About us Babec Ecological Consultants are a well-established, small, friendly independent ecology consultancy. We are a CIEEM Registered Practice with a stable client base and a diverse project portfolio, ranging from small domestic projects to larger developments and infrastructure projects. We specialise in bats but also carry out the full range of protected species surveys and mitigation. Our small team all work from home and are located within an hour’s drive of our bases in Hertfordshire and Sussex. Most of our project work is located within the south-east of England. The role We are seeking an assistant ecologist or ecologist to join our Hertfordshire team on a permanent basis. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to assist with all areas of our work, including: Undertaking a wide range of ecological surveys and mitigation Production of ecological reports Production of mapping on GIS software Supervising ecological aspects of site work (ECoW) Designing and implementing mitigation schemes Project management About you Essential for all levels: Hold a good degree in ecology or a closely related subject Some experience of undertaking protected species surveys, such as those for bats, great crested newts or reptiles Be reliable, flexible, and willing to work unsociable hours Have excellent organisation skills Be located within an hour’s drive of our Hertfordshire base Have a car and be able to travel to sites throughout the South-East Essential for ecologist level: A proven track record within an ecology consultancy An understanding of wildlife legislation, planning policy and processes Good ID skills in one or more groups Able to undertake a range of habitat and protected species surveys Able to produce high quality reports Desirable for ecologists: Post-graduate degree in ecology or a closely related subject Specialism in a particular protected species group Hold one or more Natural England protected species survey licences Project management experience Experience of preparing Natural England mitigation licences Associate membership of CIEEM Valid CSCS card Knowledge of GIS Whilst we are specifically looking for someone to join our Hertfordshire team, we also welcome applications from candidates within an hour’s drive of our Sussex office to join our Sussex team. What we offer We will work with you to develop your skills in all aspects of ecology and consultancy through a mixture of internal company training and external training. We will also assist the successful candidate in working towards Continuous Learning and Development (CLAD) plan to help develop your knowledge and skills. Salary will be dependent on experience and calibre of the candidate but will be in the range of £23,000 - £26,500 (Assistant Ecologist level) or £26,500 - £32,000 (Ecologist level). We also offer: Flexible working Mixture of working from home and work on site 25 to 31 days’ leave pro-rata (depending on time of year leave is taken) Four-day working week between December and February (on full pay) Company pension Annual external training budget Payment of CIEEM membership fees Payment of Natural England survey licence fees Company laptop and smartphone No timesheets Discretionary staff bonuses