culture that wherever your career takes you at Buro Happold, you won’t be far from exceptional.

Apply now and be where exceptional is everywhere.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values an individual’s flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing difference allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.