Consultant Ecologist

Are you an experienced ecologist ready to take the next step in your consultancy career? Do you enjoy leading surveys, managing small-scale projects, and making a real impact on how developments interact with wildlife and habitats? Are you looking for a varied and flexible role in a supportive team where your skills can grow further?

We’re looking for a Consultant Ecologist to join our friendly Terrestrial Ecology team covering work in the Central Belt of Scotland from West Glasgow to Edinburgh. This is a hybrid role, with time split between home, site, and office, and involves travel across the region, with occasional work in Wales or England.

In this role, you’ll lead terrestrial ecology fieldwork—ranging from Preliminary Ecological Appraisals to protected species surveys—and take responsibility for managing your own projects. You’ll write high-quality ecological reports, liaise with clients, contribute to tenders, and carry out Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) duties. With APEM’s cross-sector expertise in ecology, fisheries, hydrology, and water quality, you’ll be supported in building a well-rounded and impactful consultancy career.

To be successful in this role, you’ll need:

• A relevant degree (or higher) in ecology or a related field
• Qualifying or Associate Membership of CIEEM (or eligibility for it)
• Experience with Phase 1 or UKHab surveys, and protected species work (bats, GCN, dormice, birds, etc.)
• Solid understanding of UK environmental and wildlife legislation
• Strong organisational skills, and the ability to manage small-scale ecological projects
• Excellent report writing and communication abilities
• A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel, including some overnight stays

Desirable, but not essential:

• One or more protected species licences
• Botanical ID skills or NVC experience
• GIS proficiency (QGIS/ArcGIS)
• Familiarity with bat analysis tools (e.g. Kaleidoscope, Bat Explorer)
• Experience delivering client-facing tasks and ECoW duties

You will be offered the chance to work on a variety of projects, many of our employees have worked on projects that have been of personal interest to them. We match this with a commitment to continuous development and learning to support your career. We also offer benefits to look after you, from private medical insurance for all employees, access to mental health first aiders and comprehensive income protection if you cannot work. We also offer superb flexible working options, balancing work with your life.

We are focused on creating a diverse and inclusive team. If you can’t tick every box on our job description, then we are still keen to hear from you and are open to supporting your development. That may be working part time or supporting you to gain experience in a specific area – we are a growing company and are able to adapt roles to reflect individual skills. If you think you have what it takes to join our fast-growing business, then please apply immediately on our website. All we need is some basic information and your CV, we will review all applications quickly and will respond to all applications.

The APEM Group is a global environmental consultancy, we work with a range of clients including large corporations and governments to help them understand and solve a wide variety of environmental projects in the UK and globally. Our successful pioneering work has enabled us to grow and combine forces with other businesses who share our ethos and integrity. At our core, our people are working towards the protection of the environment across the globe.