What made you choose Arbtech?
I chose Arbtech after a brief spell of time away from consulting, following a three-year position I had in East Sussex with another much smaller consultancy.
The role at Arbtech appealed to me, as it allowed me to be based in my hometown of Carlisle, where my friends and family are and where I feel at my best.
After beginning my career in the south of England, this feels like an opportunity to bring my skills back to where I’m from and kick on from there.
Since progressing in the field further and gaining my great crested newt and bat level 1 licenses, I feel confident to take the next step forward in my career.
What do you love most about the company?
I love that I can manage my own timetable.
Should I need help, I know I can reach out to anyone at the company.
There are more employees here than in most consultancies, so there is a wide range of skill sets and knowledge to be shared.
I also love that the job is a mix of site and desk work.
Fieldwork is what makes this job, and I love that you can physically interact with a site rather than doing everything remotely.
What do you not do when you are not in Arbtech?
I am a keen runner, with several half marathons, the London marathon and an ultra-marathon completed, as well as two more ultras booked for this summer.
I also play golf, tennis, go to the gym, walk my dog, and generally try to stay as active as possible.
I love to cook for my family and friends – they are slowly being converted to my vegetarian ways, one dhal at a time.
I support my local football team – Carlisle United – and get to games when I can, no matter how painful those can be at times.
I like to read, mostly non-fiction, but I recently read Game of Thrones after watching the series and really love those books.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
I find the best way for my brain to be in working order is by exercising my body.
When I lean into my running or other fitness pursuits, I start to enter that flow state where life seems to become more natural.
Reading books comes more easily, which brings me new perspectives and ideas.
Making healthy meal choices feels a little easier too – an important factor for not wavering from challenging day-to-day tasks.
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
I haven’t been on any Arbtech socials yet, but I’m excited to attend my first!
Where do you want to travel next?
New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific Islands.
I have an Australian passport, which would enable me to do it someday, and I’ve even got family over there to visit. I just need to plan the trip and save up the money!
Japan would be brilliant as well. I love to ski, so the powder alone is enough of a reason to go!
I would also love to tick UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) off my bucket list someday.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope to be a more established ecologist by then. I have level 1 licenses for both bats and great crested newts so far, so I will do what I can to advance those.
Hopefully, I will have saved enough money to buy a house, difficult as that is these days. Having a partner and a dog to share that house with would be lovely, but I will settle for the dog alone for now if needs be…
A van or good camping set-up is desirable to me for getaways in and out of the country.
What is a goal you have for the future?
In work, I hope to be a useful member of staff with a sound knowledge of ecology that my colleagues can come to for good counsel.
Outside of work, I have had my sights set on a mountainous ultra such as UTMB. Such events are difficult to get into and usually require you to have done qualifying races, so for now, I’ll just keep on top of staying in shape and entering qualifying races.
I have goals to walk some of Britain’s Ways, such as the Pennines, the Hebrides and the Southwest Coast Path.
Harry joined Arbtech in May 2025.
