Ecologist

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Job details

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Suffolk County Council (SCC) Natural and Historic Environment Team as an Ecologist, working from Endeavour House, Ipswich but requiring travel to locations all over the County.

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Ecologist with practical experience, including Phase I Habitat Surveys, to work in supporting the many functions of Suffolk County Council.

You will be confident in your skills as a naturalist and be able to assess the biodiversity potential of sites across all the seasons. You will be able to carry out Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Surveys, be familiar with the principles of Biodiversity Net Gain and be able to compose clear and informative reports to assist other professionals and are suitable for use in the planning process. Suffolk has a wide variety of habitats and a high number of sites designated for wildlife conservation so experience of undertaking suitable assessments, including Habitats Regulations Assessments, will be very helpful.

You will be working within a small team of Ecologists and other environmental specialists and have direct, daily contact with a wide variety of other SCC teams and external organisations and bodies, including local communities and statutory agencies.

The work is varied, sometimes challenging but very rewarding, balancing the needs of a variety of stakeholders whilst maintaining a clear, positive view in support of biodiversity. This is an opportunity to make a real contribution to the conservation of biodiversity in Suffolk.

Your role

You will be responding to requests for advice, assistance and support on ecological matters from across the County Council as well as from external partners and stakeholders. You will be taking the initiative in encouraging early engagement from other teams to ensure that ecological matters are given the highest consideration. From time-to-time, you may give training and presentations to colleagues so confidence with a variety of media will be advantageous. You will be working on your own a fair amount, driving to sites and advocating and negotiating practical and pragmatic solutions for the conservation of biodiversity.

Your responsibilities will include

• support the wildlife interests of Suffolk
• carry out specialist ecological work, as required, to inform and advise colleagues across SCC in the delivery of projects
• support the Senior Ecologist in providing advice regarding Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and similar matters
• provide specialist advice to Suffolk County Council, Highways, Structures, Minerals and Waste and County development matters as well as Concertus, Vertas and Suffolk County Council's schools
• support the management of SCC properties with specialist ecological advice
• support the appropriate management of the suite of Roadside Nature Reserves across Suffolk, working with Suffolk Highways (and look for opportunities to expand the network)
• support the County Wildlife Sites Panel
• support the delivery of landscape scale conservation projects in conjunction with County Council colleagues and external partner organisations as required
• give advice on watercourses, waterbodies and tree and woodland matters within SCC, as necessary and appropriate
• undertake any other ecological duties as reasonably required by the County Council.

You will need

• an appropriate degree
• relevant experience of at least 3 years
• initiative, tact and diplomacy
• a desire to obtain the best possible outcomes for wildlife and habitats in Suffolk
• ability to use appropriate IT applications, including GIS (SCC uses MapInfo).

The team

You will be part of a small team led by SCC's Senior Ecologist. The team is part of the Natural and Historic Environment Service of SCC which also includes Landscape, Trees and Woodlands, the Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service, Rights of Way and the SCC Archaeological Service.

We will offer you

• a respectful and positive working environment
• the opportunity to become a champion for biodiversity across SCC.
• the opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge
• a meaningful and rewarding portfolio of work
• the opportunity to become familiar with the planning system in Suffolk.

Travelling requirements for your role:

Frequent Travel - This organisation positively encourages the use of technology to communicate and engage, but in this role, you will need to operate across a wide and rural area, so you must either hold a full and current driving licence and have access to personal transport or meet the mobility requirements of the role through other reasonable and suitable means.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Andrew Murray-Wood (Senior Ecologist) on 01473 264783.

Apply online here.

Due to the current situation with Covid-19, we have strict limitations on staff working in our offices and most of us are being asked to work from home.  If you wish to discuss how that might impact your working arrangements, please contact the recruiting manager listed above.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.