What is the most challenging part of your job?
Ask a Biologist 5/31/21
I work in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is 5 hours away from my current home in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan where my partner (husband) lives. I make this work by doing 4 10 hour days each week and traveling on Thursday and Sunday evenings between the two places.
Answers from Biologists
Feeling like you can’t “settle down” because you always have to be willing to move for a job. Even with a current full time job.
Pressure of needing to volunteer, do internships, and research to be competitive (in addition to classes).
I travel frequently (both driving and flying) all over the country.
Working away from home for days or weeks at a time, and a tough field = stuck at my job.
Being away from home for a couple of weeks at a time, with very little break in between.
Dealing with people from the general public who think they know more than biologists.
Trying to alter the public’s perception of forestry. Can’t improve wildlife habitat without it!
The Florida heat
That I’m long distance with my partner.
The cultural expectation of overworking. We all do the work of 2-3 people.
Stats and R
I live in a different state than my family and I hope they understand that my birds rule my time.
Family not understanding what you do/why and making you feel guilty for traveling/doing temp work.
Politics. Lots of politics.
Feeling like I have no idea what I’m doing or why.
Always searching for funding so I can do the actual science.
Misconceptions from the public/other biologists about where we get our museum specimens and our purpose.
Coordinating with landowners.
Processing the data after the fieldwork is done.
The stats. I have never been much of a coder but I am learning quick!
Working solo in remote South Dakota, hours away from the office and help. Houses can be 5 miles apart.
Imposter syndrome. It makes me intensely doubt my ability every step of the way.
Keeping up with changing taxonomies, legal status, and information for 2000 species, while also trying to learn R and SQL.
The ‘do more with less’ attitude.
Working to Thrive rather than just survive as a POC in this space and setting the example for my students.
The public’s misunderstanding and mistrust of what we do.
Long hours and seven days a week in the summer with few breaks.
Aggressive foremen on monitoring projects and the aggressive public during a survey.
Making sure I’ll be competitive enough.
Few days off with a physically and mentally taxing job-burnout is common.
Unemployment.
Staying injury free! I’m constantly rolling ankles and as I’ve gotten older recovery time is longer.
Job insecurity. There are only so many permanent positions out there.
The lack of women in the field.
Funding. My job relies completely on grants.
I work in the mountains surrounded by the Chihuahua Desert, so the most challenging part is the heat.
Making minimum wage on field jobs.
I work 40 hrs/wk and 50 wks/yr, but get “rehired” every 6 months. That means no PTO or maternity leave.
Finding a permanent job and tech jobs that line up well, plus money to get from place to place.
Dealing with people who can’t see the benefits of any animals in human care.
Being away from family and friends and the lonliness.
Working at night.
