Wildlife Professions
Why become a wildlife professional?
•
Concern for the environment,
nature
•
Help conserve and protect
wildlife and their habitats
•
Help to mitigate human- animal
conflict
•
Help captive wildlife populations
What will you actually do day to day?
Depends on who you work for!
• Can be in the field or indoors
• Travel or stay in one place
• In situ or ex situ
1
What kinds of jobs are there?
• Wildlife Biologist or Manager
• Outdoor Recreation Planner or Ranger
• National or State Wildlife Refuge Manager
• Wildlife Inspectors or Special Agent
Canadian Wildlife Biologist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ5LKMoNFRo
Colorado Division of Wildlife
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSpdW_eEBm0
What kinds of jobs are there?
• Academic Professor
• Zoological professional
• Wildlife Rehabilitator
Consider jobs related to policy, civil engineering, etc.
Phoenix Zoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgEUo1qouX0 (stop at 3:00)
Who can you work for?
• Federal government
– EPA, Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, USFWS, NOAA,
USGS
• State government
– Department of Ecology, DFW, Conservation Commission,
DNR, Parks and Recreation Commission
2
Who can you work for?
• Non profit organizations
• Large and small
• Regional and international
What is the focus?
– Science based conservation?
– Advocacy?
– Outreach?
Who can you work for?
•
•
•
•
Universities
Zoos
Museums
Consulting firms
Again, what is the focus?
What are the duties?
Hands-on work with wildlife?
First steps
• Discover what you are really
interested in
• Determine the kind of background
you need
• Select the most appropriate major
3
College of the Environment
School of Forest and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science & Resource Management
School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences
Program on the Environment
Environmental Studies
… and more
Biology (BS)
•
•
•
•
General
Physiology
Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
Molecular, Cellular, and Development
Psychology
(animal behavior)
http://mesh.biology.washington.edu/penguinProject/Smith
Get experience!
4
Volunteer
Apply for a seasonal wildlife technician job, internship,
or volunteer position
http://www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs/forestservice/other.html
Research
Get to know the UW faculty and graduate students
• Help with a research project
http://exp.washington.edu/urp/students/find/atuw.html
Tips from those with experience:
Be flexible and have a positive attitude!
• Do not expect to land the perfect position right away


baby song birds -> monitor lizards
plants -> carnivores
Be willing to:
• Relocate
• Do jobs that are marginally related to your ultimate goal
Consider skills that may not be obvious:




hiking, camping, navigation
driving a snowmobile, boat trailer, manual transmission
first aid training
computer proficiency
5
Tips from those with experience:
• Be open to trying/learning new things
(Be willing to do work that was not originally in the job description)
• Have a good work ethic
• Be willing to:
 get dirty
 work long hours
 physical exert yourself
… for little or no pay!
Also -- Networking is key!
http://students.washington.edu/uwtws
Attend Conferences, Present at Symposia
UW undergraduate research symposium:
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/symp/index.html
http://www.washington.edu/research/urp/students/share/conferences.html
List of conferences
20th Annual Conference Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 5-9, 2013
July 21-25, 2013 • Baltimore, MD, USA
6
Apply to Graduate School?
• Networking is key
• Focus your research interests
• Look for funding
• Build your resume
– Get experience!
Where to find jobs
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Texas A&M University Job Board
http://wfscnet.tamu.edu/jobboard/index.htm
USFWS Student Programs
http://www.fws.gov/jobs/studentjobs.htm
Environmental Careers Organization
http://www.eco.org/
Ornithological Positions and Opportunities
http://www.osnabirds.org/on/ornjobs.htm
Where to find jobs
Environmental Careers Organization
http://www.eco.org/
Student Conservation Association
http://www.thesca.org/
Zoo and Aquarium Jobs/Internships
http://www.aza.org/joblistings/
http://aazk.org/job-listings/
Society for Conservation Biology
http://www.conbio.org/professional-development/scb-job-board
7
Good luck!
8