Cascade is a business practice of Ricardo Energy & Environment, offering a comprehensive range of specialist services within the environmental consultancy sector. Being both nationally and internationally recognised as a consultancy, we offer a stimulating and rewarding setting in which to work with plenty of opportunities to work across all sectors of our business where there is an interface with our water and environment practice.  

Purpose

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced hydro-ecologist to join our expanding water environmental team based one of our offices in the UK.

You will be involved in providing your technical expertise and experience on a variety of water and environmental management projects, including river restoration schemes, river management and environmental impact assessment projects as well as cutting edge R&D studies for a wide range of clients in the public and private sector. 

You will be responsible for assessing the hydro-ecological impact on protected and native species across the British Isles for a range of water bodies (predominately rivers, lakes, reservoirs, estuaries) in situations where there are constant demands on water for a range of climatic, infrastructure, planning and catchment scale scenarios. Understanding, predicting and communicating the potential impact of hydrological conditions on habitats and ecology will be a critical element of your role, working alongside a multi-disciplinary environmental team.  You will need to be able to promote sustainable, cost-effective solutions to current challenges to support recommendations for the development of measures to afford sustainable environmental protection.  

Within your role you will be expected to manage some of your own projects, contribute to others as part of a wider team and, identify new business opportunities that fit with your experience and those of your colleagues. 

Key accountabilities:

• Provide expert advice and technical input into hydro-ecological investigations including provision of strategic technical direction to developing appropriate assessment methods, carrying out complex data analysis, providing support to junior staff to develop their skills and support/manage sub-consultancy activities.  
• Undertake, produce and technically review hydro-ecological assessments of a wide variety of activities.
• Liaise with clients and a wide range of external stakeholders including regulators and NGOs
• Overall project management and coordination of projects.
• Mentor more junior colleagues in all aspects of consultancy
• Liaise with others across all levels of the business to identify opportunities and support ambitions. 
• Lead on a range of bids, including large and complex proposals 
• Develop follow-on work and new opportunities as they arise from existing clients and projects.

Key competencies and experience:

• A thorough and sound understanding of freshwater and estuarine habitats and ecology - and most importantly how these are affected by hydrological and geomorphological variability and water quality pressures and be able to quantify these effects.
• Competence in carry out hydro-ecological assessments in the context of UK aquatic systems for a wide variety of activities, including: EIA, abstraction and discharge schemes, infrastructure developments, flood defence/river management schemes, river restoration schemes and marine licensing.  
• A good understanding of water management, water industry principles, environmental legislation (especially Habitats Directive and WFD compliance) and planning processes (e.g. EIA).   
• A degree in a relevant subject, such as Environmental or Physical Sciences, Geography, Ecology or Biology and ideally a postgraduate degree with a specific hydro-ecological element. 
• Ideally chartered membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. CIWEM or CIEEM), or actively working towards full chartered status.
• Experience of stakeholder communications and dialogue.
• Experience in the preparation of proposals and tenders.
• Experience of planning and conducting field surveys, such as River Habitat Survey, River corridor Survey, hydraulic cross-section surveys, continuous water quality monitoring programmes and providing mitigation recommendations would be a distinct advantage.

Skills and behaviours:

• The ability to think innovatively and strategically to address complex challenges
• The ability to interpret and assess complex hydro-ecological data sets.  
• Excellent team working and strong communication skills.
• Excellent regulatory and stakeholder engagement skills to explain complex issues in a clear and concise manner. 
• Enthusiastic and self-motivated to thrive in a busy and demanding business environment.
• Excellent report writing ability together with strong bid-writing skills.
• Good IT skills in commonly used software, e.g. Microsoft Office, internet, email, GIS and statistical packages to support hydro-ecological assessments. 

This is a fast-paced and challenging environment offering you the opportunity to make your mark. You will have support from the wider business for your career to develop into a wide range of future opportunities within Ricardo Energy & Environment. 

In return for your commitment, drive and enthusiasm, we offer an attractive benefits package, a personal development plan, and the opportunity to make a difference in a challenging and rewarding field.  Ricardo Energy & Environment is an equal opportunities employer.