Ecologists

Who are we?

Darwin Ecology is a well-established ecological consultancy with a great reputation for
providing professional, innovative and conservation-led schemes. The company thrives on a
collaborative approach between our two main offices near Farnham and in Shaftesbury, supported
by our satellite teams in Cornwall and Bristol. Together we provide a broad range of expertise
to enable bespoke solutions for our clients across the south and south west of England.

Our role as consultants is to assist our clients to realise their development ambitions through
the planning process whilst also delivering our core ‘Integrated
Conservation’ ethos. We find solutions to deliver effective wildlife conservation on
every project through the protection, mitigation and enhancement of wildlife opportunities as
part of the built environment.

Educating and enthusing people we work with to share our goals for a wilder future is an
important part of working at Darwin. Our work covers a diverse range of small, medium and large
sized projects across a range of sectors. Bat surveys and licensing is a core component of our
work and we aim to delivery exemplar bat compensation and mitigation on every project with our
innovative in-house style.

Why are we different?

A big part of Darwin Ecology’s ethos is a hands-on approach to mitigation and enhancement
measures when it comes to the final stages of a project. We are passionate about designing
bespoke solutions to any issues that arise on site and encourage our team to get creative and
think outside the box when it comes to supporting our clients and the species we work with.

We aim to strengthen your existing ecological specialisms, whilst being supportive about
exploring new passions and taking your career in new directions. We aim to create a fun,
collaborative and supportive working environment that encourages diverse approaches to the work
we do.

We strive to be a fair and compassionate employer who puts ecology before business. 

What are we looking for?

We have expanded our teams to meet increasing demand and are seeking
experienced Ecologists to join us. Assistant Ecologist roles are also
available. 

Our south east office is located at a beautiful rural venue in Bentley, near Farnham,
Surrey while our south west office is based in a business park in
picturesque Shaftesbury, Dorset.

As an ever-expanding company we would also be interested in hearing from experienced candidates
currently based near Bristol if they consider they fit the job role.

Candidates should be well-rounded technical ecologists and meet the following minimum
requirements:

• A degree in ecology or a related subject and post-graduation experience in ecology within a
  consultancy environment;
• Experience in a range of habitat and field surveys, analysing and interpreting data and
  writing professional reports;
• A good understanding of the planning process and of appropriate mitigation strategies;
• Demonstrable team and independent working skills;
• Applicants should have membership of CIEEM;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines;
• Ability to work on multiple projects; and
• Hold a UK driving licence, be prepared to travel to different sites in your own vehicle and
  to work ecology survey hours.

Additional skills that will be considered advantageous include:

• Bat Mitigation licensing experience; 
• Minimum Level 1 class survey licence for bats;
• Additional survey licences or licensing experience (particularly for great crested newts or
  dormice); and 
• Experience of the planning system and associated technical processes such as Environmental
  Impact Assessments, Habitats Regulations Assessments and Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments. 

Above all, we’re looking for conservation-minded ecologists with a passion for wildlife and the
environment.

What can we do for you?

A career at Darwin Ecology offers great opportunities for growth and professional development
and we strive to ensure that our employees work in an environment that is supportive, fair,
challenging and enjoyable. The role will provide an opportunity for an individual to
demonstrate a broad range of ecological skills by undertaking specialist technical work, whilst
working as part of a passionate, integrated, dynamic and friendly team.

In addition to a fair and representative salary, reflective of experience but with potential
for relatively rapid increase, benefits to the team include:

• A generous profit-linked bonus scheme; 
• Minimum 24 days annual leave; 
• Generous training budget and in house mentoring;
• Structured TOIL system.

How to get in touch

Please send a CV detailing relevant skills and experience and a cover letter highlighting how you meet the requirements of the role, to: 

Sarah Firmin,
Business Support Manager: [email protected], specifying which
role/location you are applying for. 

Interviews will be arranged at a convenient time for the candidate upon receipt of suitable
applications. 

For an informal chat about the roles, please contact Mike Cummings, Director on 07748 843842.

To find out more about us, please visit our website.