ARU Spring Internship Scheme 2025: Ecology consultant
Company name: Sibbett Ecology Ltd
Pay rate: £12.60 per hour
Location: Hybrid It will be a combination of ecology surveys on sites across East Anglia, home working, and visits to the office in Bury St Edmunds - CAR DRIVER WITH ACCESS TO VEHICLE IS ESSENTIAL
Hours: 20 hours per week
Term: 10 weeks
Start date: 17th March 2025
Application deadline: 28th February 2025
Interview dates: Date to be confirmed.
Sibbett Ecology Ltd is a boutique ecological micro-consultancy providing services to developers, the public sector, charities and private individuals. This ranges from land management advice to benefit biodiversity, supporting developers with planning applications to ensure they are ecologically benign or beneficial, and working with contractors on site to make sure they don’t inadvertently do damage. Typical projects include one or more of Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, Ecological Impact Assessment, Habitats Regulations Assessment, and/or Biodiversity Net Gain assessment. Projects are supported by habitat and species survey, so there is good knowledge of the ecology of a site.
Sibbett Ecology Ltd has just one person, Nick Sibbett. That means that an intern will get good training and mentoring from Director level, rather than just being left with other junior staff as you might be elsewhere. The internship will be respectful and flexible to your skills and experiences, treating you an as individual. Training will be provided for all work to be carried out, through on the job learning, webinars and potentially short in-person courses. All work is to health and safety protocols, to keep you safe on site. There will also be the opportunity to work with other ecology consultancies, or on nature reserves, to gain additional and different experiences. You will be encouraged to take up development opportunities outside work, such as participating in species interest groups or practising survey skills.
The role
- Species survey, including reptiles, bats, badgers and others.
- Habitat survey
- Reporting of surveys and the implications of the findings
- Calculations of Biodiversity Net Gain.
Person spec
ESSENTIAL
- Current ARU undergraduate student from a relevant degree course e.g. Ecology, Conservation, Zoology
- CAR DRIVER WITH ACCESS TO VEHICLE - the successful intern MUST be able to travel to sites in places remote from public transport, e.g. for surveys. Mileage costs will be paid at 45p per mile If night-time bat surveys are too far away to drive home afterwards we pay for hotel overnight stay.
- Willing to work variable hours, including at night or early mornings
- Ability to work as part of a team and to work alone on site to a good standard (no lone working for night-time bat surveys)
- Ability to walk / survey on rough ground e.g. ploughed or abandoned fields, during the day and at night to survey small, fast-moving animals
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- An interest in one or more aspects of ecology / nature such as bats, botany, or birds, demonstrated by discussion at interview and/or by participation in a relevant interest group
- A positive attitude to helping developers get planning permission for ecologically-good developments
- Able to work from home with your own computer using Microsoft Word and Excel or compatible products.
DESIRABLE
- GIS skills e.g. QGIS, for drawing habitats and measuring areas
- Birdwatching skills, bat survey experience, plant identification skills
Learning outcomes
At the end of the internship the successful intern should be able to demonstrate:
- Detailed understanding of professional Ecology Consultancy and good experience in being an ecological consultant
- How to survey for species including reptiles, bats, badgers and others in an industry-standard way
- Become more employable in ecology, with skills being transferable to jobs in or outside ecology consultancy
The work will be directly relevant to the Core Modules of Animal Physiology and Behaviour, Introduction to Ecology and Conservation, Field Skills in Biology, GIS and Spatial Ecology, Population Ecology and Wildlife Management, Sustainable Land Management, Professional Field Ecology, and Professional and Personal Development levels 4 and 5.
How to apply: Please click on the apply button and ensure your CV is up to date and showcases your relevant skills and experience for the role.
Only successful candidates will be contacted due to the number of applications received.