Specialist Bat Ecologist

McCarthy Keville O’Sullivan (MKO) is a specialist environmental and planning consultancy, based in Galway City. The company employs over 65 people across its five internal teams, which offer services in the fields of Ecology, Ornithology, Environmental, Planning and Estates & Project Management.

We deliver challenging and complex projects on behalf of our clients and our range of nationwide expertise and multi-disciplinary service offering add real value to their projects. Full details of the company’s services are outlined on the company website, www.mkoireland.ie .

The company is seeking to recruit a Specialist Bat Ecologist to join its Ecology team and meet the increasing demand for the company’s services. The successful candidate will be working on projects in the wind energy, road and built infrastructure sectors and it is essential that prospective candidates have relevant and recent experience in these sectors. The position available will offer the successful candidate the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects utilising the various skills they may have acquired through formal training, personal interest and previous work experience.

 Prospective candidates must possess an honours degree in ecology, zoology or natural science.

The successful candidate would be expected to:

• Lead and develop our in-house bat capability and provide mentoring support for graduate ecologists.
• Have excellent bat survey field skills, highlighting any specialist bat related expertise (either academic or interest) in their application;
• Have experience and expertise in data collection and bat call analysis
• Have excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Have excellent data management and GIS skills
• Possess a full driver’s licence
• Hold a current bat survey licence
• Have experience of derogation licencing in relation to bats,
• Have an excellent working knowledge of National and European wildlife and planning legislation.

The key responsibilities associated with the role will include:

• Preparing, compiling and project managing bat impact assessments being produced by the company’s bat ecology team;
• Scoping and design of survey requirements (e.g. Wind Farms) in accordance with BCT and SNH Guidance.
• Project management of bat assessments and surveys, from inception to completion including interaction with project stakeholders, clients and other project team members;
• Managing field work schedules for members of the specialist bat ecology team
• Undertaking background research, desk studies and ecological fieldwork and impact assessment reporting, to best-practice guidelines and methodologies;
• Efficiently managing interactions with project team members and sub-consultants;
• Liaising with client representatives to progress projects effectively;
• Finding solutions to ecological challenges on projects;
• Engaging with relevant authorities and stakeholders in ecological projects;
• Delivering fit for purpose project outputs within set deadlines;
• Reporting (prepare and/or compile information for weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports for Project Directors i.e. job proposals issued, current projects, upcoming deadlines, etc.)

The candidate should thrive in a busy work environment and on delivering to required project deadlines.

The successful candidates will have a minimum of five years post-graduate ecological experience, ideally in a consultancy environment.

Candidates interested in the available position should apply by emailing an up to date Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letter/Email to info@mkoireland.ie