Associate Director Ecologist

About Jacobs and the Role

Jacobs is committed to innovating for a sustainable future, tackling global challenges that foster thriving communities and resilient ecosystems. This pivotal leadership role in Ireland offers an opportunity to influence ecology on a national scale by leading the Irish ecology team and playing a key role in shaping ecological strategies and biodiversity outcomes for significant infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Steer strategic direction for the ecology team and contribute to UK-wide leadership in ecology.
• Serve as a trusted ecology expert, advising clients, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies.
• Manage high-value client relationships and represent Jacobs at external engagements.
• Foster team development through mentorship and empathetic leadership without direct line management duties.
• Oversee ecological impact assessments, appropriate assessments, and biodiversity strategy development.
• Design and lead ecological monitoring and survey programs.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated, innovative solutions.
• Lead initiatives to identify, bid, and secure new ecological projects.
• Advocate internally to raise the ecology team's profile within the wider organization.

Candidate Requirements

• Extensive experience in terrestrial ecology with a strong industry background.
• Chartered ecologist status or actively pursuing chartership.
• Strategic thinking capabilities to contribute to senior leadership decisions.
• Confident client-facing skills and ability to engage effectively with stakeholders and regulators.
• Willingness to travel across Ireland and the UK as required.
• Proactive and hands-on leadership approach with strong self-awareness.
• Ability to manage and excel in complex, diverse ecological projects.
• Preferred experience in scoping ecological inputs innovatively, protected species licensing, biodiversity enhancement, project consenting, stakeholder engagement, and planning inquiries.

Why Join Jacobs?

• Lead globally by connecting with over 600 ecologists worldwide.
• Benefit from structured career development and chartership support.
• Build and support a high-performing team, mentor future leaders, and leave a lasting impact.
• Collaborate across disciplines including water, energy, and environment sectors.
• Participate actively in winning and delivering high-profile projects.
• Gain recognition as an industry leader through client relations and thought leadership.

Employee Benefits and Wellbeing

• Competitive compensation package including up to 8% pension contribution.
• Life assurance, income protection, and professional development reimbursement.
• Support through community involvement programs with matched funding, volunteering, and charitable donations.
• Flexible and hybrid work arrangements including compressed hours, part-time roles, and annualized hours contract options.
• Extensive wellbeing resources including medical cover, digital GP, mindfulness platform, counseling, financial planning, and emotional wellbeing support.
• Family-focused benefits including enhanced parental leave pay, fertility and family healthcare support, and parental transition programs.
• A culture that values inclusion, diversity, safety, and mental health.

Additional Information

Jacobs promotes an inclusive recruitment process and encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and flexible working needs. The hybrid working policy supports a balance between office and remote work to foster culture and project delivery. The company also partners with disability confident initiatives and community networks to enhance employee belonging and support.