Mott Macdonald
A global engineering, management, and development consultancy delivering innovative solutions.
Principal Ecologist (Regional Deputy Team Lead - Reading)
Senior ecologist leading and mentoring a regional ecology team and delivering consultancy projects.
Job Highlights
About the Role
As Deputy Team Lead for the Reading/Croydon Ecology Team, you will support staff wellbeing, mentoring and career development, line‑manage team members, and co‑ordinate utilisation, training and recruitment with the Regional Lead and UK Ecology leaders. You will also hold regular operational briefings to ensure effective communication and delivery across project stages from design to implementation. • Support staff wellbeing, mentor team members, and manage career development for the Reading/Croydon ecology team. • Line‑manage allocated ecologists and coordinate project utilisation, training and recruitment with senior ecology leadership. • Conduct regular operational briefings and meetings to ensure effective team communication. • Influence project designs across all lifecycle stages, from concept through implementation, promoting best ecological practice. • Work primarily office‑based with occasional site visits aligned to technical expertise. • Participate in professional development through annual institution subscription, mentoring and formal training programmes. • Join employee networks supporting LGBTQ+, gender, race, disability and parent/carer communities.
Key Responsibilities
- ▸team leadership
- ▸staff mentoring
- ▸project utilisation
- ▸design influence
- ▸site visits
- ▸operational briefings
What You Bring
The role is aimed at a Principal Ecologist who will spend most of the time office‑based but may undertake site work within their technical expertise. It suits a proactive, collaborative professional who wants to contribute to a fast‑moving, client‑focused commercial environment. Essential qualifications include a degree in Ecology (or related), at least seven years’ ecological consultancy experience, full membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, and Chartered Ecologist status (or the ability to achieve it within six months). Desirable experience comprises people management, project management, bid preparation and relevant licences such as Level 1‑2 Bat Licence. • Hold a degree in Ecology (or related) and a minimum of seven years’ ecological consultancy experience. • Be a Full Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and hold Chartered Ecologist (or achieve within six months) status. • Demonstrate strong report‑writing, checking and reviewing skills for ecological deliverables. • Possess technical specialism such as protected‑species mitigation licences or advanced botanical expertise. • Desirable: experience in people management and proven project management capability. • Desirable: ability to prepare cost estimates and bid documentation; hold Level 1‑2 Bat Licence.
Requirements
- ▸ecology degree
- ▸7+ years
- ▸chartered ecologist
- ▸report writing
- ▸project management
- ▸bat licence
Benefits
The position is based in Reading, UK and can be contacted through recruiter Andrea Gaffney. Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. The company works across many industries, delivering projects that have a societal impact and offers its people abundant opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow. Employees enjoy a wide range of benefits covering health, financial security, lifestyle, family and professional development. These include private medical insurance, health cash plans, pension matching, life assurance, generous holiday entitlement, enhanced parental leave, and access to mentoring and training programmes. • Benefit from private medical insurance and a health cash plan for everyday health costs. • Receive pension contributions matched between 4.5 % and 7 % of salary and life assurance up to four times basic salary. • Enjoy 33‑35 days of paid holiday (increasing after five years) with the option to buy or sell leave. • Access enhanced parental leave, including up to 26 weeks paid maternity/adoption leave and shared parental pay for up to 24 weeks. • Flexible hybrid working policy to balance client, team and personal commitments.
Work Environment
Hybrid