Job Description

About The Role

Role

: Assistant Ecology Officer

Location

: Chorley (Hybrid)

Contract

: Part Time (0.6 FTE / 21.75 hours) / Permanent

Salary

: 31,537 - 33,699

Closing Date

: 19 October 2025

Are you passionate about protecting and enhancing biodiversity?

We're looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Assistant Ecologist to join our dedicated team at Chorley Council. This is an exciting opportunity to support the delivery of nature recovery and biodiversity net gain (BNG) across the borough, working on a variety of projects that contribute to sustainable development and ecological resilience. If you're keen to make a real difference in your local environment and develop your career in ecology within a supportive and forward-thinking council, we'd love to hear from you.

What you'll be getting up to

Chorley Council thrives to be a green and sustainable borough, and to help achieve this we are preparing a Biodiversity Strategy to set a framework for nature recovery. The assistant ecologist will have a critical role in supporting the council's ecological work across a broad range of exciting and impactful areas. Responsibilities will include:


Support the Biodiversity Gain Project Lead to provide ecological advice to the Planning Department to help ensure developments contribute positively to biodiversity. Provide support in the preparation and delivery of Council publications such as the Biodiversity Strategy and Biodiversity Duty reporting. Provide a supporting role in the implementation of statutory Biodiversity Net Gain and creation of a Biodiversity Gain Site network in the borough. Conduct habitat and ecological surveys for the purposes of BNG and monitoring. Handle large sets of ecological and monitoring data, including mapping, analysis, and reporting to inform decision-making and monitor progress. Engage with local communities, stakeholders, and partners through outreach and education to promote nature recovery and ecological awareness.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for someone who has attention to detail, enthusiasm and a commitment to protecting and enhancing biodiversity. The ideal candidate will have:


A degree (or equivalent) in ecology, environmental science or related subject A good understanding of UK habitats, species and ecological principles Experience and knowledge of environmental legislation and ecological survey techniques Knowledge of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) principles and a willingness to learn Strong data handling and reporting skills Experience using GIS software for mapping and spatial analysis (ideally QGIS) Confidence in communicating ecological information to a range of audiences, including the general public A willingness to engage with local communities and stakeholders through outreach and engagement Strong verbal and written communication skills

Oth

er requirements

This role may require some travel around our boroughs. It is desirable for the candidate to have a valid driving license or the equivalent mobility. Membership of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) or working towards gaining accreditation (the council will support the application and membership)

Our Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (and Christmas shutdown) Hybrid/agile working from day one Local Government pension Healthcare Cash Plan for cash back on health treatments Cashback website access for savings on brands you love Volunteering days Free parking
Many of our colleagues work flexibly for us. We're always open to conversations around different working arrangements. If you're interested in part-time, compressed hours or any other working arrangement, please get in touch with us through the "Contact Us" form on our careers website.

About Us

Chorley Council is dedicated to providing first-class services and promoting the well-being of the local community. Our staff are our greatest resource, at the heart of everything we do, and are crucial to the delivery of excellent services for our residents. At Chorley Council, we're always striving to make our borough the best to live, work and visit.

Working Together

We share a number of our services with South Ribble Borough Council. This allows for improved resilience across both councils and provides numerous benefits to our operations. Whilst some staff and back-end processes are shared between the Councils, both Councils still retain sovereignty and have separate strategies and corporate plans.

Additional information

Applicants are advised to apply early. We reserve the right to close a vacancy prior to the closing date.

Equal Opportunities

We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to the elimination of unfair and unlawful discrimination and prejudice in all our policies, procedures, and practices.



We're committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes making adjustments for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process, please contact us via the "Contact Us" page on our website.



If you are disabled or your last employer was the armed forces, and you meet all the essential criteria of a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.