Senior Ecologist

Role overview

You will take full technical ownership of NSW BOS (Biodiversity Offset Scheme) stewardship projects from inception through BSSAR approval, credit generation, and pre-transaction positioning. As our lead BAM-accredited ecologist, you will deliver rigorous ecological assessments and act as the certifier of BAM-C and biodiversity assessment outcomes.

Key responsibilities

Project Origination & Feasibility

• Identify, screen and prioritise candidate stewardship sites / properties.
• Conduct desktop feasibility: review constraints (e.g. land tenure, threatened species records, mapping layers, connectivity), estimate possible credit yields, flag risks.
• Advise senior management/landholders on project viability, timelines, and resource needs.

Field Ecology & Surveys

• Design, lead and execute flora, fauna and habitat surveys including threatened species targeted work.
• Classify vegetation using PCTs and OTGs, assess condition, threats, disturbance history.
• Oversee field teams, ensure QA/QC in data collection, and integrate satellite, LiDAR, or remote sensing layers where relevant.

BAM-C / Reporting / Accreditation

• Build, calibrate and finalise BAM-C models, ensuring defensible inputs, transparent assumptions and traceability.
• Act as certifying ecologist for biodiversity assessment reports (BSSAR, BDAR, etc.), using the mandatory templates and conforming to BOS procedural rules.
• Liaise with regulatory reviewers and respond to technical queries during assessment reviews.

Credit Generation / Pre-Transaction

• Translate ecological outputs into quantifiable credit positions, map risks, support due diligence.
• Work with internal/ external advisors (legal, markets, investors) to prepare pre-transaction documentation, risk disclosure, site governance.

Project Management & Stakeholder Liaison

• Develop, maintain and deliver project plans (scope, schedule, budget, risks).
• Coordinate subcontractors, ecologists, landholders, and service providers.
• Communicate with landholders, government agencies, and internal teams; present outcomes to stakeholders.

Required qualifications, accreditation & compliance

• NSW
  BAM-accredited Assessor
  (current, with demonstrable track record in certifying assessments).
• Deep, applied working knowledge of BAM 2020, Operational Manuals, system workflows (e.g. BOAMS / BOAS).
• Strong CPD record and awareness of the latest methodological updates in the BOS program.

Experience & domain expertise

• 6+ years in ecological roles in NSW (or similar jurisdictions) with end-to-end project delivery (feasibility → survey → reporting → credit strategy).
• Significant hands-on field experience, especially in vegetation classification, fauna/threatened species survey and habitat assessment.
• Strong skills in vegetation integrity, condition assessment and PCT/OTG classification.
• Prior experience authoring or certifying BSSARs, BDARs or similar biodiversity assessment documentation.
• Demonstrable project management (schedule, budget, team coordination) experience.

Skills & traits

• Strong scientific mindset: rigorous, detail-oriented, comfortable with uncertainty and modeling.
• Excellent written communication: able to produce structure, defensible reports for regulators/peers.
• Values-aligned: passion for conservation, biodiversity integrity, innovation and ethical outcomes.
• Adaptable: able to lead fieldwork in remote settings, comfortable with travel logistics.
• Collaborative: can work with multi-disciplinary teams, landholders, government, and commercial stakeholders.

Location & travel expectations

• Preference for regionally based candidates (e.g. in
  Wagga Wagga
  or
  Canberra
  regions).
• Regular travel to assess sites across NSW—day, multi-day, and possibly overnight fieldwork.
• Office/remote work hybrid depending on project phase; field first when needed.

Engagement & path

• Initial engagement via contract/freelance model, with potential conversion to full-time employment as project pipeline scales.
• You'll be provided with data access, technical support, software tools, safety induction and site support.

About All Natural Capital

All Natural Capital is a purpose-built venture turning nature-positive ideas into investable, high-integrity projects. Founded by @Nick Cleary and @Geoff Gourley, we mobilise capital to restore ecosystems, strengthen regional economies, and deliver durable returns for investors and communities.

We originate and develop projects across biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, carbon and nature markets, water, circular economy, and nature-aligned renewable energy. Our approach is science-led and place-based: additionality, integrity, and measurable outcomes are non-negotiable.

We work with landholders, Traditional Owners, enterprises, and government to design projects that stack ecological, social, and financial value over the long term.