Principal / Associate Ecologist

Location/s: Cardiff, UK
Recruiter contact: Laura Easdon

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the division 
Environmental and social considerations are central to Mott MacDonald’s Purpose and its offerings across all sectors and territories. Our environment and social business provides essential services and innovative solutions which anticipate our clients' needs across all sectors.

Overview of the role
Mott MacDonald are leading the way in Nature Services and we are looking for people to join our Ecology Team and to play their part in integrating nature into all developments so that together with our clients we can build a better future. We pride ourselves on setting and maintaining high standards and are at the forefront of providing ecological advice. Our team has written guidance and delivered training on BNG and contributed to CIEEM’s raising standards documents.

We’ve developed innovative tools to more robustly and efficiently collect and manage ecological data to enable our team to focus on really making a difference. We’ve provided detailed biodiversity advice to improve NHS hospitals for people and the planet, we’re delivering Nature-based solutions for water treatment and flood management and we’re over-seeing the production of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. We have a large portfolio of projects and a healthy forward-order book bringing with it fantastic opportunities for Ecologists at all levels.

Our Cardiff office clients include Welsh Water, Transport for Wales, Association of British Ports (ABP), Local Planning Authorities and NMWTRA, with projects predominantly in South Wales but also covering Mid and North Wales.

Joining our team at Principal Ecologist level you will likely spend the majority of your time office-based but there will still be an opportunity to get involved in site work, particularly for any specialist surveys such as botany, bats or dormice. You will lead the ecological elements for medium and large-sized projects, pulling in appropriate resources as required and ensuring deliverables are on-time and delivered to budget. You will support more junior members of staff, including as a line-manager if people management is an area you are interested in developing. There are regular opportunities to be put forward for lead technical ecological roles on large-scale infrastructure projects. You could also progress your project management experience if this is an area you are keen on.

The projects you will be working on can span all stages of a project’s life cycle, from design conception to implementation; giving opportunities to positively influence scheme design, and enhancements and promote best practice. The approach to delivering Net Benefits to Biodiversity in Wales is at an exciting point and there is an opportunity to not only integrate this into client advice but work with clients to develop their strategies to this.

Although you will be a member of the Cardiff ecology team, you will also be connected to a much larger team of ecologists. There are excellent opportunities to progress your career through promotion, as well as develop a key role within our ecology team. 

The role will suit a dynamic, proactive team-player who wants to work in a growth area of the business and help support the delivery of ecology services in a fast-moving, client-focused, commercial environment. 

Candidate specification
Essential:

• A degree in Ecology (or a directly related subject). An additional higher degree would be an advantage
• Over seven years’ experience in Ecological Consultancy (or equivalent with transferable skills)
• A Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management or equivalent. Must be a Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Ecologist or Chartered
• Biologist (or able to achieve this within 6 months) Ability to communicate effectively to multi-disciplinary teams, clients and regulators
• Proficiency in report writing skills and a track record in acting as a checker / reviewer for ecological deliverables
• Technical specialism e.g. has held protected species mitigation licences (ideally for bats or dormice) or has advanced botanical skills

Desirable:

• Experience of People Management
• Proven Project Management skills
• Experience of preparing costs and text for bids
• Willingness to travel throughout the UK
• Experience in advising on Net Benefits for Biodiversity and the interpretation of Planning Policy Wales and the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.