Associate Nature Recovery Ecologist

This role can be based in LUC's Bristol, London or Manchester office. LUC is actively contributing to nature recovery in the UK and it’s never felt so vital. As a consultant to a range of government, LPA, charitable Trusts and private clients, our Strategic Ecology team is at the centre of this important work, creating a bridge between our ecology, landscape and planning disciplines. Our clients understand the importance of considering ecological opportunities from the outset of their strategic landscape-scale or policy projects, hence; demand for our support has increased.

We’re seeking to appoint an experienced Associate level Nature Recovery Ecologist with a strategic mindset to further develop and support our committed team. Based within, and supported by, our existing Strategic Ecology team, the successful candidate will have an established background in ecology, be highly collaborative with a positive outlook to work across the practice and bring their ecological knowledge to successful strategic project delivery. Our work is varied and collectively the team holds a broad range of skills.

If some of the ‘experience and qualifications’ listed below resonate with your skills and passion, we’d love to hear from you. Our Strategic Ecology team frequently collaborates with our planning and landscape management colleagues on the delivery of truly integrated, landscape-scale assessments, strategies and supporting management plans for a range of public, private and third sector clients. Current examples of our work include:

• Preparation of Local Wildlife Site Reviews
• Nature Recovery and Biodiversity Action Plans
• Review and analysis of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and the Nature Restoration Fund
• Review and development of nature-related policies
• Landscape Recovery monitoring
• Green Infrastructure studies
• Strategic BNG studies
• Support to broader nature market studies

Consultation and collaborative working with other technical disciplines form a common thread through all. Reporting to our Strategic Ecology lead, the role will include:

• Management and delivery of ecological evidence-base assessments to achieve nature recovery within land use planning at a range of spatial scales
• Developing and testing innovative project methodologies founded in strong science in response to land planning and management challenges
• Application of ecological knowledge to challenges for climate change resilience as well as wider ecosystem services
• Leading strategic ecology advice to a multidisciplinary project team, where understanding, assimilation, assessment and resolve of multi-functional demands are required
• Management of projects – both field and office elements – to meet our highest quality standards
• Contribution to, and where appropriate lead, project-specific consultation and engagement with technical stakeholders
• Supporting growth for you and the team through development of our project portfolio and through active client development
• Line management and mentoring (structured process) of colleagues, including contribution to training initiatives

The role is based in LUC’s offices in Bristol, London or Manchester. We work in a hybrid model with people being in the office a minimum of two days per week. There will also be travel required to visit sites, client offices and other office locations. A full-time role is based on 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday). However, LUC has a strong track record in flexible working, and we have been recognised for our flexible working culture, so we are happy to discuss a range of flexible working options for this role including part time hours (minimum 30 hours per week) if desired.

£47,000 - £59,000 FTE (Plus London allowance of £4,000 if applicable)

Experience and qualifications:

The role will allow you to join LUC as we continue to raise our game in addressing the delivery of nature recovery and climate change resilience through our exciting project work. The successful candidate will complement our existing enthusiastic and dedicated ecology team. You will share our commitment to high-quality science and be motivated to help develop our staff and our business, as an equal partner. Applicants from a range of relevant backgrounds are welcome across public, private and third sectors. Relevant hands‑on experience is necessary, but we understand that this may be found working within teams developing nature or landscape recovery strategy and action plans, habitat management and biodiversity monitoring, Local Plan evidence, and so forth.

In this role you will expect to develop your career through actively contributing to LUC’s award‑winning portfolio with diverse and challenging projects.

• Excellent understanding of the challenges facing nature recovery in the UK
• Strong working knowledge of UK ecology (generalist or specialist)
• Solid working knowledge of relevant emerging policy and legislation (examples of local / regional application included)
• Experience in line management and mentoring of colleagues in a structured process
• Demonstrable work‑winning and business development skills
• A reasoned, scientific approach to problem solving, including the ability to follow, and test, logical assessment methodologies
• Experience of working in multi‑disciplinary project teams, which may span internal, client and/or stakeholder disciplines
• Familiarity with the strategic application of datasets
• Experience in the development and/or delivery of strategy and action plans for nature or landscape recovery (range of scales may apply)
• Experience in the design and/or delivery of habitat or broader land management plans (range of scales may apply)
• Stakeholder engagement and collaborative problem‑solving experience
• Experience in the application of biodiversity and/or environmental metrics – this includes strategic landscape scale application as well as site-specific metrics
• Understanding of the application of delivery funding more broadly
• Demonstrable knowledge of ecosystem services and/or natural capital (generalist or specialist)

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK. LUC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we actively encourage applications from under‑represented groups. We value the differences, needs and contributions a diverse workforce represents, and we strive to embed equality, diversity and inclusion in all our people related activities.

About LUC: LUC is an award‑winning environmental consultancy that aims to make a difference. With nearly 60 years of experience, we want to make an impact: delivering better futures for nature, people, and places. Our holistic services support clients in tackling complex land use problems on projects at every scale. Our expert teams collaborate across disciplines to create cities, towns and landscapes for a more sustainable future. We are employee‑owned, which means we invest in our people and operate with kindness. Our creative, forward‑thinking professionals are passionate about addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. We’re leading the way in driving lasting and positive change.

Our Mission is to deliver better futures for nature, people and places. Just like our founders, we’re dedicated to leaving this world in a better place. And we believe we have the power to create a positive legacy through all our projects. We do this by guiding our clients, as well as influencing national and local policy. Of course, we recognise that change is inevitable. But we also recognise that cities, towns and landscapes of the future must work to help nature recover and to create a fairer society for all. We are committed to creating beautiful, inclusive places that support the health and wellbeing of the people and environments impacted by such inevitable change.

Our Values are what make us. They reflect our heritage, express the attitudes of our people, and capture what our clients tell us we’re like to work with. Our values are timeless, informing the actions of every generation of LUC. They guide our big thinking as much as our daily working lives – from the projects we pursue, to how we manage people, to how we resolve conflicting interests.

• We act with professionalism and integrity
• We have the courage and openness to lead
• We collaborate to achieve shared goals
• We act with passion, insight and creativity