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Agriculture - Ecologist

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Ecologists study the relationship between plants, animals and the environment.

Your day-to-day tasks will depend on the sector in which you work. For example, as an ecological scientist you could:

• carry out fieldwork
• survey and record information on plants, animals, environmental conditions and biodiversity
• deliver lessons or lectures

As a consultant ecologist you could:

• research the impact of human activity, like housing and intensive agriculture, on the environment
• build computer models to predict the effects of development or climate change
• research and contribute to legislation and policy

As a landscape ecologist, you could:

• manage and create wildlife conservation areas, woodland and meadows
• monitor species and habitats
• manage a team of volunteers

As an Ecologist, you could work in the countryside, at a university, in an office or in a laboratory.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers.

Ecologists tend to work between 39 to 41 hours a week. You could also work evenings and weekends. 

Starting: £22,000

Experienced: £42,000

You'll need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a subject like:

• ecology
• conservation biology
• zoology
• marine or plant biology
• environmental science
• botany
• ecology and environmental sustainability

You may be able to do a postgraduate ecologist degree apprenticeship.

This typically takes around 3 years to complete.

You'll need a qualification and experience in an ecological science to apply.

Volunteering is a great way to get experience and may improve your chances of finding work. You can also build up contacts within conservation, which will be useful when looking for jobs.