Principal Ecologist
Fehily Timoney and Company (FT) is one of Ireland’s largest indigenous consultancies specialising in Sustainable Infrastructure, Circular Economy, Environment, and Energy and Renewables.
FT offers comprehensive ecology consultancy services covering all key areas including coastal, freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecology.
FT is recruiting a Principal Ecologist to join our team in either the Cork, Dublin or Carlow office. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting the growth of our business, working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team of professionals.
The role is ideally suited to candidates with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience. It offers exposure to a diverse range of projects across the renewable energy, waste management and civil infrastructure sectors. With a strong pipeline of ongoing work, FT provides a clear and structured pathway for career progression.
What would my main responsibilities be in this role?
• Overseeing individual contracts to ensure the delivery of high-quality ecological consultancy services
• Providing specialist ecological input across a variety of projects
• Planning, conducting and supervising ecological surveys and fieldwork activities
• Preparing and overseeing the implementation of Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs)
• Leading the preparation of Appropriate Assessments, Ecological Impact Assessments (EcIAs), Biodiversity Chapters for Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs) and other environmental reports
• Producing high-quality technical reports and project deliverables
• Ensuring quality control across all project outputs, with a focus on detail, accuracy, timely delivery, and continuous improvement within the Ecology team
• Acting as an expert witness at Oral Hearings when required
• Building and maintaining strong client relationships and participating in client and design team meetings as necessary
Are you the right person for the role?
• A degree in ecology or related discipline
• A minimum of 10 years’ post graduate experience in environmental consultancy
• Member of CIEEM, CIWEM or comparable professional body
• Proven experience serving as an expert witness and participating in oral hearings
• In-depth knowledge of Irish wildlife and conservation legislation
• Strong technical report writing capabilities
• Demonstrated experience in preparing and overseeing the implementation of Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs)
• Proven ability to work effectively within multi-disciplinary teams
• Excellent communication, organisational and project management skills
• Possession of a full, clean driving licence
Is FT the right fit for you?
Ready to take the next step? Does FT sound like the right fit for you? Reach out to us at
careers@ftco.ie today. Your application will be handled with complete confidentiality and will be considered immediately upon receipt.
If you'd like to learn more about this career opportunity, feel free to reach out to us at
careers@ftco.ie — we’ll be happy to help.
Why Join FT?
Join our team and enjoy a premium benefits package that features:
Continuous Professional Development - We're passionate about helping you grow, providing resources and training opportunities for ongoing professional development and to encourage your creative thinking. Team members have 5 CPD learning days per year. FT’s commitment to CPD is recognised through our CPD Accredited Employer standard.
Employee Experience – When you join FT, you are becoming part of a vibrant community – not just a workplace – where continuous learning, personal growth and development are at the core of what we do. We are committed to offering clear careers paths, goal setting support and meaningful opportunities for achievement. Beyond professional development, we also provide a diverse and enriching experience, including chances to get involved in climate action and sustainability, fundraising and volunteering. We offer sports and social events throughout the year.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - FT, we don't just talk about equality—we live it through our vibrant culture that celebrates diversity, promotes inclusion, and prioritises your wellbeing with dedicated programs. FT is proud of our commitment and is accredited for inclusive and diverse practices.
Family Benefits – We view employees as individuals with full and busy lives outside of the workplace. We aim to celebrate life’s joyful moments and provide support during challenging times. That’s why we offer leave for important personal milestones such as getting married, buying a house and flexible parental leave. We also provide compassionate leave and paid sick leave when needed. In recognition of special occasions, FT offers gifts to employees celebrating their nuptials and welcoming a new baby.
Financial – FT offer competitive compensation packages, full support for professional membership fees, and gifts each year to show our appreciation for all staff contributions. Complimentary parking is available at each of our offices.
Wellbeing – We believe that true wellbeing encompasses both physical and mental health. To support this, we offer a variety of wellbeing benefits including a health and lifestyle contribution that can be used to meet your personal and family health needs – recognising that wellbeing looks different for everyone.
Employees in our Dublin office can enjoy complimentary gym membership, and all staff have access to flu vaccines and regular health screenings. We also offer a bike to work scheme, an Employee Assistance Programme, and support from our inhouse mental health first aid team.
Work Life Balance – At FT we understand that a healthy work-life balance is essential to a positive, productive and healthy work environment. That’s why FT offers a flexible range of benefits designed to support our employees’ wellbeing including early weekend starts with shorter Fridays, hot desking in our offices, hybrid working options, flexi start system, 22 to 27 days annual leave and 4 company days per year.
