Ecologist - Consultant Ecologist

Ecology is a wide discipline extending to all the relationships between plants, animals, people, and their environment, and the balances between these relationships. In practice, some aspects receive more attention than others due to perceptions, usually associated with rarity, cultural significance, or commercial value. Ecologists have an important role to play in resolving potentially conflicting demands between economic development and the environment to create a ‘win-win’ scenario. A fully competent ecologist will be able to work in a wide range of organisations including, but not exclusively, ecological consultancy, local authorities and Non-Governmental Organisations, government agencies and in the private sector and are likely to work in the filed/on site as well as in an office environment. The role covers a range of technical and scientific activities, which may include significant field-based investigations and/or analysis and interpretation of data generated by fieldwork. They will analyse, interpret and evaluate relevant scientific information, concepts and ideas and use these to develop surveys/investigations, implement these, write reports and propose solutions to problems. They will be able to apply knowledge of underlying scientific principles to implement new processes based on existing knowledge and, or input from senior team members, and provide advice for example, during the planning of developments from small residential to major infrastructure scale. They will be able to provide and implement solutions meeting the needs of the growth agenda while minimising adverse impact on the environment. Ecologists, whether working as consultants, scientists or in the policy arena will be able to work both autonomously and as part of a wider team, taking responsibility for the quality of the work that is undertaken, to deliver scientific value to their organisation. Ecologists typically undertake a significant proportion of fieldwork as part of their job as well as being in the office and, or laboratory. They will be proactive in identifying problems, areas of business improvement and propose innovative ideas and solutions. In all contexts working safely and ethically is paramount and many companies operate under highly regulated conditions related to health and safety and stakeholder confidentiality. Project management and communication skills are integral to this role.