Principal Ecological Consultant

Our core purpose is to enable nature and business to thrive together.

Our brand mission is to be chosen by clients as their preferred specialists and regarded by people in our industry as the company to work for. We aim to be the most innovative, pragmatic and fast-growing environmental consultancy in the UK.

With offices across the UK, our experts are committed to delivering exceptional outcomes to our clients across a range of environmental services and ecological contracting. Our services include but are not limited to: terrestrial ecology, freshwater ecology, hydrology, arboricultural services, geographic information systems (GIS) and mapping, environmental impact assessments.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Ecologist to join our team enhancing our offering to clients and building on our success.
This position will be based out of our Guildford office.

In this role you will be instrumental in driving your team's financial success by preparing compelling tenders, efficiently managing projects, and fostering strong relationships with clients and potential clients. An integral part of your role will also be to provide technical support, coaching and leadership to the Guildford team.

Your contributions will also support the company's vision and values by delivering high-quality work, completing tasks within specified timelines, and consistently upholding the company's standards of excellence.

Suitable candidates will have strong commercial project management skills, and will also be technically competent, with an in-depth knowledge of ecology, legislation, and survey techniques. Outputs are expected to be high quality, on time and within budget. As with all consultancy work, you will need to be a professional with the ability to communicate effectively and to maintain positive client relationships.

This is a permanent position, with a working split between our office, home and on-site work. We'll consider candidates on either full-time or part-time/flexible working patterns.

• Line management responsibility, overseeing and guiding a small team of Senior Ecological Consultants, Ecological Consultants and Assistant Ecologists. You may also take on a role as technical leads.
• Technical coaching, mentoring and support to those around you.
• Lead and manage large, complex projects, ensuring seamless execution from start to finish.
• Handle technically challenging tasks, including EPSL applications, EcIA chapters, and Habitats Regulations Assessments.
• Deliver high-quality reports and outputs for clients, consistently meeting or exceeding project deadlines and budget constraints.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with clients, ensuring continued trust and satisfaction.
• Document relevant professional experience and leverage it to advance toward obtaining protected species licenses.
• Take ownership for the quality of survey work by providing leadership and direction to the field team.
• Maintain active membership with CIEEM.

Salary: From £44,000 per annum, dependent on skillset.

To be considered you will be an experienced Principal Ecological Consultant with an ecological or related subject degree. You will be technically competent, with an in-depth knowledge of ecology, legislation and survey techniques with advanced field skills in one or more specialist areas as well as holding protected species licences. You will also hold a clean, valid UK driving licence and have your own car/access to a car which will be insured for business use.

We would be especially interested in hearing from applicants with ornithological skills, botany skills and/or the ability to act as Named Ecologist on bat mitigation licences. However, none of these are essential. All applicants must be based in the UK with the Right to Work in the UK.

At Thomson, we strive to be the very best at what we do, both in the eyes of our clients and our colleagues. We believe in One Thomson; we draw on and value every individual's unique skills and experience to come together and support each other in delivering an exceptional service. Our people are our greatest asset. We want…