Senior Ecologist

About The Role

Location: Home-based, office-based or hybrid working, with offices in Castle Donington (East Midlands) and Birmingham (West Midlands)

Salary: £47,500 – £55,000 per year, depending on skills and experience

Contract Type: Full time, permanent, 37.5 hours per week

Holiday: 34 days’ paid holiday each year, including bank holidays, increasing by one additional day for every completed year, up to 40 days in total.

Who We Are Looking For

You may already be working as a Senior Ecologist or be an experienced Consultant ready to take the next step in your career.

Responsibilities

• Scope, plan and deliver ecological projects, including fee proposals and survey design.
• Lead or oversee PEA, UKHab, habitat condition, BNG, protected species and/or EcIA work, dependent on your area of expertise.
• Produce and review clear, technically robust and defensible reports for planning.
• Provide confident, proportionate advice to clients, design teams, local planning authorities and other stakeholders.
• Manage project scope, deadlines, budgets and ecological risks with appropriate commercial awareness.
• Mentor less experienced ecologists and help maintain practical, consistent technical standards.
• Contribute ideas that improve how the business operates and the outcomes we deliver for clients and biodiversity.

Requirements

• Demonstrable expertise in at least one of the following areas:
  • Botanical and habitat survey work, ideally including FISC Level 3 or above and UKHab experience; or
  • Bat ecology, including holding a current Natural England bat survey licence at Level 1 or above.
• Relevant professional experience within a UK ecological consultancy. Four or more years would be typical, but demonstrated competence matters more than a rigid number of years.
• The ability to manage standard ecology projects and client relationships independently, with support available for more complex cases.
• Practical experience of development-led ecology, including PEAs, protected species surveys and planning-focused ecological reporting.
• Strong technical writing, professional judgement and attention to detail.
• A sound understanding of wildlife legislation, planning policy, survey guidance and professional standards in England.
• Competence using GIS software, ideally QGIS.
• A full UK driving licence and the right to work in the UK.

Why Join Elton Ecology?

• A genuine choice of working arrangements. You can work from home, from one of our Midlands offices, or combine the two. Home-based employees will undertake site travel and attend occasional planned office and team days.
• 34 days’ paid holiday each year, including bank holidays, increasing by one additional day for every completed year of service, up to 40 days in total.
• CIEEM membership and relevant protected species licence fees paid.
• A portfolio of work shaped around your skills and professional interests.
• Funded CPD and external training, with support towards professional accreditation.
• Access to company pool cars for business travel. Reimbursement at 55p per mile for use of own vehicle.
• Real influence over technical standards, internal systems, company culture and the types of clients and projects we pursue.
• The opportunity to work within a growing, forward-focused team.

How To Apply

Please send your CV to careers@elton-ecology.co.uk. No covering letter is required.

Our recruitment process consists of a short introductory call followed by one structured interview.

The closing date for applications is 30 th September 2026. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted before the closing date.

Elton Ecology is committed to providing an inclusive workplace and a fair recruitment process. We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the application or interview process, please contact careers@elton-ecology.co.uk. Any request will be handled sensitively and will not affect your application.