Senior Ecologist

Arbor Vitae is an environmental consultancy and contracting company working throughout the UK advising farmers, landowners and managers, householders, planners, public bodies and others on rural and urban sites.

With over 35 years of experience, Arbor Vitae covers ecology, forestry and land use; also contracting, which includes tree and woodland establishment and maintenance, habitat management and protected species work.

A Senior Ecologist is required to provide maternity cover as part of our small and friendly team which is firmly committed to environmental sustainability, balancing the needs of nature, people and business.

Most projects are based in rural and agricultural settings throughout Shropshire, the Welsh borders, Wales and the West Midlands and occasionally further afield.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues while taking a managerial lead in shaping, coordinating and delivering your own projects in a pragmatic, solution-focused manner.
• Demonstrate strong independence, initiative and the ability to guide and support others to achieve high-quality, compliant outcomes.
• Exhibit clear and compelling communication skills, verbal and written, to clients and colleagues.
• Bring a genuine passion for wildlife and communicate this effectively to clients, drawing on a thorough understanding of current ecological and planning legislation.
• Manage and deliver projects, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and planning policies.
• Prepare and manage European Protected Species Mitigation Licences.
• Lead field surveys and data analysis.
• Mentor and support junior colleagues within the ecology team.
• Contribute to tenders, fee proposals and client communications.
• Produce and review reports with precision and clarity: reports include PEAs, BNG, EcIAs, HMMPs and CEMPs.
• Exercise exceptional project management skills, provide leadership and ensure projects are delivered on time and to a high standard.

• Minimum of five years’ experience within ecological consultancy.
• Qualified in ecology or biological sciences.
• Membership with CIEEM or similar body.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of current UK legislative and planning policy frameworks, including UK wildlife legislation and planning frameworks.
• Possess excellent survey capabilities, including UK Habitat Classification and Specialist Species.
• Proven ability in technical report writing, including mitigation and BNG assessments.
• Essential: hold one or more Protected Species Licences (GCN, bats, hazel dormouse)
• Skilled in BNG mapping using QGIS software and calculations using the Statutory Biodiversity Metric, including competence with GIS or other mapping tools.
• Full UK manual driving licence.

Flexible working ours, with the opportunity to work from home, rarely working more than an hour’s distance from Shrewsbury; 28 paid holiday days (including bank holidays); business mileage fully reimbursed (45 pence per mile up to 10,000 miles) and overtime paid at a higher additional rate.

Applications to Briony Horton:

10 Darwin Court, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, SY3 5A