At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead ecological initiatives to help nature recover in England's treasured landscapes.
- Company: Join Forestry England, a passionate team dedicated to making a positive environmental impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous holiday, pension contributions, and employee discounts.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team with opportunities for career growth and lifelong learning.
- Why this job: Make a real difference for wildlife and communities while developing your ecology expertise.
- Qualifications: Experience in ecology and a passion for conservation are essential.
The predicted salary is between 35039 - 35039 £ per year.
Salary: £35,039 per annum
Hours: 37 hours per week
Vacancy closes: Monday 16th November 2026, 23:58
Join us. We’re foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.
Overview:
We are Forestry England. We live and breathe forests.
As District Ecologist with Forestry England in Yorkshire, you will play a leading role in helping nature recover across some of England’s most treasured landscapes. You’ll provide expert ecological advice that shapes how we manage our forests for wildlife, people and climate, ensuring we protect designated sites, conserve protected species and deliver nature recovery at a landscape scale.
Working closely with colleagues across the district and national organisation, you’ll develop and implement management plans for protected sites, guide the ecological aspects of operational and long-term forest planning, and help create resilient, nature-rich forests for future generations.
Covering a varied district, including over 1,000ha of SSSIs and 2,000ha of ancient woodlands, the District Ecologist role will coordinate the planning and delivery of nature recovery operations on protected sites. You’ll design and oversee monitoring programmes, analyse evidence to inform land management decisions, manage nature recovery projects and contracts, and build strong partnerships with conservation organisations, landowners, and academic institutions.
The role will also involve supporting volunteering and exploring new ways to engage with the public to improve our understanding of the forests we care for. You’ll be part of a supportive Yorkshire team as well as a wider national network of ecologists and nature recovery specialists, with opportunities to develop your expertise in ecology, monitoring, conservation management and sustainable forestry.
Where you’ll work:
The post will initially be based at Forestry England’s Yorkshire Office in Pickering. It will move to the Dalby Forest Office in spring/summer 2028. Regular travel around Forestry England’s estate in Yorkshire will be required. There will be occasional trips outside of Yorkshire for Forestry England-wide meetings, which may require an overnight stay.
Benefits:
- Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
- 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
- STaR is our employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays, clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
- Free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
- A commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.
Nationality Requirements:
Working for the Civil Service: Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role.
This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative. Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.
Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.
District Ecologist | Pickering employer: Ecology Jobs
At Lanarca, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation in the field of ecology. Our team enjoys comprehensive benefits, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to work on high-profile projects that make a real impact on conservation efforts across the UK. Join us to be part of a passionate team dedicated to setting national best practices while enjoying a supportive environment that values your contributions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land District Ecologist | Pickering
✨Get Involved in Local Environmental Initiatives
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✨Join Industry-Specific Organisations
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✨Show Off Your Projects and Passion
Create a portfolio that highlights any relevant projects, whether it's coursework, internships, or personal initiatives. Share this online, perhaps even on platforms like GitHub or your own website, to grab the attention of hiring managers looking for talent like us.
✨Utilise Environmental Job Boards
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We think you need these skills to ace District Ecologist | Pickering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Skills:When applying for a role in environmental engineering tech, make sure to highlight your technical skills like CAD software proficiency, data analysis, or modelling techniques. These are essential for the job and should stand out in your CV and cover letter, showing how you can contribute to projects at Ecology Jobs.
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Tailor Your Application to the Role:Don't just send a generic CV and cover letter. Make sure to tailor your application to the specific role of District Ecologist | Pickering at Ecology Jobs. Highlight experiences that align directly with the job description and give concrete examples of your work to demonstrate that you’re the right fit for a full-time position.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Ecology Jobs
✨Brush Up on Environmental Regulations
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✨Showcase Your Technical Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your proficiency with relevant tools and software, such as AutoCAD or GIS. You might be given a practical problem to solve during the interview, so it’s a great idea to brush up on these skills and perhaps even bring a portfolio of your projects to showcase your technical prowess.
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