At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead ecological projects and mentor junior ecologists while making a real impact on biodiversity.
- Company: Join CSA Environmental, a top-rated consultancy with a collaborative and supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, generous leave, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Great team events, family-friendly policies, and a commitment to equality and inclusion.
- Why this job: Be part of ambitious ecology work that shapes sustainable development and enhances natural habitats.
- Qualifications: Degree in ecology or biology, experience in protected species surveys, and strong project management skills.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.
Senior/ Principal Ecologist – Sussex (Brighton Office)
If you'd like to have an informal conversation before applying, our ecology lead within the Sussex office would love to hear from you - contact clare. caudwell@csaenvironmental. co. uk / 01273 927399.
Formal applications can be sent to Clare at the same address.
We are always happy to hear from prospective candidates and to chat about the role, the team and what CSA may specifically be able to offer to you.
We understand the importance of finding a good fit and looking at how CSA may be able to support your career development.
At CSA Environmental, we’ve spent over 25 years helping to create well‑designed places where people, nature and development can coexist more harmoniously.
Join a team doing genuinely ambitious ecology work on the south coast and beyond.
CSA Environmental is an independent, multidisciplinary consultancy of 85 people across five offices.
Our Brighton team of 10 ecologists, that form part of a wider team of 50+ ecologist across the business, have built a strong reputation across the south‑east for providing clear, reliable ecological advice, and for encouraging clients to go further than the baseline.
We are proud to hold the
Great Place to Work certification (2026) , independently awarded based on our team’s own feedback.
It reflects what we’ve always believed: that good work comes from people who feel valued, trusted and supported to grow.
CSA Environmental is built on collaboration, mutual respect and continuous learning.
Our team share knowledge generously, across disciplines as well as within them.
Working alongside landscape architects, heritage consultants, urban designers and arboriculturists doesn’t just make projects better.
It makes ecologists better.
Role details
Ecology is not about compliance, it’s increasingly the discipline that shapes how development land is planned, designed and valued.
At CSA, we take that seriously.
We actively encourage clients to look beyond mandatory requirements and to think about what genuine long‑term biodiversity improvement looks like on their sites.
That ambition runs through our project work, our habitat bank schemes, and the advice we give at every project stage.
As a member of the senior ecology team, you’ll be part of a practice that works this way by design.
You’ll work closely with colleagues in landscape architecture, heritage, urban design, arboriculture and masterplanning, a cross‑disciplinary environment that deepens ecological knowledge and produces better outcomes for clients and for nature.
- What you’ll be doing
- Coordinating and delivering ecological inputs across all project stages, from initial assessment through to implementation and monitoring
- Leading and supporting protected species surveys and mitigation strategies Preparing and reviewing PEAs, Ec IAs, HRAs, BNG assessments and related reporting
- Delivering BNG assessments and contributing to habitat bank schemes – work that sits at the forefront of how the profession is evolving
- Working closely with clients, LPAs and design teams to develop balanced, proportionate solutions
- Providing technical input during concept design and planning stages
- Mentoring and supporting junior ecologists in the team
- Contributing to CSA’s reputation for high‑quality, pragmatic advice in the region
- Greenfield residential and mixed‑use development
- Brownfield regeneration and mineral extraction sites
- Solar and renewable energy projects
- Habitat bank schemes and biodiversity enhancement programmes
- Landscape‑scale ecological improvement projects
- Smaller, bespoke local commissions
This range gives opportunity to gain experience across complex, multi‑stage developments and fast‑paced local work, with BNG running as a thread through much of it.
About you
- Degree in ecology or biology (2:1 or above desirable)
- Experience in protected species and habitat surveys, including UKHab
- Good botanical skills (ideally FISC Level 3 or above)
- Sound understanding of relevant wildlife legislation
- Experience of project management and client facing role(s)
- Confident with MS Office and QGIS
- Well‑organised, collaborative and adaptable
- Willingness to undertake some evening surveys and occasional overnight stays
- Full UK driving licence and own vehicle (insured for business use)
- CIEEM membership (ACIEEM or above, or actively working toward it)
- Technical specialism (e. g. ornithology or botany)
- Protected species survey licences (e. g. bats, dormice or others)
- Experience with EPS licensing
- River Condition Assessor accreditation
If you don’t meet every point here but have strong foundations and transferable skills at ecologist level, we’d still like to hear from you.
What we offer
- Salary and contract
- Permanent, full‑time contract
- Flexibility
- Hybrid working – up to 2 days per week from home
- Flexible working around core hours
- Annual profit‑related and performance bonus
- Overtime pay for out‑of‑hours survey work
- Pension contributions that increase with length of service
- Mobile phone and fieldwork clothing allowance
- 25 days annual leave (to include 3 days for Christmas shutdown)
- Rising incrementally to 30 days over 10 years
- Development and progression
- Supported career progression – promotion from within is a genuine priority at CSA, and we invest in developing the people already in our team
- Generous CPD and external training budget
- Career development aligned with the CIEEM Competency Framework
- Paid CIEEM membership and EPS class licence fees
- Team and culture
- Annual company and ecology team events, plus volunteering days
- Family‑friendly policies
- Employee Assistance Programme and mental health first‑aiders
How to apply
If you’d like to have an informal conversation before applying, our ecology lead within the Sussex office would love to hear from you – contact clare. caudwell@csaenvironmental. co. uk / 01273 927399.
Formal applications can be sent to Clare at the same address.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.
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