Senior Marine Ecological Consultant

Job Title: Senior Marine Ecological Consultant Salary Range: (£36,500 - £44,500) aligned to experience. We are recruiting for a passionate individual to join our team of ecological and environmental consultants. The ideal candidate will have an established overall understanding of marine ecology with a relevant specialism (fish, benthic, marine mammal). They should be looking to expand and develop their knowledge and experience by contributing to sustainable and ethical marine development, supporting the move to carbon neutral. Established in 2012, Affric strive to provide exceptional environmental project support, leading projects through their lifecycle from concept to decommissioning. Based in the Highlands and working across Scotland and further afield, we go above and beyond to create complete consenting packages tailored to our client s needs. As environmental experts, we specialise in managing the consenting process, providing environmental input to project development, supporting marine ecological surveying, and providing on-site and advisory environmental construction support. The Role You will play an integral role as part of our team, providing valued ecological input to a range of projects from initial feasibility through planning, procurement, construction, operation and in some instances, to decommissioning. The appointed staff member will be an active member of the Affric team, leading the provision of marine ecology advice as part of our multidisciplinary team, and will contribute to the day-to-day tasks of the consultancy as a whole. These will often include:

• Developing the baseline understanding of marine ecology conditions, with both desk-based and field survey activities;
• The analysis, interpretation of survey data and presentation of results;
• Understanding and assessing the implications of project works on the marine environment, providing input to project design to minimise adverse effects and maximise benefits;
• Identification of mitigation and enhancement techniques;
• Undertaking marine mammal risk assessments;
• Applying for European Protected Species (Cetacean) and Basking Shark licences;
• Lead authoring marine ecology chapters in Environmental Supporting Documents and Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIAR); and
• Managing and providing construction environmental management support including marine mammal observations and/or passive acoustic monitoring support.

The successful candidate will be based in the Affric Limited office, 20 minutes southwest of Inverness. On occasion, you may be expected to travel to meet clients needs; this may include working away for a few days or more at a time. Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Education & Qualifications Essential:

• Educated to BSc level in a relevant field (e.g., marine biology, ecology, conservation, or environmental sciences).
• Full driving licence.

Desirable:

• Educated to MSc level (i.e., marine mammal/ecology sciences).
• Qualified JNCC marine mammal observer.
• Sea survival qualification.
• Have an appropriate level institute membership (e.g., ISEP, CIEEM, IMarEST).

Relevant Experience Essential:

• Minimum of 3 years experience in the field of marine mammal ecology, derived from a relevant career in consultancy or research/conservation.
• A working knowledge of technical assessments underpinning environmental work (e.g. EIA, HRA, baseline characterisation, scientific study design).
• Experience in leadership and/or mentoring others.

Desirable:

• EIA chapter authoring experience.
• Experience developing marine ecology survey specifications.

Competencies & Skills Essential:

• Strong technical writing skills.
• Good understanding of UK environmental regulations and law.
• Excellent understanding of marine ecology protections in the UK.
• Good understanding of marine construction techniques.
• Ability to communicate with people at all levels.
• Can articulate knowledge on marine ecology and the marine environment to non-specialists.

Desirable:

• Able to use GIS software

Attitude & Disposition Essential:

• Flexible and adaptable.
• Positive nature.
• Willing to undertake site work.
• Can work independently or as part of a small team.
• Willingness to contribute to projects that might be outside current areas of expertise.

Benefits of Working for Affric Limited We are a close-knit, friendly and supportive team in our recently expanded rural office. Your professional development is important to us; we support this through regular internal and external training opportunities. We actively encourage professional growth to enable all our staff to progress into more senior positions within the company. We offer opportunities to get involved in a wide range of projects at all stages of the project life cycle, and to work collaboratively with other environmental specialists, engineers, project managers and clients. This role will provide extensive and varied professional development opportunities for the right candidate, offering both desk and site-based experience. Our benefits package includes:

• 25 days annual leave plus 9 public holidays;
• Company pension;
• Company performance bonuses;
• Health care scheme; and
• Paid subscription fees for professional memberships.

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