Senior / Principal Ecologist (Warrington)

We are looking for an experienced ecologist to manage a variety of ecological survey and assessment projects.  You will be based in our head office in Warrington working in our award-winning ecology team.   Your work will be primarily in North West England and North Wales, but there will be opportunities to work on projects around the UK. Requests to be based at one of our other offices will be considered. 

This opportunity would appeal to someone with at least four years’ relevant consultancy experience with a range of survey skills and knowledge of ecology in the planning system.

Our ecologists are a close-knit team, promoting knowledge sharing and support.  We have a strong focus on continual development providing informal and structured training and encouraging staff to progress through the CIEEM membership levels and obtain Chartered status.

You will work alongside colleagues from other environmental professions including landscape designers, arborists, planners, archaeologists and landscape managers.  This is a permanent position offering you the opportunity to grow quickly in your ecological career.

The Company

TEP is an award-winning multi-disciplinary environmental practice with offices in Warrington, London, Market Harborough, Gateshead and Cornwall.  We have 130 members of staff, all of whom are environmentalists. We set ourselves the highest standards in sustainability and are Gold Standard Investors In People and are the only environmental consultancy to be fully carbon-neutral.  We offer a range of benefits including flexible working hours, income protection, generous pension scheme, social events and promote employee involvement with community projects. 

The Role and Requirements

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Self-management skills, overseeing a busy and varied workload, supervising field staff and co-ordinating project work with other professionals in TEP;
• attention to detail and accuracy, particularly in respect of quality assurance, delivery of contracts on time and within budget, and checking the quality of work produced by those you manage;
• high levels of written and verbal communication;
• experience of contributing to meetings with clients and design teams.

Our diverse client base includes Homes England, National Grid, many Local Authorities, National Trust, United Utilities, renewable energy providers and house builders.  Our website www.tep.uk.comshows the breadth of our work.  One current major commission is the ecological assessment and design for a new 100ha country park in Hampshire, alongside landscape designs and EIA for a 2,500 home urban extension.  Another achievement is the design, implementation and management of a 110ha Farmland Conservation Area and Nature Park in Lancashire, established as mitigation for a1000 house development and a 4km link road.  The FCA sustains internationally important populations of whooper swans and pink-footed geese.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Degree or equivalent in relevant ecology discipline
• Associate or higher Membership of CIEEM
• Skilled in phase 1 habitat survey and/or protected species surveys
• Demonstrable experience in writing Ecological Impact Assessments
• Knowledge of the planning process
• Experience of writing EIA documents
• Demonstrable ability of organising and leading surveys
• Strong written communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Good team player, with the ability to work independently
• Ability to work to deadlines and prioritise competing requirements
• Valid UK Driving Licence
  

Desirable:

• Experience of writing HRA documents
• Ornithology knowledge
• Botanical skills to FISC Level 3
• Holding a survey or development licence for protected species
• Competency in GIS (preferably ARC)
  

Equal Opportunities

TEP is an equal opportunities employer and is positive about disabled people. We will guarantee an interview for all disabled candidates meeting the eligibility criteria.

Thank you for your interest in the above post.  This letter encloses the following:

• Information about the post
• Application form

If you are interested in applying, please would you send the following:

• Completed application form
• Curriculum vitae

Following review of the applications, a short list of candidates will be contacted for interview.  If you would like to talk more informally, please do not hesitate to contact the office and ask to speak to me or Katie Shilcock (Tel: 01925 844 004).

We look forward to hearing from you. Please submit applications by post, or by email to recruitment@tep.uk.com.