About Baker Consultants
What is Baker Consultants?
Baker Consultants is a UK ecology consultancy founded in 2009 by Andrew Baker FCIEEM, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). The practice is CIEEM registered and provides robust commercial ecological advice across the entire development timeline — from land acquisition and preliminary ecological appraisal through to construction monitoring and biodiversity net gain calculations.
Services include species and habitat surveys, environmental impact assessment, habitat regulations assessments, expert witness at public inquiries, and management plans. The team has doubled in size over the last three years and recently launched a sister business to bring cutting-edge soil ecoacoustics services to market. Notable project work includes integrating ecology and recreation planning for a 2,000-home development, securing residential redevelopment near Thames Basin Heaths SPA, and providing expert witness testimony for planning appeals.
Where will I work?
The practice is headquartered at West Platform, Cromford Station, Cromford Bridge, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5JJ. The current team is based within one hour of the Derbyshire office, with established remote working as part of the culture. Survey work involves significant time outdoors across the UK at client sites.
What is the Baker Consultants team like?
The team includes around 20 ecologists led by Andrew Baker FCIEEM (Managing Director, expert in nature conservation law), Gavin Ward MCIEEM CEnv (Consultancy Director, 20+ years across EcIA, EIA and project management), Jeremy Truscott (Technical Director, 20+ years), and Kelly Clark MCIEEM (Associate Director, who has been with the firm since 2009 and holds Natural England Class 2 Bat Survey and Class 1 Great Crested Newt licences). Other senior figures include Courtenay Holden MCIEEM, Isabel Syddall ACIEEM, Jed Weaver MCIEEM (specialist invertebrate team), Dave Goddard MCIEEM (Senior Invertebrate Ecologist), and Karthik Ashok (Acoustic Data Scientist working on Soil Bioacoustics research). Each team member has a "geek" specialist area, from bat licensing to bird-ringing permits to invertebrate ID — and the firm actively supports continuing professional development through CIEEM membership and survey class licensing.
Work-Life Balance
Baker Consultants runs a 4-day work week (32 hours) as part of its hybrid working model. The team is comfortable with remote working and considers itself small but highly effective. Field-survey roles obviously involve seasonal outdoor work, but the office culture explicitly supports a "no commitment" approach to early career conversations — the firm prefers to meet "even if the time isn't exactly right."
Perks and Benefits
- 4-day work week (32 hours)
- Hybrid working — team based within 1 hour of the Derbyshire office
- Field equipment provided for ecological surveys
- Committed support for professional development including CIEEM membership, survey licensing, and chartered status
- Direct involvement with high-profile UK planning and development projects
- Small, close-knit team with named specialisms across botany, invertebrates, bats, GCN, birds, and bioacoustics
- Pathway to senior leadership (recently advertised Associate Director / Director role)