Consultant Ecologist

About the role:

LUC’s ecology team is passionate about creating opportunities for wildlife and people to thrive together.

With established teams in London, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow, we support a huge range of projects, at local and national levels. We’re enthusiastic about finding new ways to apply emerging ecological principals and methods to the most challenging of policy and development projects, and we have fun working together along the way.

In 2026 we continue to support some of the most exciting projects in UK consultancy. Working alongside colleagues and partners, we apply our skills to projects ranging from energy generation to historic building restoration, regenerative agriculture to strategic biodiversity enhancement plans. We explore habitats from the Scottish and Welsh uplands to central London. We search for protected species ranging from bats to osprey, via dormouse and otter.

This is also an opportunity to work for a sincere, employee-owned company with strong values and a particular focus on addressing the climate emergency.

The role will involve:

• Preparing desk studies and collating ecological datasets.
• Preparing and planning ecological surveys in accordance with experience, in collaboration with colleagues as appropriate.
• Implementing surveys across the UK, as part of a survey pair or larger team, including acting as survey lead where suitably experienced.
• Analysing and interpreting ecological data.
• Preparing ecological reports, with support from colleagues.
• Contributing to wider business development activity.

This role would suit candidates seeking to develop a career in ecological consultancy, including those who are ready to build on their prior experience. The role is designed to ensure successful candidates have exposure to all aspects of consultancy and gain a full understanding of the career opportunities it presents.

The role includes the opportunity to share and participate actively in the management and ownership of the business through the Employee Ownership Trust, which places full ownership of the company with the employees.

The role is based in LUC’s Glasgow office. We work in a hybrid model with people being in the office a minimum of two days per week. There will also be travel required to visit sites, client offices and other office locations.

A full-time role is based on 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday). However, LUC has a strong track record in flexible working, and we have been recognised for our flexible working culture, so we are happy to discuss a range of flexible working options for this role including part time hours (minimum 30 hours per week) if desired.

Salary: £26,250 – £33,500 FTE (Dependent on Experience).

Experience and qualifications

The successful candidate will complement our existing dedicated ecology team. You will share our commitment to high quality science and be motivated to develop your ecology field skills.

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of wildlife in the UK, gained through further / higher education or practical experience.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to work across the UK, with regular trips away from home (all costs and expenses covered by LUC).
• Willingness to work antisocial hours, particularly during the bat survey season when night shift work will be necessary. This is limited to a maximum of three out-of-hours surveys per week.
• Ability to work collaboratively and positively with a small team of colleagues, often for extended periods away from home, working in a variety of habitat types and weather conditions.

Desirable

• Existing knowledge of UK habitats and species.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

Please apply by uploading your CV and covering letter via the following link: https://hr.moorepay.co.uk/hr/recruitment/job/a2f8c29f2022012f657780c3f06c4b34/53624

LUC is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. We value the differences, needs and contributions a diverse workforce represents, and we strive to embed equality, diversity and inclusion in all our people related activities.

About LUC:

LUC is an award-winning environmental consultancy celebrating 60 years of impact. Since 1966, we have been dedicated to a single mission: delivering better futures for nature, people, and places. We have a Charter which commits us to focusing on projects that contribute meaningfully towards tacking the climate and biodiversity crises.

As an independent, employee-owned business, we combine a rich heritage with a forward-looking approach. Our multidisciplinary teams – spanning planning, impact assessment, landscape design, ecology, and geospatial services – collaborate to tackle complex land-use challenges across the UK.

From restoring historic environments to driving climate resilience and nature recovery, we are proud of our past. But in our 60th year, our focus is firmly on the future and driving positive change for the next generation.

Our Mission is to deliver better futures for nature, people and places.

Just like our founders, we’re dedicated to leaving this world in a better place. And we believe we have the power to create a positive legacy through all our projects. We do this by guiding our clients, as well as influencing national and local policy.

Of course, we recognise that change is inevitable. But we also recognise that cities, towns and landscapes of the future must work to help nature recover and to create a fairer society for all. We are committed to creating beautiful, inclusive places that support the health and wellbeing of the people and environments impacted by such inevitable change.

Our Values are what make us.

They reflect our heritage, express the attitudes of our people, and capture what our clients tell us we’re like to work with. Our values are timeless, informing the actions of every generation of LUC.

They guide our big thinking as much as our daily working lives – from the projects we pursue, to how we manage people, to how we resolve conflicting interests.

• We act with professionalism and integrity
• We have the courage and openness to lead
• We collaborate to achieve shared goals
• We act with passion, insight and creativity
• We are intrinsically people-centred