Principal Ecologist

About the role

SLR Consulting is an international environmental consultancy driven by the goal of making sustainability happen. The business brings together specialist teams to support clients on complex sustainability challenges, with a strong presence across Aotearoa and the wider Asia Pacific region. The company values a collaborative, inclusive culture and encourages diverse perspectives to achieve strong outcomes.

This opportunity sits within the Ecology & Marine team and has been created because of a growing pipeline of renewable energy work. It is a senior principal-level position focused on building strong client relationships, leading proposals for major ecology opportunities, and helping develop the capability of other ecologists. The role demands strong technical standards so the team can consistently deliver high-quality work. The position may be based in any SLR office across Aotearoa.

Responsibilities

• Lead and prepare service proposals for large ecology work, with emphasis on terrestrial and freshwater ecology.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with clients and colleagues across the wider SLR business.
• Produce reports that are clear, accurate, and of a consistently high standard.
• Carry out field-based work and coordinate the right resources for each project.
• Work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams across a variety of sectors.
• Support and coach other ecologists within the team.

Requirements

• A degree in Ecology or a closely related discipline.
• At least 10 years of consulting experience in Ecology, with strong technical expertise in terrestrial and freshwater ecology preferred.
• Proven success in winning, leading, and managing projects.
• An established professional network and the ability to bring in new work will be a strong advantage.
• Experience preparing impact assessments and environmental risk assessments.
• Working understanding of New Zealand environmental legislation, policies, standards, and guidelines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• New Zealand citizenship or legal right to work in New Zealand.
• A clean driving record and a current driver licence.

Additional information

SLR supports flexible working arrangements and aims to provide benefits that suit different needs. Hiring decisions are made based on experience, skills, and passion. Interview panels are gender diverse wherever possible, and applicants are invited to share their pronouns and any reasonable adjustments needed for the interview process. Unsolicited resumes from recruitment consultants will not be accepted unless the consultant is part of the preferred supplier agreement list managed by the Talent Acquisition team.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements and a collaborative team culture are highlighted as part of the employee experience. A full list of benefits is available from the employer.