Role at a glance

Location: Sunshine Coast based, SEQ (office and field based, project dependent)
Employment type: Full-time
Team Managed: Ecologists, including a qualified GIS Technician and a licensed drone pilot
Specialties covered: Flora - fauna - aquatic - fire ecology (plus integrated environmental services).

About Us: We believe that our people are our greatest asset. We are committed to fostering a workplace that values collaboration, well-being, and professional excellence. Our mission is to support a high-functioning, efficient, and values-driven work environment that enables our team to deliver impactful environmental and ecological solutions.

The opportunity

To join a leading, reputable environmental and ecological consultancy, expanding and seeking an experienced Ecologist Lead to guide and elevate a growing ecology team. This is a hands-on leadership role with genuine influence over technical direction, quality standards, team capability, and client outcomes

You will be trusted to shape how work is delivered across a broad portfolio of ecology projects, supported by strong spatial and aerial capability via in-house GIS and drone expertise.

Our vision and values

Our vision: We envision a world where people, culture and nature are respected as deeply interconnected.​ We exist to provide science-based environmental solutions that help clients restore, maintain and enhance ecological systems so that we protect both tangible and intangible values, and leave behind a legacy of care, connection, and custodianship.

Our values:

• Environmental Stewardship - Acting responsibly to protect and enhance natural ecosystems.
• Scientific Integrity - Providing evidence-based solutions that align with industry best practices.
• Collaboration & Respect - Building meaningful relationships with clients, communities, & colleagues.
• Innovation & Excellence - Striving for continuous improvement & pioneering new approaches.
• Safety & Well-being - Ensuring a safe, supportive, and inclusive work environment.
• Industry Leadership - being at the forefront of the industry leading the way in Australia and
  abroad.

What will make this role appealing

High-impact leadership

• Lead a multi-disciplinary ecology team (minimum 2-4 years experience), including a qualified GIS technician and licenced drone pilot responsible for drone surveys and GIS mapping.
• Ability to set and manage clear standards for fieldwork, analysis, reporting, and client delivery.
• You would serve as Project Director on selected projects, managing both our existing client relationships and the growing client base within Environment, Ecology and Fire where required.
• Mentor and coach ecologists at different career stages, building confidence and capability.

Variety and technical breadth

• Projects across terrestrial and aquatic ecology, threatened species, habitat assessments, monitoring programs, waterway health, and fire ecology.
• Work across approvals pathways and project phases, from early constraints mapping through to compliance and monitoring.

Training & Knowledge Development

• Initially focusing on developing and implementing training programs for staff as required.
• Improving report-writing quality, including optimal structure and content.
• Enhancing interactions with councils and clients, efficiently meeting both parties' needs.
• Developing fire assessments and management plans.

Best-practice tools and capability

• Leverage in-house GIS and drone products to lift project outcomes and consistency.
• Help the team translate data into clear, defensible advice for clients and regulators.
• Assist in the development of innovative and tech leading new products and services.

Quality, professionalism, and development

• Influence templates, workflows, peer review processes, and training plans.
• Support professional development, conference participation, and industry engagement.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the ecology team, including workload planning, mentoring, and performance support.
• Establish and maintain technical quality standards (methods, data management, reporting, peer review).
• Provide technical guidance across flora, fauna, aquatic, and fire ecology services.
• Oversee ecological survey design, field programs, analysis, and reporting to consultancy-grade standards.
• Act as a senior point of contact for clients, regulators, and project stakeholders.
• Contribute to proposals, scope development, budgeting, and resourcing.
• Promote safe field practices and compliance with WHS requirements.
• Collaborate closely with GIS and drone capability to improve survey efficiency and reporting clarity.
• While not primarily responsible for new business development, your assistance in generating additional business opportunities beyond our current clients would be valuable.

About you

You are a confident senior ecologist who enjoys leading people and lifting standards through coaching, clear processes, and sound judgement. You can switch easily between fieldwork, project strategy, client conversations, and quality assurance.

You will likely bring:

• Strong consulting experience delivering ecology projects end-to-end.
• Demonstrated leadership or team supervision (formal or informal).
• Broad capability across multiple ecology domains, with depth in at least one.
• High-quality technical writing and the ability to review and improve others' work.
• Practical understanding of environmental approvals and regulatory expectations across Australian jurisdictions, primarily QLD.
• A collaborative style and genuine interest in developing others.

Mandatory inclusions and requirements

Applicants must meet the following:

• Right to work in Australia (citizenship, permanent residency, or valid work visa).
• Relevant tertiary qualification in environmental science, animal ecology, zoology, fire or other related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years' experience in Environmental or Ecological assessment and management sectors.
• High level experience with Ecological and Environmental assessment, approval and management under local, state and federal legislative requirements.
• State recognised botanist.
• Practical knowledge of work health and safety policies and procedures.
• Current Australian driver licence and willingness to travel for fieldwork as required.
• Construction Industry White Card.
• First Aid Certificate.
• Ability to be self-managed, self-motivated, work autonomously as well as in a team environment and have a strong work ethic.
• Experience leading a team.
• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to undertake fieldwork in variable conditions (remote locations, uneven terrain, heat, wet weather, overnight stays).
• Willingness to complete project-required checks such as police check, medical/fit-for-work, and site inductions (as applicable).
• Ensure current regulatory knowledge and compliance in your specialist area.

Desirable (not mandatory)

• Advanced skills in at least one of: threatened species assessment, aquatic ecology, fire ecology, statistical analysis, or ecological monitoring design.
• High level of comfort working with GIS outputs and spatial data interpretation.
• Experience working with Traditional Owners and incorporating cultural and ecological knowledge respectfully.
• Business development experience, client relationship growth, or team scaling experience.
• CRM experience or willingness to learn CRM software.
• Experience carrying out fire assessments and authoring management plans.
• Venomous Snake Handling Certificate.
• Lyssavirus vaccinated (or willing to obtain).
• Fauna Handling Certificate.
• 4WD Certificate.
• ISI Gas induction.
• Standard 11 generic induction.
• QLD coal board medical.
• Cat 3 rail medical.