District Ecologist

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Santon Downham

Job Reference forestryengland/TP/2284/647

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Permanent

Working Hours:

37

Location:

Santon Downham, Suffolk, East England

Closing Date:

09/07/2026

Job Category:

Operations

Region:

East

Business Unit:

East

We are Forestry England.

We live and breathe forests.

Job title – District Ecologist

Salary- £33,854 per annum

Contract type – Permanent

Final date to receive applications - 9th July, 23:58

Join us. We're foresters, professionals and experts. We are a passionate team who love to share our enthusiasm and want to make a positive difference for you and the environment.

Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone. We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow, and getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We're providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe and producing sustainable timber.

What you’ll do…

This is a key role for providing ecological advice to colleagues within the East District.

You will proactively ensure Forestry England is compliant with environmental legislation whilst carrying out our forestry, recreation and conservation objectives. You will line manage an Assistant Ecologist and help delivery conservation enhancement projects aimed at improving SSSIs and other protected sites and species.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work…

East Forest District covers everything from North Norfolk, as far south as Kent and Sussex and west to Oxford. The role is based at the East England offices at Santon Downham in Suffolk, however other locations within the district may be considered. Regular attendance at Santon Downham will be required.

Alongside your salary, Forestry England contributes an average of 28.97% towards your pension. You will become a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.

• 25 days holiday a year, raising by one day every year’s service, up to 30 days (pro-rated for part time employees) plus additional days off such as bank holidays.
• STaRis employee benefits scheme offering discounts on everyday supermarket shopping, as well as other things such as hotel stays clothes, mobile phones, other electrical items, medical and car insurance, holidays, gym discounts, household bills, Headspace wellbeing app.
• free parking at Forestry England sites and free entry to our National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury.
• a commitment to lifelong learning through career development. Forestry England will support your career development in a variety of ways, including continual professional development, support for individual learning plans and sponsored membership of professional bodies.

You will be asked to write a 200 word statement on your relevant experience and career history, along with a personal statement of no more than 500 words. You will be assessed on both during sifting. More details about how to apply are listed on the application form.

You will be assessed on a technical skill and strength based questions during your interview.

Please ensure you've read our guidelines here first.

Read more about nationality requirements here.

Forestry England is part of the Civil Service. The Civil Service has a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). This means candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria during the application process will be guaranteed an interview. We also offer a Redeployment Interview Scheme to current civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the role.

This role is also part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative.

Within Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, it is essential that applicants should have the ability to provide conversation in accurate spoken English.

Our recruitment process makes appointments based on fair and open competition and merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in line with or according to these principles and you wish to make a complaint, please email: englandhr .