Consultant Aquatic Ecologist in Nottingham

Are you ready to join a team of talented Ecologists and shape the future of the environment? We are looking for an experienced Consultant Aquatic Ecologist to join the Aquatic Ecology Team at AECOM. We have multi‑disciplinary offices throughout the UK, including Nottingham and Basingstoke, and you would play a key role in providing technical expertise and undertaking surveys for new and existing projects, as well as in the continued growth and development of our team. You will join a growing, friendly, and highly motivated team and contribute to a diverse range of projects. These include the Environment Agency and Natural England, water companies, renewable energy projects, nationally significant infrastructure projects, and many others.

We deliver a diverse range of projects, such as baseline data collection and monitoring for major infrastructure and utility projects, fish passage and weir removal projects, fish rescue and translocation, water quality monitoring for regulators and the private sector, pollution response surveys, drought monitoring – the list goes on!

Responsibilities

• Undertake aquatic surveys in freshwaters.
• Work with other environmental specialists and disciplines on important projects, large and small.
• Collect and/or process freshwater macroinvertebrate samples in the laboratory, undertake benthic macroinvertebrate surveys in freshwaters, assist with fieldwork and sample collection (potentially macroinvertebrate, macrophytes, phytobenthos, fisheries, water quality, etc.).
• Assist with data entry, analysis, and processing for freshwater projects, contributing to survey reports and ecological appraisals and liaising with project managers and clients.
• Deliver consultancy and advisory services to a high level of technical quality, while prioritising safety and security in all that you do.
• Contribute to desk studies and literature reviews.
• Contribute to data capture, collation and presentation, survey reports and ecological appraisals produced to a high technical standard and within agreed deadlines.
• Assist in the production of Environmental Impact Assessment documents in line with CIEEM guidelines.
• You will be involved in monitoring and impact assessment projects for various stakeholders, including water companies, regulators such as the Environment Agency and Natural England, and private clients like National Grid, as well as solar and wind farms and other renewable energy projects.

Our Aquatic Ecology team consists of over 20 specialists located throughout the UK, with laboratories in Nottingham and Leeds, and a southern hub in Basingstoke. AECOM offers excellent opportunities for career development and progression, not only within our team but also across a wide range of environmental disciplines.

Qualifications

• Adaptable and flexible to meet peaks in demands. The role may involve occasional longer or unsociable hours and short periods away from home.
• Experience of some or all of the following aquatic ecology surveys: fish, macroinvertebrates, crayfish, macrophytes, riparian mammals, River Habitat Survey, etc.
• Qualified to degree level or MSc, or higher, in a relevant subject with some previous experience in an aquatic ecology or similar role.
• Member of CIEEM or similar professional body, or eligible to qualify for this status.
• Relevant training, potentially including Water Safety, First Aid, and a licence to drive in the UK.
• Good knowledge of current environmental legislation, including the Water Framework Directive.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you! We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long‑term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role.