Ecologist in Norwich

The Environment Service has an exciting opportunity for an Ecologist to join our Ecology Team. Working with the Environment Service Specialist Advice group and reporting to our Lead Ecologist, this role will support the delivery of a wide range of strategic and infrastructure projects ensuring that the natural environment of Norfolk is safeguarded and enhanced through the planning system. This is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about biodiversity and would be suitable for early career ecologists or those wishing to gain practical experience of the planning system.

The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that the biodiversity potential of sites is preserved and enhanced, providing a cost‑effective, professional, in‑house ecological advice service to support Norfolk County Council in meeting its ecological and green infrastructure obligations. The role will lead on biodiversity issues, providing advice to Development Management and Planning Policy Officers across a wide range of projects.

We are looking for a motivated individual who can effectively manage peaks in workload to provide timely input into planning decisions. You will ideally have a basic understanding of the English planning system, wildlife legislation, and experience of undertaking ecological assessments and producing associated ecological reports. An ability to evaluate habitats to UK Habitats Classification level would be beneficial.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Writing or interpreting ecological reports for Town and Country Planning matters.
• Determining the appropriateness of ecological reports submitted with a planning application and deciding if further information is required from the applicant.
• Deciding if NCC projects require protected species surveys, and where appropriate, undertaking them in accordance with legislation and national guidance.
• Identifying and designing appropriate ecological mitigation and compensation measures for NCC schemes, including providing ecological advice on small and medium highways schemes to support Highways Officers.
• Supporting project delivery within the wider Environment Service, such as the delivery of Trails infrastructure, tree planting, and site management.

You will ideally be a member of CIEEM (associate or higher) or able to apply for this designation. Previous experience of this type of role will be an advantage, but we are willing to consider candidates with suitable transferable skills. We are looking for someone with good communication skills at all levels, who will fit in well with our friendly team.

Benefits you can enjoy by working for Norfolk County Council:

• Competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Health and wellbeing services including fast‑track physiotherapy and a free counselling service
• Flexible working opportunities including flexi‑time, part‑time, remote and hybrid working – dependent on your job role and business need.
• Financial benefits such as: Norfolk Rewards – our employee discounts programme which helps you save money on groceries, clothing, holidays, technology, gym membership, cinema and other leisure activities.
• Blue Light card for Fire Service and Social Care Workers.
• Relocation expenses (where applicable).
• An advance of your expenses if you travel for work.
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution, life assurance, death in service payments and dependant pensions.
• Tax‑efficient ways of getting extra pension and new bikes.
• Access to our tax‑efficient car lease scheme for greener travel, enabling you to lease a brand‑new, ultra‑low emission vehicle (subject to eligibility).
• A payment if you refer someone you know to a hard‑to‑fill job.