Ecologist - Principal/Associate

🌿 Associate Ecologist – Shape the Landscape, Lead the Future

Are you ready to lead from the front while staying rooted in the field?

At BakerHicks, we’re growing something special — and we’re looking for a hands-on, forward-thinking Principal/Associate Ecologist to help us lead the charge from our Manchester office. This is your opportunity to combine technical depth with strategic influence, working on impactful projects across infrastructure, energy, public sector and more.

You’ll be out there designing, delivering, and directing while also building our ecology offer, mentoring future talent, and influencing clients and stakeholders at every stage.

🌟 What You’ll Be Driving:

• Lead, don’t just manage: Take ownership of a diverse ecology portfolio — from scoping and surveys to strategy and delivery.
• Stay hands-on: Your field skills, assessments and technical expertise remain at the core of what you do.
• Grow something real: Build and evolve our Manchester-based ecology services, putting your stamp on a growing regional hub.
• Inspire and develop: Mentor junior ecologists, lead multi-disciplinary collaboration, and raise the bar.
• Own the room: Be the go-to for stakeholders, clients and partners, making complex decisions clear and impactful.
• Win with confidence: Drive proposals, contribute to bids, and shape new service lines through your insight.

🔍 What You Bring to the Table:

• Degree in Ecology (or related discipline)
• Chartered status (or on the way) – e.g., CIEEM
• Licences for protected species (bats, GCNs)
• A strong technical grounding in UK habitats, species ID, and legislation
• Demonstrated project leadership across sectors
• Experience with BNG, EcIA, planning submissions and mitigation
• Bid-writing, stakeholder liaison and cross-team coordination experience
• Passion for high-quality ecology – with a head for strategy and delivery
• Driving licence (UK)

🚀 Why Join BakerHicks?

• Be a key voice in a growing Northern hub with national reach
• Shape a team where technical excellence meets real collaboration
• Access bespoke training, development and career growth
• Flexible hybrid working that fits your lifestyle
• Work on meaningful projects that shape communities
• Competitive salary, strong benefits, and a people-first culture

Let’s build the future — together, hands-on and head-on.

Sound like you? Apply today

Many of the positions within our company are subject to security clearance. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by various factors. The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain security clearance for this role as required by our clients and sectors.

Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

About BakerHicks

We’ve been innovating in design, engineering and project delivery since 1957 and operate from 14 locations for a truly European reach. For more about our company story, see: About | BakerHicks.

BakerHicks. A Morgan Sindall Group company.

Benefits

Whatever your discipline, you’ll be alongside some of the most talented people in the industry. Our network of offices are appealing, friendly and comfortable spaces, easily accessible by car or public transport. And our salary and benefits packages are some of the best in the industry.

What you get will depend on what you do, with individual performance-related rewards also on offer in addition to:

• Company car or cash allowance
• Up to 6% matched contributory pension plan
• Life assurance scheme
• 25 days annual leave plus ability to buy additional leave
• Discount scheme (including gym membership, mobile phones etc)
• Flexible/hybrid working
• Family friendly policies
• Employee assistance
• Professional development

BakerHicks is an equal opportunity employer. We care about creating an inclusive atmosphere and are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion throughout.

BakerHicks is an inclusive organisation welcoming talent from all backgrounds. Applicants are assessed on the basis of personal merit and qualifications.