Wildlife Biologist

[lkwoolsey]

Ok, so this is pretty random but I figured this wouldn't be a bad place to post.
I got out of the Army about a year and a half ago with the idea of going to school for a biology degree and knocking out premed reqs and then going on to med school. But this past 6 to 8 months, I've been looking more and more at wildlife biology, particularly in Alaska or Idaho (Alaska if I can convince my wife!)
Basically, I'm just wondering if any of you know/ are a wildlife biologist and can tell me what an actual day is like. The description on a lot of the different state websites sounds great (hiking around, collecting data on different animal populations, presenting it to help in establishing tag limits, dealing with nuisance animals, etc.) but I want to know if that is the day to day, or the once a year experience.
Again, kind of random but I figure this would be a good place to gain some perspective. Thanks!

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I am not a practicing wildlife biologist. But, I toyed with idea of being one. I elected for natural resource management keying on forest ecology. But, I’ve got buds that did go full on wildlife biologist. Many are government employed and make meager wages. When I say that I mean state level employment. And a good deal of their job is not spent doing the romantic description you read about. Some sure do get to live that way. But, many don’t. They takes jobs that require people management versus wildlife. The only wildlife biologists that get to routinely live the jobs description are phd grads that operate on grant money. Specializing in a certain field. Now, I surely don’t know them all and do not entertain the notion I understand all opportunities available. I just know what those I do know, do as their job.





With that said, they seem to enjoy most of it. And, from the outside, it seems like it’d be pretty cool. But, we are back to the pay. Money won’t buy your happiness. But, it helps to make enough to enjoy life a little. I’d suggest lucrative employment that allowed you to have options concerning time off and monetarily. Good luck and God Bless

 

[Tod osier]

I'm sure the linked image has some truth in it....

What I would say is to call your local and dream area biologists and chat with them. In trip planning I end up talking to wildlife and fisheries biologists and they are always super helpful and approachable people. People always will take the time to talk to someone about careers. Some can be hard to get ahold of, but leave messages and they will get back to you. Find out what they do, what degrees you need, what the job market is like, etc...

 

[COSA]

Not to be a Debbie Downer...
I majored in wildlife biology after getting out of the Marines. It is not easy to find work in that field with the government agencies, even with a masters; there is not a lot of openings & very little turnover. Some consulting work, but that has it's challenges as well. And the veterans preference deal seemed to have no influence in my experiences. Your basically looking at doing years of seasonal work until you hopefully get a break.

Being that I was older, had a family to support, I chose to go a different route after one seasonal gig. Keep in mind the pay is about 40% lower than you an make in the private sector and the government benefits aren't what they used to be from what I've been told. If you have any interest in the medical side, that job market seems very strong.

 

[boom]

i work with people in the field.

they parrot what COSA said. the dream they had of an AK adventure job didnt pan out. they all work with us Civil Engineers monitoring big government heavy construction jobs. they maintain construction permit compliance. the job looks very boring to me.

we want to dig a hole, they clear the area of some endangered species. give the okay to dig..or move a pile of rocks..etc. i have ZERO idea of what type of money the pull in.

 

[lkwoolsey]

Not to be a Debbie Downer...
I majored in wildlife biology after getting out of the Marines. It is not easy to find work in that field with the government agencies, even with a masters; there is not a lot of openings & very little turnover. Some consulting work, but that has it's challenges as well. And the veterans preference deal seemed to have no influence in my experiences. Your basically looking at doing years of seasonal work until you hopefully get a break.

Being that I was older, had a family to support, I chose to go a different route after one seasonal gig. Keep in mind the pay is about 40% lower than you an make in the private sector and the government benefits aren't what they used to be from what I've been told. If you have any interest in the medical side, that job market seems very strong.

Thanks very much to all, especially COSA. I'm in the same boat (have a family, need a solid job, etc) It's good to see this perspective instead of the "dream job" description. Again, I really appreciate all the input!

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[idahohikker]

Very cool job IMO but not enough $$$. The medical field would be much better in that respect.

 

[New Yoraska]

I majored in wildlife science in college and I currently work for the Fed.

Starting out is rough especially if you have a family. With a B.S. you will be able to get to do the fun stuff (i.e. being out in the field, getting hands on experience with wildlife). The problem is that there are a lot of people that want to do this work so we under cut each other, with the end result being the jobs are low wages (i.e. a food stipend). The amount you get paid depends on the funding source, who you are working with, and what you are working on/with.

Currently the sweet spot for education is a master's in order to get a job. As a veteran you would get preference for the federal government positions and possibly state positions.

Everyone's experience in the wildlife field is unique and some people get extremely lucky and others burn out quick. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have. I'll try too answer them to the best of my abilities

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[freediver111]

I'm not dedicated to wildlife per se, but I have a BSc in Ecology, a Graduate Certificate in NEPA Planning, and finishing up my Masters in Natural Resource Management this semester.

I work full time as a habitat biologist, but mostly focus on fish. I had some pretty awesome jobs in my 20's, like one where I was on NOAA ships for 3-6 months a year diving throughout the Hawaii and South Pacific Islands doing reef fish surveys.

I'm now approaching 40, two kids, a wife, mortgage, etc......My current job has some field work, but I mostly push papers and attend meetings. If you want to get to the point of making a livable wage (i.e. over $50K), you'll wade through lots of field and technician jobs that are fun, but often seasonal and pay crap. Then you'll decide to get a Masters to get a manager job to make better wages or just so you can compete. The biggest reason I decided to get my Masters is because I was losing out on jobs from younger people with less experience but so many hiring managers value a MS nowadays.

If I had to do it over, I would have went into the medical field. But, if you're young, single, and like adventure it's a fun way to make a living in your 20's. I don't regret anything, loved all my old jobs, the travel, and field work. Just kind of wishing there was better pay and more job opportunity now that I'm at the mid-point of my career.

I'm seriously looking at getting into the private sector. Better pay, but time-off is less secure, longer hours, and benefits are usually less. After working in the public sector for so long, I'm not sure it's as great as many make it seem.

 

[COSA]

Basically 2 routes to go in the private sector, consulting or working for a corporation/company. Consulting is probably the best money, but you can have a lot of hours - consulting firms make hay when the sun shines. Also, having to "sell" yourself/recruit new clients and log client hours is another downside. Working for a company usually has decent hours, good pay, and the standard 2-3 weeks of vacation. In my experience with 4 different corporations, I can usually work some extra time throughout the year for some extra time during the hunting season.

 

[Downeaster]

I used to be a biologist in the early 2000's, Cosa and freediver paint a pretty good picture. I started out as a tech as they described and then worked for a consulting firm. Low pay and seasonal jobs are no way to go through life. Luckily i had some good advice from friends and family and went into the medical field. The great part of being a tech is getting to do all the field work. As you advance to biologist you get to spend less time in the field and more behind a desk or in meetings. My thought was why make peanuts to push papers around when i could make some pretty good money in a much better job field.
Best of luck

 

[mountainhawks]

Hey lkwoolsey,
Don't let these guys deter you. I'm currently in my 11th year as a regional fisheries biologist (11 permanent, 5 seasonal before that) for one of the western states. It is the greatest career I could've asked for. I can see how "biologists" for private companies and the feds may spend the majority of their time pushing paper and working with other entities but if you're fortunate enough to get on with a state agency you actually get to work in management and in the field. I spend approximately 70-80 percent of my year doing field work, the rest of the year I'm analyzing the data I've collected/compiling reports/budgeting/professional conferences/meetings/and assisting other state bios in their field work. My field season runs from the end of February through November every year and consists of as much time outside as I can handle. I typically am camping in remote areas and although I'm technically a fisheries bio it's not uncommon to be assisting the game division on projects. We have a limited staff and huge regions to cover so we get a broad range of experience.

There's definitely the stuff that can get to you too though. Working within government can be frustrating at times and some of the other governmental agencies that I have to deal with make me want to put my head through a wall. There's also the public sentiment you have to deal with being a government employee, basically, everyone wants to tell you how to do your job and the only people you hear from are the ones who want to complain, it's the price you pay for managing a public resource. At the end of the day I know that my job is something 90 percent of the outdoors loving public would cherish and there's never a morning that I truly don't want to go to work. There's also tremendous value in doing something that you feel is making a difference. There's really no better way to have a say in what happens with wildlife than to be the person monitoring everything happening to them in your region.

If pursuing a career in this field is something you are truly interested in the best thing you can do is get on with an agency as a seasonal. I did five years as a seasonal before I was hired full time. Most of the people I work with started as seasonals as well, it's kind of a proving ground in our agency. If you show good work ethic, common sense, and have a good demeanor it'll go a long ways towards getting a permanent job. Volunteering is also huge. When I do my hiring of seasonal employees every year the first thing I look at on their apps is if they've volunteered with us in the past. Lastly, just contact whatever agency is close to you and get in contact with anyone and find out what they require and what options there are for you to get experience. It's a tough field to get into but once you're in you won't be sorry.

Unless you're in it for money... in that case stick to the medical field.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Huntindog45]

I am a biologist for a state agency in California, though not DFW, I wont go into more detail than that. There are still great career paths in biology. The one i chose...not so great. I kind of pigeon holed myself into the regulatory side of things and it sucks balls. The regulatory world I deal in is just not fun and not very rewarding. I spend a ton of time in a cube typing reports. I have also worked as a consultant in the same basic area, that was even less fun and even less rewarding. i am somewhat stuck where i am while my son is in school. I am happy in my location and I take what I can get because the pay is good and the benefits are great. Next year when he graduates and I can move my options will change. So that being said, absolutely follow your dreams. If you are mobile, and can move to areas where you are able to do the kind of biology you want you are in a much better place. Right now while i am anchored to a location it very much sucks. These jobs are few and far between so being able to change locations is a HUGE advantage.

The best jobs i ever had were when i was a very jr level biologist. Hell i was always in jet boats, helicopters, tracking critters, catching fish and I had a blast. I know plenty of biologists that still get to do some very cool biology but the higher you get on the food chain the less fun stuff you get to do.

 

[Felix40]

I work for New Mexico and before that I was with Texas for 5 years. The job is a dream job for the most part. In Texas I spent probably 30 hrs a week on the lake and the other 10 was data entry or paperwork. Here in NM its much the same but in the hills instead of on the lake.

Downside is the pay. I have a masters and after 5 years with tpwd I was making $40k a year. I was most likely another 4 years from getting a raise. My boss who had been with the agency for 30 years was making less than $70k. Then keep in mind that you will probably have to move across the country half a dozen times before you land a full time job. If you can deal with that then it really is living the dream. I have a friend who has a two year degree in healthcare and is super smart and hardworking. He landed a good job pretty quick and is making more than ANY biologist in Texas at only 30 years old. That sounds a lot like living the dream to me sometimes too.

 

[Downeaster]

The thing that was a turning point for me was that i could spend my somewhat short earning career struggling seasonally waiting for bread crumbs (a full time job with low pay), or i could work in a field that i incidentally find highly rewarding, and still afford to go all the places and do all the things that i had dreamed of doing. Healing and helping others is my thing. Didnt know it till i got into it, but it was my calling i guess. Follow your heart, it knows what you were meant for.

 

[Boudreaux]

A lot of downers in this thread. I have a degree in fisheries and wildlife biology and work as a biologist for a fed agency. I worked summer tech jobs every summer during college. I was offered a wildlife technician job with the feds four days before graduating with my bachelors degree, that was almost 5 years ago. There isn't another job I would want to do.

I am similar to mountainhawks, I am a biologist and I spend 98% of my time in the field. My advise is to work seasonal/summer jobs in college field experience will out way grades any day. "Wildlife biologist" is a becoming a broad term these days, what do you want to do? Research/data collection? Regulatory? Hands on management? Consulting? Direct management/control?

Don't let all these guys get you down, if you want to do it, go for it. Just know that you won't make millions, but if you know what you want to do you will enjoy every day of you job.

 

[COSA]

Having a family to support doesn't make you a downer; sounds like the "go for your dreams and work 5-10 seasonal jobs" guys may not have the same responsibilities or perspective as a veteran, ~24 year old with a wife & kids? Money doesn't buy happiness, but it is sure nice not having to worry about making the next mortgage, or where will I work next season burden on the shoulders.
I'm perfectly happy working for a corporation, and have grown to enjoy the spreadsheets/data analysis. It's the darn meetings and developing action plans that drive one crazy, but I suppose that's everywhere.....
Best advice I ever got was from my first professional boss: "Take the TURDS and make them YOURS" - has gotten this dumb jarhead through a few layoffs...

 

[mtwarden]

I've worked with dozens of wildlife and fishery biologists, I think most are very satisfied with their jobs. I can only speak to Montana, but 95%+ of the biologists in Montana have master's degrees- very rare for someone to land a biologist position with a BS. Pay wise, it isn't too bad, starting at roughly $50k (goes up with time on)- full medical, good pension, etc

Research biologists probably get a little more field time than district biologists (depends on the research obviously), but they also have to spend a fair bit of time in front of a compute, but both get plenty of time in the field.

As far as time in the field, wardens don't do too shabby

 

[ClearCreek]

Mountainhawks gave the best description of what a wildlife or fisheries biologist working for a state agency does. Remember, fish and wildlife population management is the responsibility of the state fish and wildlife agency, while private landowners or the feds (BLM, FS, etc.) manage the habitat (land). One of the biggest downsides to being a wildlife population biologist is dealing with one species: Homo sapiens i.e. "the public"

I think a quote from a popular newspaper in the early 1970's sums up the issue of dealing with the public:

"Its not that people are totally ignorant of fish and wildlife issues, its just that they know a lot of things that aren't true"

Having said that, in just a few months I will retire from a 45 year career in fish and wildlife management working for two different state agencies. It has been a great career. But, as has been mentioned, don't do it for the money. My wife, who doesn't not have a college degree makes more money than I do. Would I do it all over again - HELL YES!!

ClearCreek

 

[trom2k]

Lots of good info in here. I have a BS in Marine Biology. Worked for the state of Florida for two years. Best job I ever had; got paid $10.50-11.75/hr. to fish for snook. No benefits but I was young. There wasn’t a real opportunity for advancement.

After that took a job with a consultant working in Key West, 16 days on 12 off, 12 hr shifts, monitoring a dredge project. Made pretty good money on that one and was on the water a lot. Project ended and went to a full time job (making less) at a consulting company studying the impact of power plants on the marine fauna. Not so much fun but it has its moments.

Left Florida and moved out west. Wife and I both got jobs at the same consulting firm; I as a fisheries biologist and she as a project manager in the vegetation group. I performed fisheries work, stream restoration, water quality, weed control, hydrology, geo-tech, SWPP work, environmental monitoring/inspecting on oil/gas projects (that was an experience), and anything they needed me to.

I got laid off in 2013, couldn’t compete with younger applicants with MS degrees and there were very few jobs available in the field. Ended up in tech support and am now in HR.

I wouldn’t do it any other way as the experiences I gained were great and field biologists are a breed of their own. My path also brought me out west.

I make more now than I would have had I stayed in the field but I couldn’t justify the ROI of a masters in bio at my age.

Money definitely isn’t everything but it makes other things in life easier at times. I knew going in I wouldn’t make much in biology but it was a fun ride.

I will share a story from my genetics course. Prof was an old, tenured, curmudgeon. First day he asks the class “how many of you are pre Med?” 50% raise their hands. “How many in dentistry?” 40% raise their hands. “How many in biology?” The remaining 10%.

If it’s something you want to do, go for it. A BS degree is a solid platform with a lot of options. These days you’ll need a masters and intern/volunteer hours under your belt to get a good gig from what I’ve seen.


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