Lead Ecologist

Company Description
**At AECOM, we’re delivering a better world.**

We believe infrastructure creates opportunity for everyone. Whether it’s improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive.

Our clients trust us to bring together the best people, ideas, technical expertise and digital solutions to our work in transportation, buildings, water, the environment and new energy. We’re one global team - 47,000 strong - driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world.

**Here, you will have freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.**

We will give you the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion - a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

We will encourage you to grow and develop your career with us through our technical and professional development programs and diverse career opportunities. We believe in leadership at all levels. No matter where you sit in the organization you can make a lasting impact on the projects you work on, the teams and committees you join and our business.

We offer competitive pay and benefits, well-being programs to support you and your family, and the development resources you need to advance your career.

When you join us, you will connect and collaborate with a global network of experts - planners, designers, engineers, scientists, consultants, program and construction managers - leading the change toward a more sustainable and equitable future. Join us and let’s get started.

**Job Description**:
Are you looking to take the next step in your career, to broaden your experience or to further develop existing skills? AECOM has an exciting opportunity for a Natural Resources Practice Lead to provide technical expertise and team leadership to our established and growing Natural Resources workgroup in Melbourne.

Our team of high performing ecologists have a significant pipeline of work across a growing range of projects within the transport, renewable energy, Defence and the resource sectors. As the Practice Lead, you will be client-facing, responsible for winning work and setting the strategic direction of the group. You will also be contributing to the continued development and growth of our business.

This role will support the Melbourne based team, whilst providing input into our national technical practice group, offering you the opportunity to work with industry leaders across the region. It will include a combination of field and office-based work, where you will manage and coordinate workload, provide technical review and provide advice regarding best practice ecology theory and principles.

Your responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to:

- Co-ordination, planning and implementation of ecological investigations, including baseline ecological surveys, pre-clearing surveys, and targeted surveys for threatened species (including longer-term monitoring, programmes,
- Developing, facilitating and enhancing effective relationships with internal and external clients
- Preparation and review of technical reporting, including investigation reports, constraints assessments, species management plans, offset strategies and environmental impact statements
- Bid writing and coordination
- Project management of ecology projects
- Leading and supporting a team
- Resource management and strategic planning.

**About You**

You are a passionate leader. Someone who relishes the opportunity to guide and mentor a growing team of professionals, with a focus on professional development and project delivery.

Ideally, you will have:

- Ideally, 12+ years of relevant ecological experience
- Experience working in a consulting environment - highly advantageous
- Proven experience of in the management and delivery of ecological surveys
- Working knowledge of Commonwealth and Victorian environmental legislation relating to the environment and an understanding of the relevant planning systems (e.g., EPBC Act, FFG Act, Planning and Environment Act)
- An understanding of the principles of Habitat Hectare assessments (VQA accreditation highly advantageous)
- Class C, open licence required and experience with 4WD - desirable.
- Team leadership experience a positive but not essential - if you are looking for a step up this could be that opportunity.

**Qualifications**:

- Relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, natural resource management or similar
- Experience with GIS desktop and data collection packa