State of the game?

So I've been thinking about going into Natural Resource Management with a focus on Fish and Wildlife Conservation at the University of Illinois (I currently live in Champaign/Urbana anyway), but I want to know if in reality there is much hope of actually getting a job in that field even after getting a degree. I'd ideally like to stay in the area, so I'm specifically wondering about jobs in Illinois, but any insight on the field as a whole would be extremely helpful.

Bottom line is, I don't want to end up like half my family: getting a four year degree and then never using it because their field of choice is barren of actual job openings. I love this field, but if I'd rather keep it a hobby rather than rack up huge amounts of debt just to end up in a trade anyway.

Josh H

Check the bureau of labor statistics at http://www.bls.gov. That'll tell you the projected outlook of any job you are curious about.

Good links:
Conservation scientist job outlook: http://www.bls.gov/o...048.htm#outlook
Expected salary: http://wageproject.salary.com/ (That'll give you the salary you should expect to earn based upon your job and in what zip code you work. It's a bit more region-specific than the bls.gov data)

On average, the advice I've heard is to not rack up more debt in college than you expect to earn in your first year of working. So if your starting salary is $60,000, it's wise to not accrue more than $60,000 of debt total during your four years at college. You can always apply to your college of choice, see how much financial aid they'd give you, calculate how much it would cost you to attend there, and find out if it's worth it for you. Then you can say yes or no to their offer of admittance. Financial aid is often quite significant, so don't discount a college just because their 'ticket' price for tuition is high. You'll have to apply first and then see how much you get in grants and scholarships.

Edited by EricaWieser, 13 May 2011 - 12:13 AM.

Well maybe the quickest answer I can give you that will sway your decision one way or the other is a 4 year degree won't cut it unless you plan on going into enforcement or work relatively lower paying jobs like hatchery technicians, creel clerks, or seasonally based jobs. Actually, most of our seasonal jobs have been filled by people either going into grad school or just getting out the last two years. There are Natural Resource jobs to be had, if you make yourself qualified beyond just going to classes and getting good grades.

I work very long hours, I have the workload of about 2.5 people and that likely won't change for years, and I'm quite underpaid compared to federal and private sector employees with the same qualifications, but I do work outside half of the year.

I'd also like to call bullcrap on that BLS data for conservation scientists and foresters. The median salary is heavily skewed by long-tenured federal researchers and not representative of what you'll make for a good part of your career. It also assumes a growing government workforce and that is the exact opposite at the state level and will trend downward in the federal as vacant positions are not filled.


There are a few nice long threads about this very question that you should browse.

I'll tell you what I went through to get a job to give you an idea of what you're looking at these days.

I got a BS in aquatic biology, had an internship working with stream fish over the course of three years, and then went on to graduate school where I worked on wide-ranging projects all over the state of Texas. With a baby on the way, and my coursework done (still working out the wrinkles in the thesis), I knew I needed to find a job. Between May and October 2010, I put out 70+ applications to various state and federal jobs as well as consulting firms. These were all jobs I was qualified for. I would regularly score 95+ on the federal jobs, and still not even be considered for an interview because I was not amongst the highest qualified. Other than one interview that went really well in June, I heard nothing until early October. Did I say that I'm from Texas, and would have preferred to stay here, but there just aren't that many biologist jobs up for grabs (I heard TPWD is cutting 300 people soon)? In October, I got five calls for interview in the same week, all for state agencies. I ended up taking a job in Louisiana for various reasons. I'm glad I did, even though pay is frozen and the whole scene for a government worker right now is a little spooky. The job I landed had 60+ applicants. I was turned down for other jobs with 100+ applicants. So it is cutthroat out there.

Gain all of the hands-on experience you can in school. As stated above, plan on getting a Master's if you really want to do what you enjoy. I was told the thing that really helped me get the job was how varied my experience was, which I did by just helping out anybody that needed it on all types of projects. Every bit of experience counts. Connections are good, and the ones I got in Texas actually helped me in getting a job in a neighboring state.

On pay, you will have lean years throughout college, but it does get better. You'll never get rich in conservation, but you can make a decent living. Consider the cost of living where you take a job, too. $40k can be very different from one place to another. Luckily, I landed in a place with a very low cost of living, which I really notice being form Austin, which is very expensive. From what I learned in the job hunt, expect to get 35-40k as a beginning biologist with a master's (skewed towards the low end of that figure). These numbers do shift with the economy; out of pure chance I make 14% more than incoming biologist on my same payscale in LA because they changed the hiring pay about a week after I was hired (whew). A tech will make considerably less, with fewer chances for advancement (and if you do, it will probably be at a slower rate). It definitely pays off to stay in school a couple of extra years in this field.

Hopefully, by the time you are out of school the market will swing back to being in the worker's favor. It was in the past. I watched friends being snatched up for jobs while having to turn down others just a few years ago. It is very rewarding to be able to do what you love. In a gov't job, the hours aren't bad either. I generally work four ten-hour shifts and get three days off a week, in a row. Sometimes I work longer days and get more days off in the end. I love it.

Edited by rjmtx, 13 May 2011 - 07:55 AM.

That is about as accurate of a summary as you can get. Couldn't agree more.

Really appreciate the info. You've done a great job at giving a concise summary of the bits and pieces I've been hearing elsewhere. I guess in the end, it comes down to getting on board with the idea of needing to go to the job, as it seems almost everyone has to relocate to find a job in this field. That may, in the end, be what kills the idea for me.

Thanks again,

Josh H

Of the people that were in my lab in grad school (TX State-San Marcos), three are in Utah, one is in Virginia, one is in Kansas, and I am in Louisiana. A few got jobs in TX, but they are mostly for the term of the project. I have one friend with the same degree I have (though more focused in the general ecology side) who is holding down three jobs right now (two teaching and one research) to make ends meet. She has no retirement, insurance, or other benefits. And yes, she is very smart and extremely employable. It's just tough right now. Hopefully it gets better. That being said, there is nothing else I'd rather be doing (short of wandering the hills with a donkey looking for Spanish treasure and arrowheads).

Don't let the current situation scare you off of this field if it's really what you want to do. There's nothing sadder than an accountant that really wants to be a biologist.

Funny you should say that, I know an insurance agent with a Biology Ph.D. who realized that he needed steady work to support his children...

Often forgotten about are non-governmental job opportunities for in natural resources. There are both not-for-profit groups that do research and monitoring (especially for water quality), as well as private consulting firms. For example, I work for a large consulting firm. While the main focus of the company is environmental engineering, we have a group of people who focus on natural resources issues and permitting. We have wetland and plant scientists (like me), as well as people who specialize in wildlife. We obtain permits for wetlands impacts for our projects, as well as design wetland and stream restoration/creation sites. We even have a certified FAA ornithologist on staff. Some of our projects require extensive documentation of natural resources by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This act (in short) requires background research for large projects that spend federal money or receive federal permits in order to reduce/minimize environmental impacts from the project. Most states have their own version of this law for state monies and permits.

A relatively new type of company in the field are those that do wetland/stream mitigation banking. These companies design wetland and stream restoration/creation projects that can then be sold to offset impacts from development. While somewhat controversial, it is becoming a preferred method of mitigating impacts among some agencies because small on-site mitigation areas can be difficult to track to ensure success.

My advice would be to Google around for companies in your area that do these types of things, and then call and ask if you could meet with an employee that works in natural resources/wildlife/your chosen field. You can talk to them for an hour about what people do in their field and what the work is like. Most people would be more than happy to talk with you if you explain that you are looking to see how you should tailor your education. At the end of your meeting, ask if they know anyone else that would be good for you to talk to for advice. This process is called "networking" and is the best way to get jobs, too. You will want to repeat the process when you are nearing graduation.

Like Nativeplanter I too work in enviro consulting, for a very small firm. One bit of advice I would add: In addition to getting vital scientific knowledge & field skills (plant & animal ID, soils, community ecology, water qual sampling, hydrology, GIS, etc, don't neglect developing clear and concise WRITING and speaking skills. This is essential for enviro impact reports, grants and permit applications, negotiating between clients and regulatory agencies, and public meetings where you need to explain your findings. Good field scientists that also have good writing & communication skills are rare and in demand!