Age when you first started this career and age at first permanent job.
Ask a Biologist Monday 3/11/24
Answers from Biologists:
Graduated 21. First volunteering/placement at 21. First permanent job 29 (private consultancy).
Undergrad 18. Tech 22. Grad school 25. Permanent 33.
Undergrad 17. Grad school 21. Full time biologist: 23.
Undergrad 18. Job: 23.
Undergrad 19. First paid internship 19. Permanent job 23.
Went back to school at 27. First permanent job 32. First permanent job I love 35.
Undergrad 18. Seasonal job 19. First permanent 28.
Tech job at 23. Out of the field for years. Finished grad school and full time job at 32. First permanent biologist job at 35.
Undergrad: 22. Internships/tech jobs: 26. Grad school: 29. Permanent: 31.
Undergrad: 17. Seasonal: 20. Grad school: 21. Permanent: 24.
Seasonal: 20. Grad school: 23. Permanent: 24.
Undergrad: 18. 10 seasons and 2 degrees. Permanent at 28.
Undergrad: 18. Grad school 26. Permanent 29.
Undergrad 18. Internship with USFWS at 20. Permanent at 28.
I began career working temp jobs while in undergrad. Permanent after graduation at 22.
Tech: 20. Permanent: 25. Grad school: 28.
Undergrad: 18. 33 and still working contracts/postdocs.
Started 18: Steady work: 25. Permanent: 32.
Undergrad: 18. Seasonal jobs 2 years. Grad school: 26. 27, still looking for permanent.
Started at 18. 33 and about to finish my PhD. No job yet.
Undergrad: 17. Grad school: 23. First permanent: 29.
Undergrad: 18. Two tech jobs then grad school at 24. Still no permanent work at 31.
Undergrad at 17. Grad school: 22. Permanent: 24.
Undergrad at 18. First seasonal at 20. First permanent at 26 with a MS.
Undergrad at 18. First permanent at 22.
Started at 22. First permanent at 26.
Undergrad at 22. Permanent job at 29.
Started at 21. Permanent at 27.
Undergrad started 21. Full time permanent at 27.
Undergrad: 17. Grad school: 23. First permanent at 27.
Seasonal: 21. Full time permanent at 22. Left field, returned at 28, same pattern.
Tech: 20. Permanent at state agency: 23.
Tech school: 17. Tech job: 19. Still in MS.
Seasonal: 19. Permanent: 27.
Changed careers at 27. Started MS at 30.
Undergrad: 18. Permanent: 26.
Undergrad: 18. Postdoc and instructor: 29.
Undergrad: 18. Permanent/grant funded: 29.
Undergrad: 18. Seasonal 24. Permanent: 26.
Undergrad: 17. MS: 25. PhD: 29. Permanent job: 33.
Undergrad: 18. Grad school: 22. Visiting professor: 28. Tenure track: 30.
Internship: 21. LTE: 22. Permanent: 30.
Undergrad: 17. Internship: 18. Grad school: 22. Permanent: 24.
Seasonal during college: 21. Permanent: 24.
Started: 23. 28 and still looking for permanent.
