What is something others should know before getting into the field?
Ask a Biologist 3/28/22
Answers from Biologists:
The academic route is going to try and push you to workaholism
Who you know matters a lot more than it should
The money is hard to come by
It can take a long time to get to where you want to go.
There are very few jobs in this field where you work regular hours always.
It’s not only about fieldwork (which is often glorified). There’s a lot of grit work that happens post data collection.
It will likely be years (5-15) before you get a permanent position.
It’s okay for it to be “just” a job and not a way of life.
This field will likely require you to move all over for the first several years.
If your goal is close contact/touching animals, do recue/wildlife rehabilitation or zoo work, not research.
Your work doesn’t always speak for itself, so you need to speak up for yourself and others.
You don’t always have to go to grad school to get a permanent job.
Most permanent biologist positions require an understanding of basic statistics and modeling.
Having certifications for things like chainsaw skills and GIS are desirable.
It’s extremely difficult and hard to get a full time job.
It can be hard to long-term relationship, because of moving around and long hours.
The 3 E’s of extinction: Ego, Eliticism, Envy.
You have to know how to work with people.
The pay is not great but you deserve a living wage.
You need to use PTO. You’ve earned it and burnout is common.
It’s not about holding animals. Most permanent positions require at least 50% office time.
You have to be willing to work hard.
Some try to be gatekeepers. You don’t need permission to study something you are interested in.
Wildlife conservation is more about dealing with people than wildlife.
Be prepared for lots of writing/math and not a ton of money.
You might get rejected from most of the jobs you apply for. Don’t be discouraged!
You will be expected to work for free under the guise of volunteering to build your resume. Don’t do it.
Different agencies have different work cultures/work environment.
Education and experience is more important than basic trainings.
You will probably be doing things that don’t feel like science and are boring at times.
There’s a ton of sexism and racism still in the field.
Not every position is a field position or one that allows for interactions with animals.
It often takes more than a bachelor’s to get a permanent, livable wage job.
It’s tough. Having supportive friends/partners/family makes a difference.
You'll go through a lot of job hunting before you find something permanent.
You'll need a higher degree to get a full time job and even then there's no guarantee.
It depends on the location/organization but not all your colleagues will care about conservation.
You may be in the office more than out in the field.
Things can get really political.
You'll make amazing friends with similar passions.
Working within ethical standards on some projects is subtlely discouraged.
If you're in college, you need to do internships.
At the start you will almost certainly be overworked and overvalued.
When they say a job is 50% fieldwork, it's more like 10%.
The best paid positions are mostly desk jobs. The fieldwork based jobs don't often pay well.
Pay can differ between employees with the same titles and duties. Men often get paid more.
It can be a boys club of hook and bullet biology that's hard for non-hunting folks.
Networking and getting your name out the is key. Tough for us introverts!
Communication skills, both written and oral are super important.
Lots of gaslighting and being kept at low pay. High pay jobs are often less desirable jobs.
Leadership might lie and tell you what you want to hear. Do you background research!
Homophobia is rampant still and unfortunately you need to be cautious.
You need to set and communicate healthy boundaries, both in the office/lab and field.
Your employer should be willing to invest in your career, or it's not worth it.
