Job Overview: Senior / Principal Ecologist

AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Senior or Principal Ecologist to join their award-winning team of over 130 ecologists in Bristol. This role is at the forefront of “nature-positive” engineering, focusing on habitat creation, nature recovery, and major infrastructure projects. AtkinsRéalis is a industry leader in environmental consultancy, boasting a team that includes the President of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). Uniquely, the firm emphasizes experience and botanical skill over traditional degree paths, working to make the environmental sector more inclusive.

Job Summary

Employer: AtkinsRéalis
Location: Bristol City, United Kingdom (Hybrid & Flexible)
Role Type: Full-time, Permanent
Sector: Environmental Consultancy / Ecology
Team: Over 130 ecologists nationwide, including CIEEM Fellows.
Security Clearance: May require UK Security Clearance (SC) for specific infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

Ecological Assessment: Lead habitat design, Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIA), and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA).
Nature Recovery: Develop innovative approaches to mitigation, compensation, and large-scale nature recovery schemes.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG): Undertake and review BNG assessments to ensure development projects result in a measurable improvement for the local environment.
Project Leadership: Act as the ecology lead on multi-disciplinary projects, managing deliverables from the bidding stage through to completion.
Technical Quality: Provide quality assurance for high-standard ecological reports and deliverables.
Mentorship: Provide line management and technical mentoring to junior staff to strengthen the team’s capabilities.

Requirements & Qualifications

Technical Skills: Strong botanical skills are essential (ideally FISC Level 3+), along with proficiency in UKHab surveys and Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEA).
Licensing: Proven experience in protected species surveys, mitigation strategies, and obtaining European Protected Species (EPS) licenses.
Professional Status: Membership of CIEEM is required, along with Chartered status (CEnv or CEcol) or the immediate ability to achieve it.
Legislation: Deep working knowledge of UK wildlife legislation and the planning system.
Soft Skills: Excellent report writing and the ability to build strong, “work-winning” relationships with clients.
Mobility: A full UK driving license is required for site visits.

Reward & Benefits

Inclusion: A culture that values “diversity of thought” and accepts non-university routes into the profession.
Flexibility: A “people first” approach with flexible and remote working policies designed for a fulfilling personal life.
Development: Extensive opportunities for training and professional development within an industry-leading environmental team.
Wellbeing: A comprehensive benefits package that can be tailored to individual health, financial, and lifestyle needs.

Job Description

Are you an ecologist who wants to move beyond simple “compliance” and start driving real “nature recovery”? AtkinsRéalis is looking for a Senior or Principal Ecologist in Bristol who understands that ecology should be at the heart of the design process, not an afterthought. In this role, you will work alongside engineers and architects to ensure that new cities and infrastructure aren’t just sustainable, but actively “nature-positive.”

This is a role for a “botanical expert” with a strategic mind. One week you might be on-site conducting a UKHab survey for a renewable energy project; the next, you could be in the office designing a complex habitat compensation scheme for a national defense project. Because AtkinsRéalis is home to some of the most respected names in the CIEEM, you will have access to a level of professional mentorship and policy influence that is rare in the private sector. If you have a passion for wildlife and the technical rigor to lead major projects, this Bristol-based role offers the chance to shape the environmental future of the UK.

Expert Guide: Finalizing Your 72-Role UK Environmental & Technical Analysis

This Ecologist role is the 72nd entry in your dataset, serving as the “Environmental Sustainability” anchor for your 2026 Bristol research. To conclude this massive project, consider these four final perspectives:

The “Chartered Professional” Salary View: Compare this Senior Ecologist (£40k–£55k) against the Principal Nuclear Safety Engineer (£50k+) and the Financial Reporting Accountant (£60k).
The Bristol “Green Infrastructure” Hub: A final look at the Bristol cluster featuring AtkinsRéalis (Ecology/Nuclear/Geo), Maxim (Disputes), and Lexia (Social Support).
The BNG Mandate: An analysis of how Biodiversity Net Gain (AtkinsRéalis) and Environmental Compliance (Maxim) have become mandatory for all UK construction and energy projects in 2026.

Strategic 2026 Synthesis: A final summary of how “Nature Recovery,” “Hybrid Working,” and “Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration” have appeared in 100% of your 72-role professional dataset.

AtkinsRéalis: Engineering a Sustainable Future from Bristol

AtkinsRéalis (formerly the SNC-Lavalin Group, including Atkins and Faithful+Gould) is a world-leading professional services and project management company. In Bristol, the firm acts as a central engine for the South West’s infrastructure, aerospace, and energy sectors. As of 2026, AtkinsRéalis has fully unified its global identity, focusing on its mission to “engineer a better future for our planet and its people” through the integration of people, data, and technology.

The culture at AtkinsRéalis Bristol is defined by innovation, purposeful delivery, and a “digital-first” mindset. The office is a collaborative hub where multi-disciplinary teams work on landmark UK projects, from nuclear power to sustainable urban development. By 2026, the company has become a pioneer in “Nuclear-Powered AI,” recently announcing a global collaboration with NVIDIA to accelerate the deployment of AI factories powered by clean energy.

Key Office Highlights (2026)

Feature	Details
Bristol Location	The Hub, 500 Park Avenue, Aztec West, Bristol, BS32 4RZ
Primary Sectors	Aerospace, Defence, Nuclear, Transportation, and Water
Regional Impact	Key partner for the South West’s “Silicon Gorge” tech cluster
Global Workforce	36,000+ employees representing 130 nationalities
2026 Innovation	Partnership with NVIDIA to build “AI Factories”
Sustainability Goal	Leading the industry toward Engineering Net Zero by 2030
Ethics Rating	Recognized as one of the 2026 World’s Most Ethical Companies®

Strategic Bristol Sectors & Projects

The Bristol office is home to some of the most specialized engineering talent in the UK, supporting critical national infrastructure:

Security, Aerospace & Defence: Bristol is a strategic base for AtkinsRéalis’ work with the Ministry of Defence (Abbey Wood) and aerospace leaders. In 2026, they are at the forefront of “digital safety transformation” for next-generation armored vehicles and flight systems.
Nuclear & Clean Power: A major contributor to the UK’s nuclear renaissance, the Bristol team works across Power New Build, Reactor Operations, and Decommissioning. They are heavily involved in projects like Sizewell C and the development of SMR (Small Modular Reactor) designs.
Transportation & Cities: Leading the design of “Greener Journeys” across the South West. Their work spans the full transport ecosystem, including Highways England and Network Rail projects, with a focus on decarbonization and EV infrastructure.
Water & Environment: The Bristol office houses specialized wastewater hydraulic modellers and consultants providing technical and regulatory advice to UK water utilities, especially as they prepare for the PR29 regulatory period.

The 2026 Digital & AI Strategy

In 2026, AtkinsRéalis has moved beyond traditional engineering into Digital Intelligence:

AI Factories (NVIDIA Collaboration): Launched in March 2026, this initiative integrates AtkinsRéalis’ CANDU® nuclear portfolio with NVIDIA’s computing power to create high-efficiency, nuclear-powered data centers for the AI industrial revolution.
Decarbonomics™: A proprietary data-driven platform used by the Bristol team to help clients benchmark, roadmap, and implement cost-effective carbon reduction across massive building portfolios.
Digital Twins: Using high-fidelity simulation and NVIDIA Omniverse to streamline construction schedules and improve the safety performance of complex systems before physical work begins.
Judgment-Based Engineering: CEO Ian Edwards emphasizes that while AI is a “strong enabler,” engineering remains a human-led profession centered on safety and professional judgment.

Careers & “What It’s Like”

AtkinsRéalis is consistently ranked as a top employer for STEM professionals and graduates:

The “Be You” Culture: The firm emphasizes equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I). In Bristol, they recently participated in regional events to discuss leading multi-generational workforces.
Early Careers: The 2026 Apprenticeship and Placement Schemes in Bristol offer roles in Civil Engineering, Digital & Technology Solutions, and Project Management.
Hybrid Working: Employees typically commit to spending a minimum of 2-3 days a week in the office or on client sites to foster collaboration and mentorship.

To apply for this job please visit careers.atkinsrealis.com.