Principal / Senior Associate Environmental Consultant

Location/s: UK-wide

Recruiter contact: Andrea Gaffney

Overview of the role

At Mott MacDonald, we believe nature should be at the heart of every development. As we continue to grow our Nature Services offer, we are looking for talented people to join our Nature Services Team and work with us and our clients to create a better future.

In this role, you will combine technical expertise, analytical thinking, and innovation to support clients in making informed, sustainable decisions. You will also have the chance to contribute to an expanding area of work that is increasingly important to project delivery, policy, and long‑term environmental performance.

Key responsibilities and duties

• Deliver and support natural capital and ecosystem services assessments for a wide range of projects in the UK and internationally
• Apply your knowledge of environmental economics and ecosystem service valuation to inform robust, evidence‑based decisions
• Use your expertise in natural capital, ecosystem and ecological services assessment methods to help deliver innovative, high‑quality outcomes for clients
• Contribute to projects in a variety of locations, including potential opportunities to support assignments in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia
• Gather and analyse data using net gain metrics and recognised approaches from organisations such as the Environment Agency, Natural England, and UNEP
• Provide environmental input to Strategic Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments to support sustainable decision‑making
• Help develop environmental net gain strategies for major projects and programmes
• Use and help shape digital tools, dashboards, and GIS‑based approaches that improve efficiency, insight, and innovation in assessment work
• Support business growth by identifying opportunities to enhance services through digital innovation and smarter metric development
• Help identify emerging opportunities in environmental monitoring and related areas of growth

Candidate specification

Essential

• A degree in environmental science, ecology, geography, natural capital, or a closely related discipline
• Experience of working in environmental consultancy, a regulatory body, academia, or a similar professional setting, with demonstrable transferable skills in natural capital, ecosystem services, environmental assessment, or related fields
• A sound understanding of natural capital principles, ecosystem services, and the role these play in decision‑making, environmental planning, sustainability, and nature‑positive outcomes
• Knowledge of relevant UK environmental legislation, policy and planning processes, and an understanding of how natural capital can inform appraisal, design, consenting, and strategic decision‑making
• Experience of preparing clear, accurate and concise technical outputs, such as natural capital assessments, ecosystem services appraisals, environmental reports, option appraisals, or related technical deliverables
• Strong communication, collaboration and organisational skills, with the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and manage competing priorities in a client‑focused environment

Desirable

• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject would be advantageous
• Membership of a relevant professional body such as IEMA, IES, CIEEM, CIWEM, or equivalent, or working towards chartership/professional accreditation
• Experience of applying natural capital approaches to infrastructure, water, transport, energy, planning, or land‑use projects
• Experience in GIS or other geospatial and data‑analysis tools, including interpreting spatial data to support environmental assessment and decision‑making
• Experience of environmental net gain, biodiversity net gain, ecosystem service mapping, carbon sequestration assessment, or opportunities and constraints mapping
• Commercial awareness, including contributing to bids, proposals, client discussions, or service development
• An interest in innovation, digital tools, and new approaches to environmental monitoring, scenario analysis, and decision‑support

Personal Attributes

• Curious, proactive and solutions‑focused, with a genuine interest in the value of nature and how it can be embedded in project delivery
• Able to balance technical rigour with practical, client‑ready advice
• Collaborative and inclusive in approach, with a willingness to learn from others and share knowledge across teams
• Motivated to develop professionally and contribute to a growing area of the business

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well‑being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Benefits

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long‑term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long‑term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing programme, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years' service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high‑street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self‑development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.