Consultant Aquatic Ecologist

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

A little more about your role…

WSP has one of the largest biodiversity, EIA and planning practices. Our UK biodiversity team comprises 300 diverse and passionate specialists who take pride in delivering a wide range of high-quality ecological services on complex projects across a diverse range of sectors. Our UK and international markets are diverse and include low carbon and hydrogen, transport, water renewables, nuclear, power, waste, minerals and property. 

We have a fantastic opportunity for an Aquatic Consultant to join our Aquatic Ecology team. The role is ideally suited to a freshwater ecologist, however as our Aquatic Ecology team covers both freshwater and marine ecology, experience in marine ecology will be advantageous. The role represents an exciting opportunity to deliver aquatic ecology inputs into our expansive range of aquatic projects, and to be part of the successful growth agenda, by working as a team to secure new interesting and challenging projects. Due to our extensive international portfolio, there will also be opportunities to work on some innovative overseas projects, alongside our international aquatic ecology colleagues. We pride ourselves in operating at the leading edge of professional practice, with a reputation for innovation and technical excellence. 

Open to applications nationwide, we are looking for an ambitious, driven and experienced aquatic ecology practitioner who is focused on finding solutions and passionate about delivering technical excellence. 

We are seeking a candidate who can lead at least one survey type (ideally fish surveys but not restricted to this) and is suitably experienced to support a range of freshwater surveys (fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, diatoms, water quality). The successful applicant will enjoy the benefits of working within a caring ‘people first’ team which champions WSP’s commitments to diversity, inclusion and equality. Therefore, we are also open to flexible working and reduced working hours for the right candidate.

Key Responsibilities of the Role:

• Conducting field surveys across freshwater and/or marine environments.
• Supporting the technical authoring of aquatic ecological assessments: Scoping reports; Preliminary Ecological Assessments (PEA), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA); Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA); Water Framework Directive Assessments (WFDA); Marine Strategy Framework Directive Assessments; and Marine Conservation Zone / Marine Protected Area Assessments.
• Providing aquatic inputs across all project lifecycles from bidding/ feasibility/optioneering, field survey planning / management / completion, detailed design and assessment.
• Supporting preparation of licence applications including marine licences and flood risk activity permits. 
• Providing mentoring and support to less experienced members of the team.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

The role requires excellent reporting and communications skills and the ability to work collaboratively within a team, seeking technical input from other disciplines to deliver carefully considered solutions and to produce high quality work. The required skills and qualifications include:

• Professional experience (at least 2 years).
• Relevant degree (BSc or MSc) in an aquatic discipline e.g. freshwater or marine biology. 
• Knowledge of UK and European legislation in relation to protected aquatic habitats and species, including knowledge of the HRA process.
• Ability to support a range of aquatic survey types. 
• Excellent report writing skills
• Basic knowledge of Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA), Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA), and Water Framework Directive Assessments (WFDA).
• Experience in field survey design and conducting ecological surveys in freshwater and/or marine environments.
• Membership of CIEEM or equivalent body.

Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Apply, and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities within the team.

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