Ecology Graduate - Edinburgh - March 26 start

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we\’re delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world\’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of nearly 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We\’re one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

AECOM are seeking Graduate Ecologists in our Edinburgh Office for a March 2026 start.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further your career by gaining valuable work experience within an established and successful consultancy.

About our Team

Our Nature team is part of AECOM’s Environment, Water and Energy business (one of the leading environmental consultancies in the UK and Ireland) which delivers environmental management services for feasibility, designing innovative nature-based solutions, delivery and management of environmental impact assessment for planning and environmental due diligence to mitigate environmental risks.

We work across terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments in a wide range of sectors: energy, water, government, manufacturing and transportation.

Most of our work is based in the UK and Ireland, and there may also be opportunities overseas including Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Our ecologists work alongside architects, engineers, planners, economists and other environmental specialists on important projects. Together we provide the full range of ecological services including habitat and species surveys, impact assessment, advice on biodiversity mitigation, offsetting and enhancement, and management planning for biodiversity.

Here\’s what you\’ll do:

• In this role you will be working within a multi-disciplinary team on desk-based assessments and field surveys including preliminary ecological appraisal, UKHab Survey, biodiversity net gain data collection and assessments, and a range of protected species surveys.
• From time to time, fieldwork is likely to require working away from home and some working at night when surveying.
• In addition to field skills, good organization, research and planning skills are also required to support a team which works safely and to a high technical standard.
• You’ll also need to be able to work with a range of taxonomic groups, and you’ll be encouraged to pursue your own interests.

Enjoy the Perks

At AECOM, you\’ll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Here is what you will get from us!

• On the job support and learning
• When a graduate starts at AECOM, we pair them with a senior member of the team who will guide and mentor them through their initial period working on live projects and business development tasks, to support with any technical queries.
• As an Ecology Graduate with AECOM, you will be trained in technical skills, safety, project management and business systems. We’ll support you with a structured graduate development programme to help you realise your full potential as an ecologist on some of the most significant projects in the UK, Ireland and overseas.

Graduate Development Programme

Our 2-year graduate ADVANCE programme is designed to help you build your career in AECOM. You will attend several instructor-led training sessions where you will meet and hear from people across the business and take part in a series of interactive activities to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role. Alongside the instructor-led elements of the ADVANCE programme, you will also engage with an online curriculum via AECOM University and can join the ADV ANCE webinar series. We will provide you with all the support and tools you need to achieve your professional development ambitions, which may include Chartership with the relevant international professional institution.

We have more than 750 graduates on our programmes across the UK and Ireland from more than 40 different disciplines, each making a tangible difference to the environment in which we live and work.

The Professional Institute you will work towards is the Chartered Institute for Ecologists and Environmental Managers (CIEEM).

See our digital early careers e-brochurehere

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• 2:1 degree and above (or equivalent) in Ecology or a subject with ecological component – Ecology, Environmental Biology, Zoology, Environmental Diagnosis and Management, Wildlife Conservation/Biodiversity, Conservation Biology and Resource Management, Species Identification and Surveying, Environmental Science/Consultancy, Environmental Management and Sustainability, Biological Science, Geography
• Keen interest and understanding of UK wildlife
• UK plant and animal (indirect and direct field signs) identification skills
• Good practical field skills
• Previous exposure to protected species surveys
• Ability to record data efficiently and methodically
• Strong Microsoft Office skills including Microsoft Word and Excel
• Strong numeracy
• Ability to communicate effectivelyboth verbally & in writing with the confidence to engage with a variety of people and the aptitude to rationally explain, explore and discuss technical issues and capture feedback
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail. Ability to structure & prioritise work effectively through close cooperation with the team as a whole
• Self-motivation, enthusiasm, hardworking, with ambition and drive
• Strong report writing skills
• Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with colleagues
• Commitment to continued education and improvement through our approved training schemes
• Willing and able to visit other locations on company business
• A full driving licence would be beneficial as the role will involve travel for site surveys with equipment and limited public transport access
• Previous experience in the ecology sector (eg, with an NGO as a volunteer or within a professional consultancy) would be beneficial, including work placements or relevant voluntary experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working towards obtaining protected species licence, such as bats, great crested newts, hazel dormouse etc
• Postgraduate qualification in relevant subject
• Proven experience of Phase 1 habitat or UKHab Surveys
• Membership of or working towards full membership of appropriate professional institution

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us at ReasonableAccommodations@aecom.com

At AECOM, we value everyone\’s unique contributions and perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Additional Information

Additional information

• Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since CVs will be reviewed, and candidates selected for an advanced offer start.
• Please include a covering letter with your application and provide all predicted and/or obtained academic grades.
• You must have permanent right to work in the UK as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address ReasonableAccommodations@aecom.com if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

ReqID: REF53494E

Business Line: Environment

Business Group: DCS

Strategic Business Unit: Europe & India

Career Area: Science

Work Location Model: Hybrid