Ecologist

Company description:
Water Utility Company based in Yorkshire region of England.

Job description:

Ecologist Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:
We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience (£41,221 - £51,527) A company car Annual incentive related bonus (£1000 maximum bonus opportunity for the performance year) Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution) Development opportunities in line with the Ecologist progression plan 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus an extra wellness day! Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary A great benefits package choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.

Retail savings scheme Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location:

West Yorkshire / Hybrid Working (1-2 days in the office a week Bradford Relocating to Leeds Summer 2026) Work type:
Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday Friday. We have an exciting opportunity for an Ecologist to join the Land & Property Finance team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, its so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshires water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the regions health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. The Land & Property Finance are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators. This role supports the delivery of Yorkshire Waters business strategy by providing expert ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) advice across capital projects.

Youll work closely with project managers and delivery teams to embed ecological best practice, while supporting the implementation of Yorkshire Waters BNG approach, including the management of the internal BNG bank. Where you fit in:
As our Ecologist you will:
Support Project Managers in commissioning, reviewing and acting on ecological and BNG assessments, including protected species surveys, at the right stage to reduce risk and inform design and optioneering. Support project teams by reviewing ecological reports, ensuring recommendations are fit for purpose and delivered on time. Work closely with town planning, regulators and delivery teams to ensure ecology and BNG considerations are embedded effectively from planning through to construction.

Provide expert ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) advice to project managers, sponsors and delivery teams across the full lifecycle of capital schemes, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance. Play a key role in implementing Yorkshire Waters Biodiversity Net Gain approach, developing business processes, specifications and guidance to support consistent delivery. Commission and review Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans (HMMPs), Biodiversity Gain Plans and audit reports, ensuring submissions meet planning and legal requirements.

Undertake site surveys which may include spot checks of high ecological risk projects during construction; BNG Audits; early-stage site walkovers with the design team to flag ecological risks; scoping surveys for the BNG Habitat Bank; and post construction surveys. Please note the majority of PEA and protected species surveys for our capital projects are undertaken by external consultants not the YW Ecology team.

Review Habitat Regulations Assessments…