Senior Ecologist (Terrestrial Biodiversity), Pretoria

Senior Ecologist (Terrestrial Biodiversity) - (SC-L6.10) Sustainability is not a service at Zutari; it is a responsibility embedded in everything we do.

With over 90 years of experience across Africa and the Middle East, we partner with clients to integrate climate resilience, sustainability strategy, and environmental stewardship across the infrastructure lifecycle.

We are seeking thinkers and doers who are driven to create a low‑carbon, climate‑resilient future by translating ambition into measurable environmental and social impact.

Role Responsibilities

Lead and execute terrestrial ecology/biodiversity specialist studies, including baseline surveys, sensitivity assessments, and impact assessments.

Plan and implement field programmes (flora, fauna, habitats, threatened species indicators, ecological condition), including:

Survey design and timing/seasonality planning

Field team coordination

Data quality assurance and defensible interpretation

Deliver high‑quality specialist reports and inputs for EIAs/Basic Assessments and related processes, including:

Biodiversity specialist reports / ecological assessments

Biodiversity Management Plans (BMPs)

Alien Invasive Species assessment and management recommendations

Rehabilitation/restoration inputs and monitoring plans

Constraints and opportunities mapping and integration into design

Apply the mitigation hierarchy (avoid–minimise–rehabilitate–offset/compensate) and translate findings into clear design and construction requirements.

Wetlands/aquatic support (working capability)

Contribute to and/or support wetlands and aquatic ecology assessments (as part of integrated teams), including field screening, delineation support where applicable, impact identification, and mitigation/monitoring recommendations.

Coordinate with wetland/aquatic specialists when advanced expertise is required and ensure seamless integration of findings into overall EIA and design.

Construction‑phase ecology and implementation

Provide construction support through the development of method statements and CEMP ecology inputs, site walkdowns, inspections and audits, delivery of toolbox talks and contractor briefings, and support to incident response and corrective action close‑out.

Ensure ecological commitments are practical, measurable, and auditable.

Deliver ecology services across all sectors (e.g., transport, energy, water, mining/industrial, urban development), tailoring methods and mitigation to each project context.

Manage ecology scope, programme, and budgets on assigned projects; proactively identify risks, assumptions, and data gaps.

Stakeholder and regulatory engagement

Engage effectively with regulators, landowners, and stakeholders on ecology‑related matters.

Support public participation processes with clear responses to biodiversity‑related comments and specialist findings.

Quality, leadership, and growth

Maintain high technical standards: internal QA/QC, peer review, defensible conclusions, and consistent report quality.

Mentor junior ecologists and field staff; contribute to capability development (methods, reporting, field skills, safety).

Support proposals and business development: approach/methodology write‑ups, resourcing, and pricing inputs.

BSc (or equivalent) in Ecology, Zoology, Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental Science or related field– essential.

Honours or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline – advantageous.

Professional registration: SACNASP registration (required) and maintained in good standing– essential.

5+ years relevant professional experience delivering ecological specialist studies (terrestrial focus) for development/infrastructure projects.

Demonstrated capability in producing high‑quality, defensible technical reports and advising multi‑disciplinary teams.

Valid driver’s licence and willingness to undertake fieldwork and travel as required.

Strong working knowledge of wetlands/aquatic assessments within integrated EIA teams– advantageous.

GIS proficiency (QGIS/ArcGIS) and spatial analysis for sensitivity/constraints mapping– advantageous.

Experience supporting construction‑phase environmental management and compliance monitoring – advantageous.

Skills and characteristics Ecological Assessment&Interpretation

Demonstrates the ability to design, interpret and quality‑assure terrestrial ecology surveys, biodiversity risk screening and impact assessments to inform sound project and decision‑making outcomes.

Consistently applies the mitigation hierarchy to develop practical, implementation‑ready mitigation measures that can be integrated into design, construction and operational phases.

Monitoring, Rehabilitation&Biodiversity Management

Applies sound principles of ecological monitoring, rehabilitation and restoration, including invasive species management, to support sustainable project outcomes over time.

Technical Quality&Reporting Discipline

Maintains high standards of data QA/QC and produces clear, accurate and defensible technical reports and written outputs suitable for regulatory, client and project use.

Behavioural

Professional Judgement&Client Engagement

Demonstrates confident, credible client‑facing communication and professional judgement, building trust with clients and stakeholders in complex and high‑risk contexts.

Works pragmatically and constructively with engineers, planners and environmental and social practitioners to deliver integrated, fit‑for‑purpose solutions.

People Leadership&Delivery Focus

Provides mentorship and technical guidance to team members while effectively planning, prioritising and delivering work to quality and deadline expectations.

Skills

Terrestrial Ecology&Biodiversity Assessment: Ability to plan, lead and deliver terrestrial ecology and biodiversity studies, including baseline surveys, impact assessments, sensitivity analysis and defensible interpretation of findings.

Field Programme Planning&Data Quality Management: Ability to design and implement ecological field programmes, coordinate field teams, manage seasonality and survey timing, and ensure robust data QA/QC and technical integrity.

Mitigation&Implementation Planning: Ability to apply the mitigation hierarchy and translate ecological findings into clear, practical and auditable design, construction and rehabilitation requirements.

Construction‑Phase Ecology Support: Ability to support construction activities through CEMP inputs, method statements, site inspections and audits, contractor briefings, and incident response and corrective action close‑out.

Multi‑Sector Project&Stakeholder Delivery: Ability to deliver ecology services across multiple sectors, manage scope, programme and budgets, and engage effectively with regulators, stakeholders and project teams to support approvals and delivery.

Travel:

Periodic travel within South Africa (and potentially regionally) for site visits and field surveys, aligned to seasonal survey windows and project needs.

We believe that a diverse workforce is key to our business success. We seek the best people for our jobs based on their skills, qualifications, and experience. We embrace the principle of equal opportunity in employment, and we work towards eliminating all forms of unlawful discrimination in our employment practices. In support of diversity and the equal opportunity principle, preference will be given to individuals from designated groups within South Africa.

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