Location
Edinburgh, East Lothian, United Kingdom
Capabilities
Environmental
Office Setup
Hybrid
Job ID
#40391
Market
Environmental
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact
➡️ Join our passionate ecology team and make a real difference in protecting wildlife and habitats across the UK.
➡️ As a Survey Assistant, you’ll play a vital role in collecting data that informs sustainable development and conservation efforts.
➡️ From bats and birds to badgers and newts, your work will help safeguard species and ecosystems for future generations.
➡️ This is your chance to turn your enthusiasm for nature into meaningful action
We Offer
Competitive hourly rate
️ Accrued holiday at a rate of 1.2 hours per 10 hours worked
About the Opportunity
We’re looking for seasonal survey assistants to support our experienced ecologists on a variety of projects. You’ll work alongside specialists in protected species and habitat surveys, gaining hands-on experience in ecological surveying and data collection. If you already have experience to lead surveys we’d love to hear from you too!
We are seeking staff with good availability through the summer to work as survey assistants with our team of ecologists and/or experienced field survey leads, bat specialists, water vole specialists, botanists, and ornithologists.
Our ecology team is currently over two hundred strong, which means technical and career mentoring to ensure your continued professional development. At Jacobs, we provide the resources to turn great ideas into reality.
Primary Responsibilities:
➡️ Supporting the national team of ecologists working on a variety of projects
➡️ Survey support and logistic planning
➡️ Ecological surveying and biological data collection
➡️ Producing quality-assured ecology deliverables
➡️ Report Writing
Our Water and Environment business provides a focus for advising our clients on sustainability issues including renewable energy, low carbon economies, impacts of climate change and waste and resource management.
- ️ Locations: Edinburgh & Glasgow
- ️ Field-Based Role: Expect some early mornings, late evenings, and overnight stays (all travel and accommodation expenses covered and budget for subsistence provided)
- ️ Contract Type: Zero-Hour Contract
What does a Zero-Hour Contract mean for you? Key Benefits:
0️⃣ Flexibility & Control: Choose when you work, ideal for balancing jobs with education, family, or other commitments.
0️⃣ Statutory Rights: You’re entitled to core rights like National Minimum/Living Wage, paid holiday, rest breaks, payslips, and protection from discrimination.
0️⃣ Opportunity & Experience: Great for building skills, gaining experience, and potentially moving into permanent roles.
0️⃣ Short Notice Protections: Recent changes protect workers from unfair deductions if shifts are cancelled last minute.
Important Considerations:
0️⃣ Income and hours are variable, so earnings aren’t guaranteed.
0️⃣ You’re usually classed as a ‘worker’, meaning some rights differ from full employees, but key protections remain.
Whether you’re a recent graduate, a keen naturalist, or an experienced consultant, we’d love to hear from you.
Here's what you'll need
Essential:
✅ Enthusiasm for a career in wildlife or ecology
✅ Organised and dependable with good time management skills
✅ Driven and motivated individual with a proactive mindset
✅ Happy to work away from home and stay away for up to 4 nights a week
✅ Driving licence (please specify on your CV)
✅ Right to work in the UK
✅ Eligibility for CIEEM membership
Desirable:
✅ Degree in ecology or related subject
✅ Previous experience in ecological surveys
! We are seeking candidates with immediate availability. Interviews will be arranged at the earliest opportunity, with an anticipated start date of late June or early July.
You’ll need flexibility for unsociable hours (bat surveys at night, bird surveys at dawn) and a proactive mindset to thrive in this dynamic role.
@Jacobs. A world where you can. Good luck with your application
#LI-EG1 #LI-HYBRID
Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.
With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs .
We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here .
Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https://www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.
As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.
We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support .
