Senior Ecologist – Leeds

Salary: £38,000–£47,000 DOE
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Job Type: Permanent, Full-time
Working Pattern: Hybrid / Flexible Working
Job Reference: 56069

Ready to Take Ownership of Your Own Ecological Projects?

Are you an experienced Ecologist looking for the opportunity to take the lead on projects, make your own decisions and have a real influence on how work is delivered?

Perhaps you're ready for greater responsibility but still want the reassurance of working alongside highly experienced Ecologists who can offer guidance, share their knowledge and support your continued development.

We're recruiting for a Senior Ecologist to join an established environmental consultancy in Leeds, offering the opportunity to take genuine ownership of projects while benefiting from a collaborative and supportive team environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to build their confidence as a project leader, develop their technical and commercial skills, and take the next step towards Principal Ecologist and beyond.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Real Project Ownership: Take the lead on your own ecological projects, managing work from initial assessment through to completion.

• Experienced Technical Support: Work alongside knowledgeable senior professionals who are available to provide guidance, mentoring and technical advice.

• Career Progression: Clear opportunities to develop your skills, increase your responsibilities and progress into more senior positions.

• Varied and Interesting Projects: Gain experience across a diverse range of developments, environmental assessments and infrastructure schemes.

• Hybrid & Flexible Working: Enjoy flexibility to balance office, home and site-based responsibilities.

• Competitive Salary: £38,000–£47,000 depending on experience, with regular salary reviews.

• Generous Annual Leave: 26 days' holiday, increasing with length of service, plus bank holidays.

• Professional Development: Ongoing training, mentoring and support towards professional accreditation and specialist skills development.

• Collaborative Culture: Join a friendly team where individuals are trusted to manage their workload while having access to experienced colleagues when needed.

The Role

As a Senior Ecologist, you'll have the opportunity to manage and deliver your own ecological projects, working directly with clients and helping to shape practical environmental solutions.

You'll be trusted to take responsibility for project delivery, from planning and coordinating surveys through to preparing technical reports and providing ecological advice.

Importantly, you won't be expected to know everything or work in isolation. You'll have access to experienced Ecologists who can provide technical guidance, review complex work and help you continue developing your expertise.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and coordinating ecological surveys and assessments across a range of projects.

• Managing projects from initial scoping through to reporting and delivery.

• Preparing and reviewing Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEAs), Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIAs) and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) assessments.

• Providing practical ecological advice to clients and project teams.

• Supporting environmental assessments and planning applications.

• Managing project programmes, budgets and resources.

• Developing client relationships and contributing to fee proposals.

• Supporting and mentoring junior Ecologists, sharing your knowledge and helping them develop.

• Working collaboratively with colleagues across different environmental disciplines.

About You

We're looking for someone with a solid foundation in ecological consultancy who is ready to take on greater responsibility and continue developing their career.

Ideally, you'll have:

• A degree in Ecology, Environmental Science or a related discipline.

• Experience delivering ecological surveys, assessments and technical reports.

• Good knowledge of UK wildlife legislation, planning policy and protected species.

• Experience preparing PEAs, EcIAs and BNG assessments.

• Confidence communicating with clients and coordinating project activities.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.

• Experience supervising or mentoring junior colleagues, or an interest in developing these skills.

• Membership of CIEEM or progress towards professional accreditation.

Protected species licences, experience with EIA projects or previous project management responsibilities would be advantageous, although we would also welcome applications from Ecologists who are looking to develop further in these areas.

A Genuine Opportunity to Progress

One of the biggest attractions of this role is the balance between independence and support.

You'll be given the freedom to take ownership of projects, develop your own approach and build strong relationships with clients, without being left to navigate complex technical challenges alone.

With experienced Ecologists available to provide mentoring and guidance, you'll be supported in strengthening your technical knowledge, developing commercial awareness and gaining the confidence to manage larger and more complex projects.

Whether your next goal is to become a confident project leader, gain additional protected species licences or work towards Principal Ecologist, this opportunity offers a strong platform for your continued development.

Interested in Finding Out More?

If you're a Senior Ecologist, or an experienced Consultant Ecologist ready to take on more responsibility, we'd love to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Embankment Group, quoting Job Reference 56069.

Your CV will never be submitted to an employer without your prior permission.