Overview

Join us as we continue our ambitions for growth and innovation! Help expand and manage our terrestrial ecology services!

Competitive salary plus benefits

Deadline for applications: 6th July 2020

About APEM

APEM is Europe’s largest specialist aquatic environmental consultancy. We offer our clients an integrated approach to the investigation and management of freshwater catchments and terrestrial and marine habitats and operate UK wide and internationally. Our consultants are recognised experts in their fields, and as a company we pride ourselves on our commitment to scientific rigour and an excellent service in providing solutions to our clients.

2019 was a big year for APEM. We were awarded water industry consultant of the year and we completed a management buyout. In 2020 and beyond we will continue our ambitions for growth and innovation.

APEM is a highly reputable company, renowned for our quality and long list of trusted clients, who once secured, provide repeat business year after year, trusting us to deliver a high-quality service at a fair price.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for a high-calibre, motivated and commercially-minded Senior Ecology Consultant to help expand and manage our terrestrial ecology services and support our developing, expanding business area and to work on and manage a wide variety of projects. Project work will likely include water company infrastructure and capital schemes across the UK, river and wetland restoration investigations and various regulator investigations. You will work with internal and external teams liaising with clients, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, County Ecologists, Local Authority planning officers, and stakeholders and assist in gaining any necessary consents and licences.

You will provide authoritative ecological advice and innovative mitigation solutions/ enhancement considerations across a range of sites and schemes with varying levels of environmental and ecological sensitivities, including National and European designations. You will have a detailed understanding of Ecological Impact Assessments, planning regulations and nature conservation legislations. You will have a good knowledge of legislation and policy requirements associated with Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and other relevant designations.

Ideally, you will be familiar with GIS systems and understand environmental technical disciplines at a high level allowing you to coordinate and project manage their input into the delivery of the project. Across APEM you will work as part of a team of specialists and you will have great written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work closely with internal and external stakeholders.

A focus of the role will be undertaking and managing ecological surveys and assessments, for example Phase 1 Habitat surveys and protected species surveys and mitigation. The applicant must be able to demonstrate the following:

  • Hold at least one protected species licence with Natural England and/ or Natural Resources Wales;
  • Extensive extended Phase 1 Habitat survey experience. Knowledge of the UKHab habitat classification scheme and good botanical skills is desirable, as is experience of hedgerow surveys;
  • Sound understanding of relevant nature conservation legislation in England and Wales and development planning policy;
  • Practical experience of protected species translocation and ECoW;
  • Experience in preparing Ecological Impact Assessments, Preliminary Roost Assessments and Habitat/ Species Management Plans

About you

To be successful in this role we are looking for applications from experienced professionals who have worked in a similar role. They should have:

  • Ecology-related degree and preferably either an MSc or PhD in a relevant discipline;
  • Minimum of three years relevant professional experience;
  • Surveying and working experience in the UK regulatory framework including protected species licensing;
  • Working knowledge of the European and UK wildlife legislation and policy;
  • Associate or Full membership of CIEEM;
  • Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills;
  • Ability to organise and develop their work with minimal supervision, as well as excellent team working ability;
  • Full current UK driving licence.
  • Knowledge and experience of the EIA and HRA processes;
  • Experience of protected species surveys and mitigation for great crested newts, dormouse, otter, water vole, badger and reptiles;
  • Experience in carrying out Biodiversity Net Gain calculations using Defra metric 2.0;
  • GIS skills.

Desirable:

You will be self-motivated and able to work independently and within project teams drawn from our regional offices. As a Senior Consultant you will also have the drive and enthusiasm to expand the current portfolio within APEM and to represent it externally. Thus, the ability to communicate effectively with clients in all sectors and a sense of pride in, and responsibility for your work are paramount for this position.

Whether you are an applicant with academic, regulatory, consultancy or third sector experience you will need to demonstrate your ability to apply your skills in a commercial consultancy context through experience of managing projects and dealing with people effectively and professionally.