Overview

Quantock Ecology has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior Ecologist to join our expanding team. We are looking for a motivated individual to help continue to deliver a professional, experienced and reliable service. The successful candidate will work alongside the Director/Principal Ecologist in providing technical support for the team when required, along with undertaking ecological surveys, report writing, project management and ideally live within a reasonable commuting distance to our office.

Salary: £28 ,000 – £34,000
Contract: Full Time
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Location: Based from home or at our offices at Prockters Farm Office, West Monkton, Taunton TA2 8QN, to suite the successful applicant.

You will also be responsible for ecological subcontractors, approving scope of works, undertaking technical reviews, team leadership and provide mentorship to junior staff. Good communication skills are essential as you will be liaising with clients, project managers statutory bodies and other project stakeholders including contractors.

This will be a fantastic opportunity for the right candidates to build on existing knowledge and skill sets, with career development opportunities. Quantock Ecology is family run business, which specialises in terrestrial ecology working primarily across the southwest, south Wales and southern Britain.

Duties will include:

  • The undertaking or leading of ecological surveys for a range of fauna, including bats, birds, badger, great crested newts, reptiles, dormouse, water vole and otter etc.
  • The undertaking or leading of habitat surveys, with the ability to differentiate main broad and priority habitat types in the field.
  • The writing/completion of scientific reports based on the surveys undertaken above.
  • The production of method statements/mitigation plans and European Protected Species Mitigation Licences.
  • Keeping accurate field notes in accordance with the principles of scientific data collection, with experience in handling, recording and storing data effectively.
  • Taking responsibility for staff management on mitigation projects, ensuring that there is sufficient staffing for various projects.
  • Provide technical support to (junior) team members and seasonal ecologists.
  • Recording data and tasks accurately on our project management software and understanding the commercial nature of consultancy projects.
  • Work will include evening and dawn bat surveys, paid as overtime, TOIL or as part of contracted hours.

The successful candidate will:

  • Have a good understanding of wildlife legislation and be able to communicate this clearly to colleagues, clients and contractors.
  • Have a degree within a relevant discipline.
  • Be self-driven and motivated, with personal achievement goals.
  • Have at least five years’ experience working within an ecological consultancy.
  • Hold a bat survey licence (level 2 or above).
  • Hold full membership with CIEEM or equivalent professional body (e.g. Royal Society of Biology).
  • Hold a full UK driving licence.
  • Have excellent attention to detail and communication skills.
  • Be competent in GIS/QGIS and the MS packages (word/excel/outlook etc).
  • Take personal responsibility for their health and safety whilst at work and conduct work in a safe, professional and responsible manner.

Desirable Skills:

  • Experience with software such as ARC GIS.
  • Hold survey licences for barn owl/dormouse/GCN
  • Registered consultant under the Bat Mitigation Class Licence system.
  • Competent and experienced in compiling European Protects Species Mitigation licences (bats/badgers etc)
  • Competent in bat sound analysis software (e.g. Kaleidoscope Pro).

What we can offer:

  • £28,000 – £34,000 per annum.
  • Home working if desirable.
  • Overtime paid for ‘out of hours’ bat surveys.
  • Extremely flexible working through flexi-time.
  • 25 days holiday plus statutory holidays pro rata.
  • Bespoke training budget.
  • Company pension scheme.
  • Private healthcare

Contact Details:

To apply, please send a covering letter along with your CV to Simon Pidgeon (Director) at simon@quantockecology.co.uk.