Bat Ecologist

Bat Ecologists – Licenced Bat Ecologists and Bat Earned Recognition (BER) Level 1-3 Registered Consultant

SLR is seeking multiple licenced bat ecologists (Natural England Class 2 and above) with proven experience in securing mitigation licences. We particularly welcome applications from Bat Earned Recognition registered consultants (Level 1 –
3) or eligible to be BER accredited agents or for individuals looking to become a BER registered consultants to join our expanding Ecology and Biodiversity team in the UK. Opportunities are available across multiple grades. The role can be located across any of our office locations in England. You will work on a diverse portfolio of projects and sectors, particularly including Power, Mining and Minerals and Built Environment delivering high-quality bat surveys, mitigation strategies and technical reporting.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to be responsible for the delivery of ecology inputs to large and complex projects, which now represent an increasingly large proportion of our work.

While the advert focuses on bat expertise, we do not pigeonhole our ecologists. If you hold additional ecological skills, whether in other protected species, botany, ornithology, etc – we actively encourage you to continue developing and utilising those competencies and we will ensure the range of work and training available to you enables you to do so.

With a structured career framework putting staff in charge of their own progression and a team of over 200 permanent ecologists, SLR Consulting leads the way in providing exemplar ecological advice and services. We have a real passion for what we do and due to continued commercial success and a very healthy work pipeline for several years ahead, we have fantastic opportunities for an experienced botanist to become part of the SLR team.

• Undertake a range of bat surveys including Daytime Bat Walkover, Daytime Preliminary Roost Assessments (PRA), dusk emergence and rarely dawn return surveys, backtracking surveys, hibernation surveys, Ground Level Tree Assessment (GLTA) and use of advanced bat survey techniques including trapping and radio tracking.
• Record and manage survey data to a high professional standard using our top of the range survey equipment and technology, utilising our dedicated in-house data recording apps and automation software and processes and working closely with the digital team to maximise efficiencies in automation where possible.
• Completing BER site registrations, EPSL licensing and mitigation works
• Accurately analyse bat data in a timely manner and it would be advantageous to hold Certificate of Bat Acoustics Analysis
• Supervising mitigation works and implementing method statements
• Contribute to technical reports, contributing to BER site registrations preparing and leading on European Protected Species Licences (EPSL) and designing and overseeing bat mitigation and compensation strategies for a range of bat species including hibernation and maternity roosts across a range of sites including linear infrastructure projects, complex structures, major power projects and renewable energy projects.
• Producing technical reports and management plans
• Provide bat expertise to multidisciplinary projects teams
• Mentor junior ecologists and provide training to National team where required
• You will be expected to liaise with other SLR technical teams on a variety of subjects including planning, landscape, hydrology, noise and air quality whilst working closely with senior members of the team. The key aspect of the role will be the management and delivery of ecology inputs to a range of potentially large and complex projects across our business sectors.
• Liaise with clients, stakeholders and regulatory bodies as required
• Depending on skills and experience, and the specific goals of the successful candidate, the role may also include staff management
• The role will involve working with other team members located across the UK and may require short-term travel across the UK and potentially overseas, depending on client/project sites.

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