Principal Ecologist

We are thrilled to announce that we are seeking a highly motivated, passionate, and experienced Principal Ecologist to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing, supportive, and ambitious UK-wide Ecology team at Stantec.

As a Principal Ecologist, you will collaborate with teams from different disciplines and support our existing partnerships with various water utilities, as well as pursue new opportunities. You will have the opportunity to shape the future of our ecological aspirations, build a team of passionate professionals, and oversee the expansion of our ecological presence in the region by fostering new client relationships and implementing best practices.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex ecological issues within project contexts.
• Mentor staff and develop a growing UK Ecology team.
• Engage with clients and support bids and tenders to secure new ecological projects.
• Maintain and expand partnerships with water utilities and pursue new opportunities.
• Lead the implementation of best practices and ensure scientific excellence across projects.

Qualifications

• Seasoned ecologist with extensive experience navigating professional consultancy, complex ecological challenges, and relevant legislation and policy.
• Broad understanding of terrestrial ecological issues, ideally backed by a protected species licence or focused specialism; capable of conducting thorough assessments such as PEAs, ECIAs, ecological chapters, and HRA contributions.
• Familiarity with UKHab classification and the Defra Metric; ability to craft compelling fee proposals and manage project budgets.
• Experience in winning work and team development is a bonus, but passion for ecology and expertise are paramount.

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, termination, or any other condition of employment.