Job Description of an Ecologist

Professional ecologists represent a wide range of job functions that deal with the relationships between living things, and between living things and the biosphere in which they exist. The career path of an ecologist bridges many traditional career fields and may require the worker to include aspects from several different disciplines such as the natural sciences, business management, statistics and office management in order to complete their tasks.

Potential

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers a comprehensive, two- year, entry-level, professional, full-time employment and career development program that is designed to help ecologist develop career potential with the agency.

Requirements

Most professional ecologist jobs require at least a Bachelor's degree in science, but higher levels of education such as Master's and Doctorate degrees are in demand for senior level positions.

Types

Ecologist jobs may focus on broad segments of the environment such as marine life or atmospheric pollution, but they may also be highly specialized and zero in on very specific niches such as the migration patterns of salmon.

Function

Ecologists typically start out doing routine field work such as sample taking and doing survey prior to advancing into broader policy making roles.

Geography

Ecologists are employed by governmental agencies at the federal, state, and local level, by private organizations and by for-profit corporations.

Resources

• Environmental Protection Agency