Nature Lead
Shape a future with purpose at Arup in Dublin or Cork
At Arup, we believe that sustainable development begins with understanding and respecting the natural environment. Across our offices in Dublin, Cork and Galway, our teams work on projects that improve lives—supporting communities, enhancing biodiversity and helping our clients meet the challenges of climate change and nature loss.
Our ecology team is central to this mission, providing trusted advice on some of Ireland’s most complex and high‑profile developments. We are now seeking a Senior Ecologist to lead our ecology capability in Ireland, strengthening our technical excellence, supporting our people, and shaping the future of ecological practice within Arup.
The opportunity
This role offers the chance to take a strategic leadership position within one of Ireland’s leading multidisciplinary consultancies. You will lead and grow a team of ecologists delivering work across infrastructure, energy, water, urban development and environmental restoration projects.
Working alongside planners, engineers, environmental specialists and designers, you will help embed ecology into project decision‑making from the earliest stages. You will also play a key role in developing Arup’s ecology offering in Ireland—supporting business growth, innovation in biodiversity and nature‑positive design, and the development of our people.
This is an ideal opportunity for a senior practitioner who combines strong technical expertise with a passion for leadership, collaboration and purposeful work.
Your role as Nature Leader
Provide technical, professional and people leadership to a team of ecologists across Ireland, fostering a supportive, inclusive and high‑performing culture.
Lead and oversee the delivery of Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA), Appropriate Assessment (AA) of Plans and projects , biodiversity impact assessment, mitigation design and monitoring.
Act as a technical authority on Irish and EU ecological legislation, policy and best practice, including the EU Habitats and Birds Directives, national planning guidance, EPA and TII requirements.
Ensure high standards of quality, consistency and compliance across ecological outputs.
Build and maintain strong client relationships, providing trusted advice and contributing to project strategy and commercial performance.
Support business development, including tendering, proposals, and the development of new service areas such as biodiversity net gain, nature‑based solutions and ecological enhancement.
Mentor and develop team members, supporting professional accreditation and career progression.
Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to integrate ecological considerations into design, assessment and delivery.
You are likely to bring:
A degree (or higher) in ecology or a related discipline.
Full membership of CIEEM (or eligibility), with Chartered Ecologist (CEcol) status or a clear pathway towards chartership.
Strong experience of ecological consultancy in Ireland, including leading EcIA and AA for complex projects.
A thorough understanding of Irish planning and environmental consenting processes.
Proven experience in leading teams and managing projects and clients.
Excellent communication skills and the confidence to represent ecology within multidisciplinary teams and with external stakeholders.
Does this role inspire you?
We're looking for someone who is passionate about
- Full membership of CIEEM (or eligibility), with Chartered Ecologist (CEcol) status or a clear pathway towards chartership
- Business Development
Why Arup?
At Arup, we believe in rewarding our members for their contributions to our shared success. As a trust-owned company, we have the freedom to pursue meaningful work that aligns with our purpose and values. We also offer a unique profit share program, allowing our members to share in the results of our collective efforts.
Benefits that work for you:
- Professional Growth & Development: Benefit from continuous learning opportunities, training programs, and mentorship to enhance your skills and advance your career at Arup.
- Global Opportunities: Collaborate with colleagues worldwide and explore potential short-term or long-term assignments at other Arup offices and project locations.
- Financial Well-being & Ownership: Receive a competitive salary and benefits package and share in Arup's success through our global profit-sharing programme.
- Wellbeing and Culture: At Arup we are committed to fostering a healthy working culture by offering a range of health and wellbeing benefits, including health insurance, flexible working schemes, wellness programmes and an Employee Assistance Programme.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: We strive to embed inclusion in our way of working, our interactions with one another and the projects we deliver. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment for talented people of any background, based on merit, fairness and respect.
At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective where individuality is encouraged. Our strength comes from how we respect, share, and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas. You'll have the opportunity to do socially useful work that has meaning – to Arup, to your career, and to the clients and communities we serve.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a workplace that reflects the rich diversity of the world around us. We actively promote a culture of inclusion where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued.
We welcome applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible.
Do you want to join us in shaping a better world?