Principal Consultant - Ecology

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

Join our dynamic, internationally focused ecology team delivering high-impact solutions for UK projects. As a Principal Consultant – Ecology, you will lead technical delivery, team growth, and innovation in ecological services, leveraging advanced digital tools and global best practices.

Role accountabilities:

Technical Leadership & Reporting Lead and author high-quality ecological reports, including scoping and baseline sections of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) reports, and related technical documents. Oversee the quality assurance and technical accuracy of project deliverables, ensuring compliance with UK and European standards. Team Management & Mentoring Manage and mentor a team of 8-10 ecology professionals, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture and supporting individual career development. Take responsibility for securing work, including identifying new opportunities, building relationship and contributing to business growth.  Contribute to team growth, succession planning, and skills development in line with the latest industry trends. Field Expertise & Innovation Design, supervise, and review ecological and species surveys, and habitat assessments relevant to UK and European contexts. Apply advanced identification skills for a range of taxa/species associated with key habitats, leveraging international experience and transferable knowledge (e.g., bat species across geographies). Legislation & Policy Application Demonstrate expert knowledge and application of UK and European environmental legislation, policy, and best practice guidance. Digital & Analytical Excellence Utilise advanced digital tools (e.g., GIS, R, Bat Explorer, AI-powered ecology platforms) for field data collection, analysis, and reporting. Champion digital transformation and innovation within the ecology team. Identify and support build areas of standardisation and automation Able to manage internal and external Quality Audit. Safety & Biosecurity Take full responsibility for adherence to biosecurity and health and safety protocols across all project phases. Stakeholder Engagement Act as a key point of contact for clients, regulators, and partners, demonstrating outstanding communication and influencing skills.

Qualifications & Experience:

Education: Master’s degree (minimum) in Zoology, Ecology, Conservation Biology, or a related environmental discipline. Candidates with a PhD and strong industry experience will be highly preferred. Professional Membership: Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., CIEEM, IES) – or international equivalent – is desirable. Experience: 15–20 years of relevant professional experience in ecological consultancy, conservation, or related sectors. Proven track record of delivering UK-based ecology projects from India or similar international contexts. Demonstrated experience in managing and developing high-performing teams. Technical Skills: Advanced knowledge and operational proficiency in ArcGIS, bat analysis software, and digital data management tools. Proven report writing and review capabilities for large consultancy and donor agencies.  Hands-on experience with AI applications in ecology is a strong advantage. Other Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present complex information to technical and non-technical audiences. Proficiency in foreign languages (especially relevant to UK/European contexts) is an added advantage. Desirable Attributes Experience with global or cross-continental ecological projects. Passion for innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability. Strong network within the ecology and environmental consultancy community.

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why equality and inclusion is at the forefront of all our activities. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity employer; women, minorities, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, caste, creed, colour, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.