Our wonderful team are our greatest asset. Not only experts in transport, engineering and placemaking but also committed to delivering better places for people through high-level-service client experiences.

We’re very proud to continue to celebrate the faces behind the fast-growing international consultancy that we are today in our monthly feature ‘PJA People’.

Next up in our series is Nature Senior Adviser, Nicole King, based in our Birmingham office:

Tell us what you do at PJA

At PJA, I’m a Senior Nature Advisor, in which I work with clients to help achieve nature-positive, sustainable outcomes across a variety of projects. I have expertise in terrestrial ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), enjoying the challenge of ensuring that our designs not only meet ecological targets, but provide overall positive environmental impacts. I work closely with clients and our design teams to ensure that ecological considerations are embedded at every stage of a project, from conception through to delivery.

What’s your career path so far?

I studied Biological Sciences at the University of Reading. From the start, I knew I wanted to work in the environmental sector, but I had no idea what direction that would be. It wasn’t until about a year into university, that I even learned about the field of Ecology, and I remember being shocked – how had I never heard of it before? I was immediately hooked and it has shaped the path I have taken.

After graduating, I secured a Graduate Environmental Adviser role, joining their Ecology team with a focus on the highways sector. In this role I was mainly site-based, conducting Preliminary Ecological Assessments (PEAs), Species Surveys and working as an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW). During this time, I happily covered many miles of ground come rain or shine – a day in which I didn’t break the 15,000 step mark was considered a slow one. I’d often be up at the crack of dawn to carry out species surveys, such as bat or breeding bird surveys, and it was always an exciting, hands-on way to get to grips with the practical aspect of Ecology.

I then moved on to focus on working in the railway industry. While this marked a shift from a site-based to a more desk-based role, it allowed me to become more involved in scheme design, where I managed ecological design elements. I worked closely with the client and other design teams to meet client aspirations while balancing ecological commitments, constraints, and achieving positive outcomes for nature. During this time, my interest in Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and biodiversity accounting grew significantly. It quickly became clear that this was the area I wanted to specialise in, so I focused my efforts on developing expertise in it, becoming one of the go-to team members for this field.

In late 2024, I joined PJA as part of the Nature services team. Here, I continue to build on my expertise in BNG, while also working on a broader range of projects. I’m excited to expand my experience, tackling new challenges and further developing as a BNG expert, all while contributing to nature-positive, sustainable outcomes.

What do you enjoy when you’re not working?

When I am not working, I have two dogs who currently occupy most of my time and energy, so there is a lot of walking and exploring involved. I also recently spent a “sunny” week away in Wales on a solo exploration!

Are you a dog or cat person?

Oh absolutely a dog person! I come from a family of dog lovers and owners. At home I have two dogs who are named following a tree theme: Willow and Douglas (full name Douglas Fur).

What are you currently reading or listening to?

I am currently halfway through reading “Leviathan Wakes”, an excellent read from the science fiction series “The Expanse”, which the TV series of the same name is based on. It’s drawn me in so much so that the next two book in the series are already on the bookshelf waiting to be read once I have finished!

Claim to fame?

I once had a long chat with an ex-F1 driver at a service station near Silverstone, completely unaware of who they were at the time. They were so friendly and curious about my job, I ended up enthusiastically explaining my day, which in short had been comprised of recording roadkill on the affectionally named “Splat-Map” and finding badger latrines! So, if they ever tell their side of this story, I am the person who unknowingly entertained them with tales of roadkill and effectively badger poop, for about 20 minutes… All I can say is they were very lovely and down to earth chap!

Nicole King, Nature Senior Adviser

Nicole is a Senior Nature Adviser at PJA, helping clients achieve sustainable, nature-positive outcomes. With expertise in terrestrial ecology and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), she turns environmental challenges into opportunities for success.

Nicole has a strong background in project management and ecological assessments, supporting a variety of schemes – from rail to highways – across all project stages, from pre-planning to delivery. She specialises in integrated, data-driven solutions that streamline decision-making and reduce risk.

Committed to fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, Nicole ensures every project delivers lasting environmental and social benefits.

Get in touch with Nicole: [email protected]

Find out more about our services here

Read more in our PJA People series here

Sign up for more news from PJA here