Ecologist

Overview

• Ecologist
• Location – Basingstoke
• Permanent
• Vacancy ref IRC2284576
• Closing date: 10th July 2024
• Salary £43588 – £49036

An opportunity to influence the biodiversity of over 1,000 miles of railway bank across the Wessex Route, home to a multiplicity of habitats. Wessex Route Cover the railways from London to Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire and westwards through Wiltshire and Dorset into Devon.

We at network rail are dedicated to becoming one of Britain’s best employers and believe this starts with placing the candidate at the heart of everything we do!

Our ambition to be responsive to passengers and freight users, drives us every day and we’re empowered to do the right thing for those who use the rail network. We actively challenge unsafe practices and take responsibility for addressing risks, resolving issues and protecting safety and wellbeing.

We’re passionate about great service and we ask ourselves, what can we do to put our passengers and freight users at the centre of everything we do? With this in mind, we pull together as one industry because we care about people and teamwork is key. For more information about Network Rail click here

Job Brief / Purpose –

To provide ecological expertise to Wessex Route maintenance teams, particularly the Area Services team and their suppliers. Provide support and guidance such that the environment management system can be integrated into the work delivery to enable legislative compliance. Work with the teams delivering work on the lineside estate to bring quality and consistency to their ecological knowledge and its implementation. Work will include presentations to staff as well as dealing with external stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities –

1. Undertake and complete a range of Ecological field surveys, including protected species surveys and extended Phase 1 Habitat Surveys.
2. Collate, write up and review survey results and mapping target notes and review to identify appropriate recommendations.
3. Manage the implementation and embedding of recommendations to deliver continuous improvement.
4. Undertake and complete environmental impact assessments.
5. Lead the development of appropriate mitigation strategies, utilising results of surveys and liaising with Environmental Specialist’s and the Arboriculture team.
6. Analyse and interpret data, using specialist software programs. Produce periodic and ad hoc reports to a high technical standard within prescribed timescales.
7. Provide specialist ecological advice and guidance to site managers, engineers, planners, and others associated with the undertaking and completion of surveys and / or assessments.
8. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including statutory bodies, local authorities, and members of the public.
9. Assist in the production of environmental appraisal reports.
10. Carry out research as required.

Job Skills, Experience and Qualifications

Essential

• Comprehensive field experience
• A relevant higher degree in Ecology, Zoology, Biological Sciences, or other relevant Environmental Sciences
• Good understanding of UK and European wildlife legislation and best practice guidance experience
• Be able to identify baseline Ecological constraints during site visits
• Have significant experience of standard survey protocols and methodologies
• Ability to complete rare species surveys
• Good interpersonal, influencing, communication and organisation skills
• Task orientated team player
• Strong report writing skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of operational railway environment
• Knowledge of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard
• Full/associate/graduate membership of Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) (depending on experience)
• Experience attending client meetings and working with multi-disciplinary teams
• Competent with Microsoft Office
• Full UK driving licence

How to apply Internal –

Salary:  Band 4C, £43588 – £49036

Closing date: 10th July 2024

Late applications will not be accepted. This vacancy is also being advertised externally.​

​We Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor. We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail.  Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision

Network Rail positively embraces flexible working recognising that employees may wish to balance work and family/home life.

Click ‘apply’ and login to Employee Self Service to submit your CV.  If you do not have an Oracle account, email your CV to [email protected] quoting the IRC number of the vacancy.

For further information please contact Marcus Goldsmith on [email protected]

How to apply External

Salary: £43588 – £49036

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Drugs and Alcohol Standard:

Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard is changing as of 16.01.2023. All propective candidates who have not been offered a conditional role by 16.01.2023 will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5 year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced.

Network Rail adheres to pre-employment Baseline Personal Security Standard (BPSS), this is government standard for pre –employment vetting. BPSS government standard pre-employment vetting requires Network Rail to screen a potential employee’s unspent criminal convictions and undertake 3 year career checks. Employment at Network Rail is subject to employees meeting the BPSS government standard pre-employment vetting.

Network Rail welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, marital status (including civil partnerships), pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender status, sex (or gender), employment status, trade union affiliation, or other irrelevant factor. We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do, safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail.  Applicants should demonstrate their personal commitment to safety in their application.

Network Rail can offer you a rewarding career with competitive pay and excellent benefits including a choice of contributory pension schemes, a generous annual leave package, a bonus scheme and an annual subsidy on season tickets.

Network Rail positively embraces flexible working recognising that employees may wish to balance work and family/home life.

Closing date 10th July 2024, late applications will not be accepted.  We retain the right to close the advert before the listed closing date based on application volumes.