Careers in Biology
Ecology
Biological Illustrator
If any career melds science and art, it is biological illustration. Despite advances in photography, we still rely on vivid illustrations to help us learn about nature in a visual way. A biological illustrator produces detailed illustrations of everything...
Ecologist
An ecologist studies the interactions among the organisms and environmental conditions of an ecosystem. Ecology is a science that requires gathering a huge amount of data from a lot of sources. An ecologist must do this while at the...
Ecotourism Guide
Ecotourism encourages visits to natural areas and preserves. The goal is to do little or no harm to the environment, while supporting local culture and encouraging conservation of the area. Ecotourism guides can find work all over the world...
Environmental Consultant
When an engineering company wants to build a wastewater treatment plant or other facility, they hire an environmental consultant to conduct studies of the likely environmental impact of the project. This may involve taking measurements of soil, air, and...
Environmental Economist
An environmental economist studies the relationships between environments, natural resources, and economies. For example, an environmental economist might investigate how proposed regulations in Maine’s lobster fishery could affect the economy, the lobstermen, and the lobster population in both the...
Environmental Health Professional
An environmental health professional works to protect humans from harmful environmental conditions and preserve conditions that are good for human health. They do this by inspecting the environment to make sure that certain criteria and standards are met. This...
Environmental Journalist
An environmental journalist reports on news about the environment. The stories might describe new scientific discoveries or be reports on legal, social, or political issues that have an impact on the environment. Such journalists may specialize in this field...
Ethologist
An ethologist studies animal behavior, from the tiniest insects to the largest whales. The focus of ethology is not only how animals behave, but also why they behave as they do. For this reason, ethology often involves the study...
Evolutionary Biologist
An evolutionary biologist studies the origins and evolution of life and the relationships among Earth’s diverse organisms. Because evolution and evolutionary theory affects every aspect of biology, evolutionary biologists can focus their research on subjects as diverse as living bacteria,...
Farm Manager
A farm manager oversees all of the activities of a farm. There are farms that grow crops, farms that raise livestock, and also farms that raise fish, shrimp, and other aquatic life. Whatever the organism may be, a farm...
Fish and Wildlife Manager
A fish or wildlife manager manages populations of wild animals to ensure that the size of a given population of animals is sustainable. In some cases, the wildlife will be made available to humans for recreational hunting or fishing,...
Forester
Forestry is the study and management of forests. Foresters can study the ecology and health of forests for research and academic purposes, or they can be involved in appraising and procuring sections of forests for the timber industry. Foresters...
Landscape Architect
A landscape architect designs outdoor spaces that incorporate nature and serve the needs of people. New York’s Central Park is an early example of landscape architecture. It combines trees, gardens, rock formations, humanmade ponds, fountains, bike paths, sidewalks, and...
Marine Biologist
Marine biologists study life in the seas. Subjects of research include fisheries biology, marine mammals, marine plants and algae, coral reefs, deep-sea communities, zooplankton, and many more. This field is vast and growing, but it is also one of...
Nature Photographer
Capturing an image of a leaping great white shark or a falcon soaring over a mountain range can require a great deal of luck and a lot of waiting, but it also requires skill and experience. You don’t need...
Oceanographer
An oceanographer studies the physical processes that occur in the sea. Oceanography includes marine chemistry, marine geology, physics, and biology. Physical oceanography is the study of the sea’s interactions with the atmosphere and Earth, including tides, weather, and climate....
Paleontologist
Paleontologists study the fossil record to better understand evolution, the biology of long-extinct species, and what life on Earth was like in the past. Paleontology is a broad field of science, and requires knowledge in all major sciences: physics,...
Park Ranger
A park ranger’s primary duty is to educate park visitors about their natural surroundings. Another duty is, in a sense, to prevent people and nature from hurting one another. This may involve closing off trails that are eroding under...
Science Editor
Science editors assign, review, and edit science writing. They work in the news media, book publishing, television production, healthcare, documentary filmmaking, and many other fields. A science editor must have a strong background in science as well as a...
Science Policy Analyst
A science policy analyst uses his or her expertise to shape government policy on science-related issues such as stem cell research, climate change, energy, fisheries management, biotechnology, and more. Government is full of politicians and lawyers who have little...
Science Writer
The job of a science writer is to put science in a language that a general audience can understand and enjoy. Science writers’ works appear in general interest magazines, newspapers, textbooks, websites, radio programs, television shows, and much more....
Zoo Keeper
A zookeeper feeds and monitors animals living in zoological parks. A keeper must oversee the diet, behavior, and overall health of the animals, and may also be involved in the design and maintenance of cages, aviaries, pens, and other...