Principal Consultant

HiDef Aerial Surveying Limited
Edinburgh
11 months ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Drone Operator

Engineering Manager Aviation & Robotics

Principal Consultant

HiDef Aerial Surveying Limited (HiDef) is known for its market leading innovative digital aerial surveys which have been deployed in ten countries. We are expanding across all of our services, combining technical and scientific excellence, and it is crucial to the company that we continue to lead in the innovation of new products, based upon credible science, and deliver all of our services in a consistent and efficient manner. We work on a range of projects from our digital aerial surveys, ornithological and marine mammal statistical analysis and research and development projects in fields such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, often with our sister company BioConsult SH in Germany, Biotope in France, other partners and domain experts.

Our Vision: to provide trusted, high quality environmental data, analysis, and consultancy to support decision-making for the renewables industry and conservation.

Our Mission: to be a leading marine environmental consultancy for the global offshore renewables industry.

Our Values: our shared values –Innovative, Supportive,andHonest, sit at the heart of our company culture and impact everything we do.

Quality lies at the heart of HiDef’s services and following a growth of business, the company is looking to recruit a Principal Consultant to join our busy Consultancy Science team. This position within the company offers significant opportunities for the right person who will be enthusiastic, methodical, diligent, and an excellent team player with effective communication skills and a willingness to learn.

Location:this position will be based at our Head Office in Lillyhall, Cumbria or in our Edinburgh office with the option of hybrid working as appropriate.

The Role:

The role includes but is not limited to:

  1. Client liaison and support;
  2. Project scheduling and ensuring delivery to time;
  3. EIA scoping and HRA screening, including preparation and review of reports;
  4. Pre-application engagement with stakeholders, leading on the relevant technical input (ornithology primarily) for the client;
  5. Reviewing of formal Scoping Opinions issued by Regulators and advice to client on addressing ornithology requirements (including completion of gap analysis spreadsheets);
  6. Preparing assessments for application submission, including ES chapters (marine ornithology), associated technical appendices, HRA reports and cumulative/in combination impact assessments;
  7. Inputting to the development and delivery of internal research and development projects undertaken by HiDef;
  8. Co-ordinating and managing input from the HiDef Consultancy Team (ecological consultants and data scientists);
  9. Line management of team members;
  10. Delivering other work, including projects commissioned by the statutory nature conservation bodies, which may involve internal cross-team working (e.g. HiDef’s Technology Team);
  11. QA and QC of team deliverables;
  12. Contributing to relevant cross-company working groups managed through the Joint Innovation Committee (JINCO);
  13. Providing advice on baseline and post-consent survey design and analysis;
  14. Inputting, as required, to business development tasks, including technical writing for bids; and
  15. Any other duties as the company may reasonably see fit.

The successful candidate will need:

Qualifications

  1. Higher degree in a relevant field (e.g. Ecology, Environmental Science, Marine Biology).

Skills & Knowledge

  1. Excellent knowledge of marine ecology, particularly ornithology;
  2. Excellent knowledge and experience of EIA and HRA process;
  3. Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail and a pro-active nature;
  4. Ability to organise, coordinate and prioritise their own workload and that of others to ensure key deliverables are met;
  5. Effective communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, at all levels and with a variety of stakeholders;
  6. Ability to work effectively as a team member and independently, working under minimal supervision and managing time efficiently;
  7. Adaptable with the ability to work under pressure and prioritise tasks;
  8. IT proficient; including MS Office applications; and
  9. Good knowledge of the offshore renewables industry.

Experience

  1. Substantial experience in a comparable/relevant role;
  2. Demonstrable relevant experience of impact assessments (EIA/HRA) for offshore renewables development;
  3. Project management experience, with knowledge of the full project lifecycle;
  4. Stakeholder communications, through meetings, workshops and events; and
  5. Experienced team worker and remote team management (desirable).

Benefits / Remuneration:

  1. Salary, starting from circa £48,500 p.a.
  2. Competitive, discretionary profit share scheme.
  3. Full-time, permanent position.
  4. Working hours are based on Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00.
  5. 33 days annual leave per annum, including public holidays.
  6. 4% company pension contribution.
  7. Private medical and dental care scheme.
  8. Medicash scheme.
  9. Group Life Assurance.
  10. Company sick pay allowance.
  11. Salary sacrifice scheme including Pension Salary Exchange, Cycle to Work scheme, and help towards the purchase of ultra-low emission vehicles.

How to Apply:
Use the 'Apply Now' button to make your application.

Closing date:Friday 24th January 2025, 10am
HiDef is proud to be an inclusive company, and people are at the heart of how we deliver our services. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of race, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, or belief.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

UAV Jobs for Career Switchers in Their 30s, 40s & 50s (UK Reality Check)

UAVs (drones) have moved far beyond hobby flying. In the UK, they are now used every day for surveying, infrastructure inspection, construction progress, environmental monitoring, emergency response, film production, agriculture, offshore work & security. That growth has created a wide range of UAV job opportunities — and many of the most realistic routes into the sector are well suited to career switchers in their 30s, 40s & 50s. This article gives you a straight UK reality check on UAV careers: what roles genuinely exist, what training you really need, how long it takes to become employable, where the money is, what employers actually look for & whether age matters (usually far less than people assume).

How to Write a UAV or Drone Job Ad That Attracts the Right People

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are now used across a wide range of UK industries, including defence, aerospace, surveying, agriculture, energy, emergency services, infrastructure inspection and logistics. As the sector grows, so does demand for skilled UAV professionals — from pilots and engineers to software developers, systems specialists and compliance experts. Yet many employers struggle to attract the right candidates. UAV job adverts often receive either very few applications or a high volume of unsuitable ones. Experienced UAV professionals, meanwhile, regularly ignore adverts that feel vague, unrealistic or disconnected from real operational and regulatory requirements. In most cases, the problem is not a lack of talent — it is the clarity and quality of the job advert. UAV professionals are practical, safety-conscious and detail-oriented. A poorly written job ad signals weak understanding of aviation, regulation or operational reality. A clear, well-written one signals credibility, professionalism and long-term intent. This guide explains how to write a UAV job ad that attracts the right people, improves applicant quality and positions your organisation as a serious employer in the UAV sector.

Maths for UAV Jobs: The Only Topics You Actually Need (& How to Learn Them)

If you’re aiming for UAV jobs in the UK (drone pilot, UAV engineer, autonomy developer, payload specialist, flight test, survey, inspection, defence contractor roles) it’s easy to feel like you need “all the maths”. You don’t. Most real-world UAV roles repeatedly use a small set of maths topics: Linear algebra for frames, vectors & transforms Probability for sensor noise, estimation & decision confidence Complex numbers for signals, filters, RF links & control frequency response Basic optimisation for trajectory planning, tuning & trade-offs This article explains the only topics you actually need, how to learn them quickly, plus a 6-week plan & practical projects you can publish to prove the skills.