Consultant Ecologist in Cheshire, Chester

Binnies are recruiting for a Consultant Ecologist to have a key role in our Chester-based team area within our growing Ecology team (a CIEEM Registered Practice). We have a strong focus on high quality survey and assessment combined with biodiversity enhancement and restoration across our portfolio of work at all scales and sectors including flood, coastal and maritime, water utilities, transport and renewable power. This key role would also support our growing portfolio of work in England and Wales including natural capital projects and Solutions By Nature; our RSK joint venture providing nature-based solutions via blue-green infrastructure to the water industry.

You would be a key part of our national Environmental team and work with our ecologists, landscape architects and other specialists to drive the quality of our surveys and assessments across diverse projects including new reservoir development, river restoration, catchment management, SSSI assessment and coastal management. We are already developing new approaches through our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), GIS and Digital Ecology specialists to optimise the use of technology in collecting data and this role would have the benefit of being supported by and learning from the outputs of these exciting work areas. Depending on your skill sets and interest there would also be the opportunity to undertake wider ecological assessment, design and survey work.

The successful applicant will be able to author concise and accurate reports to industry good practice guidelines, including methods and results of surveys and Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (or equivalent level reporting). There will be support to learn and input to Ecological Impact Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment, as relevant to your specialist interest areas. Our focus for this role is to support our growing and varied project workload in the West of England and Wales and it is expected that frequent site attendance to support these projects will be required. You would be welcome in our excellently-located Chester office as a full time or hybrid worker.

To support Binnies in our ambitions for our Ecology team, the role would involve:

• Working with the Binnies ecology management team to deliver high-quality ecological surveys and reporting, alongside supporting the development of more junior team members.
• Providing advice on survey requirements to clients and internal project management teams.
• Discussing proposed survey protocols and site-specific survey plans with internal project teams, including the writing of site and task specific risk assessments.
• Leading survey teams for specialisms you are qualified and/or licenced in, including the management and analysis of recorded data.
• Authoring technical reports or report sections for work you have undertaken.
• Authoring Preliminary Ecological Appraisals and contributing to Ecological Impact Assessments and Habitats Regulations Assessments (with support from more experienced colleagues).
• Working with our BNG, Nature Recovery, GIS and Digital specialists to maximise use of technology to optimise surveys and reporting.

Qualifications/Requirements

The role is suitable for an Ecology professional with several years experience and working towards full membership of CIEEM or equivalent. You should possess and be able to demonstrate the following qualifications, skills and knowledge:

• Have an ecological/environmental related degree.
• Experience of undertaking habitat survey of non-complex sites, preferably using UKHab (or Phase 1 in Wales).
• Experience of working under statutory survey licences (carrying out survey work under your own licence or accredited under someone else's).
• Competence and experience of utilising standard survey guidance, survey techniques and appropriate survey equipment.
• Competence in the development of risk assessments for the activity to a suitable standard and in accordance with Binnies strong commitment to health, safety and wellbeing.
• Experience of delivering Preliminary Ecological Appraisals for non-complex sites.
• Have excellent written and oral communication.
• Enjoy innovation and embracing advances in technology and ecology.
• Hold a full UK driving licence.

Desirable experience includes:

• Holding a protected species survey licence.
• Data analysis software experience.
• Field survey data collection app experience (e.g. Field Maps, Survey123).
• Ecological Impact Assessment experience.
• Protected Species Mitigation licensing experience.
• Ecological Clerk of Works experience.
• Previous consultancy experience.

Binnies is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We firmly believe that embracing and celebrating the diversity in our workforce makes us a stronger and more innovative company.

If you're passionate about making a difference, join us as we work together to build a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all.