Graduate Aquatic Ecologist

Job Description

About Our Team:

Ecology is part of AECOM’s Environment business which provides environmental management services for feasibility, impact analysis and operational compliance as well as remediation, restoration and re-use of impacted property.

Our Nottingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and Basingstoke offices are currently seeking a Graduate Aquatic Ecologist.

The role will support the delivery of consultancy and advisory services, including a wide range of fieldwork and site work opportunities, to both internal and external clients to a high level of technical quality and to programme and budget. 

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Support the delivery of existing and new contracts for the collection and analysis of aquatic survey data including fish, macroinvertebrates, crayfish, macrophytes, riparian mammals, River Habitat Survey etc.;
• Conduct laboratory analysis of macroinvertebrate samples (family and mixed-taxon) in our Leeds or Nottingham laboratory;
• Assist with a wider range of terrestrial ecology surveys 
• Work as part of the existing network of AECOM ecologists and water scientists within the UK and Ireland;
• Communicate with line manager, project managers, clients, project teams and other members of the Aquatic Ecology and Water Environment team in person, by telephone, e-mail, letters and reports;
• Comply with internal business management procedures, including in relation to health and safety and technical quality of all advice and outputs;
• Contribute to maintaining internal and external client relationships, including providing urgent ecological response and / or advice as required;
• Collaborate with colleagues in wider AECOM teams on multi-disciplinary projects;
•  Assist with other administrative duties which add value to the management and development of the team.

Enjoy the Perks.

At AECOM, you'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Here is what you will get from us!

On the job support and learning

When a graduate starts at AECOM, we pair them with a senior member of the team who will guide and mentor them through their initial period working on live projects and business development tasks, to support with any technical queries. 

Graduate Development Programme

Our 2 year  graduate ADVANCE programme is designed to help you build your career in AECOM. You will attend a number of instructor-led training sessions where you will meet and hear from people across the business and take part in a series of interactive activities to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role.   Alongside the instructor-led elements of the ADVANCE programme, you will also engage with an online curriculum via AECOM University and have the opportunity to join the ADVANCE webinar series.  We will provide you with all the support and tools you need to achieve your professional development ambitions, which may include Chartership with the relevant international professional institution.  We are affiliated either with CIEEM (Chartered Inst of Ecology and Env Management) or IFM (Inst of Fisheries Management).

We have more than 750 graduates on our programmes across the UK and Ireland from more than 40 different disciplines, each making a tangible difference to the environment in which we live and work.

See our digital early careers e-brochure here

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• A degree (preferably MSc or higher, but BSc considered) in Aquatic Ecology/Ecology or related discipline (Freshwater Biology, Marine/ Ecology/ Zoology) would be an advantage, as would previous commercial and/or regulatory experience
• Freshwater experience is essential as is Laboratory macroinvertebrate analysis
• The successful candidate will understand some or all the following: aquatic ecology and surveys such as fish, macroinvertebrates, crayfish, macrophytes, riparian mammals and/or River Habitat Survey. 
• Microsoft Office skills essential such as Word, Excel & PowerPoint
• Ability to structure & prioritise work effectively through close cooperation with the team as a whole
• Solid attention to detail
• Strong numeracy
• Ability to communicate effectively to internal and external clients, both verbally & in writing with the confidence to engage with a variety of people (clients, colleagues, stakeholders and sub-contractors alike) and the aptitude to rationally explain, explore and discuss technical issues and capture feedback

Desirable

• Full driving license and willingness to travel on occasion is desirable (some site travel with equipment may be required)

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us at [email protected]

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Additional Information

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since CVs will be reviewed, and candidates selected on a rolling recruitment basis for either immediate or advanced offer start. 

Please include a covering letter with your application and provide all predicted and/or obtained academic grades.

You must have permanent right to work in Ireland as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [email protected]  if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.