Ecology jobs

We're looking for an Environment Ranger to join our Central Region Planning & Environment team. You'll be based out of our Glenbranter Office in the Cowal District.

Our Planning & Environment teams play a vital role in protecting and enhancing Scotland's national forests and land. They oversee a wide range of designated sites, scheduled monuments, and priority habitats, working closely with planners and delivery teams to ensure land management activities are sustainable and environmentally responsible. Through surveys, monitoring and specialist advice, the team contributes to biodiversity conservation, habitat protection and informed decision-making across the national forest estate.

As an Environment Ranger, you will play a key role in delivering a broad range of ecological survey, monitoring and reporting activities. This is a varied, field-based role with a strong focus on gathering baseline data ahead of forestry operations to identify and protect environmental features. You'll undertake surveys for protected and priority species, support the monitoring of designated sites such as SSSIs and scheduled monuments, and contribute to the design of mitigation plans. You'll also assist with data management, reporting and basic mapping using systems such as ForesterWeb and ArcMap, and provide advice to colleagues to help ensure work is carried out in line with environmental legislation and best practice.

To be successful, you'll have knowledge of the legislative requirements relating to protected and priority species, along with experience of undertaking species surveys and designing mitigation plans. You should be confident working independently in outdoor environments, with the fitness and resilience to operate across uneven terrain and in challenging weather conditions.

Strong organisational, communication and decision-making skills are essential, as is the ability to plan and deliver surveys effectively. Experience working with species such as badger, red squirrel, otter and water vole is important, alongside an understanding of breeding bird ecology. GIS or mapping skills, protected species licences, or a specialist ecological focus would be advantageous.

Please click here to view the full list of benefits of working for us.

If this sounds like a role you're interested in, we'd encourage you to apply with your CV and a supporting statement - please ensure you provide evidence of the essential and desirable criteria detailed in the attached job description and success profile document.