Ecologist
Career outlook for ecologist
UK Salary Ranges
Entry-level
£22,000
£22,000
Experienced
£42,000
£42,000
Currently employed in Scotland
700
Salary information is provided by the "National Careers Service". "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
Ecologists help to protect and restore the natural environment. They provide important information on how human activity affects individual species and ecosystems. They also study the relationships between animals, plants and the environment.
As an ecologist, you’ll usually specialise in a specific area of the environment. This means you’ll be able to study an area you’re passionate about – whether that’s animals found deep in the ocean or plants that grow on jungle floors.
What you might do:
- carry out fieldwork
- survey and record information on plants, animals, environmental conditions and Biodiversity
- deliver lessons or lectures
There are 2 main types of ecologist:
- consultant ecologist
- landscape ecologist
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
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
UK employment status
Full-time
84%
Part-time
7%
Self employed
8%
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Find a jobTop skills
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- Reading
- Working with technology
- Working with numbers
- Observation
- Attention to detail
- Ethical
- Analysing
- Understanding
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Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Qualifications
Not all employers list specific qualification requirements but they do ask for relevant experience, usually work based.
There are different ways to get qualified for this job through college, university or work-based qualifications, such as apprenticeships.
Most ecologists will have a degree in:
- environmental science
- biology
- geography
- zoology
- marine biology
Employers might consider applicants without formal qualifications if they can demonstrate knowledge and experience of the industry.
Useful subjects
Many colleges and universities will have required subjects that you must have for entry. They might also highlight additional subjects that they would value. Look at individual institution websites for specific entry information.
Useful subjects would be:
- maths
- environmental science
- chemistry
- physics
- geography
- biology
Helpful to have
Not all employers list specific qualification requirements but they might ask for relevant experience, usually work based, that show a range of transferable skills.
It’s helpful to join your local Wildlife Trust and become a member of a relevant professional body, such as the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).
There are skills-based courses that provide an opportunity to get extra skills valued by employers: