Over-educated and Underfunded
Weird, wacky and wonderful stories and sketches from biologists in the field.
By Ariana LoehrGetting that first job in conservation is tough. It’s even more difficult when you’re broke and need to save money to pay for the lengthy education required to gain full time employment as a biologist. Below is a list of resources to help those who have not yet completed a Master’s degree get a foot in the door while still being able to feed themselves. United States:The Student Conservation Association or SCA is where many young naturalists in the United States get their start. They partner with hundreds of conservation associations across the nation and don’t require any specific background experience. Each hire may also be eligible for an Americorps living allowance and education award that can be used to pay for tuition, loans, books etc. The positions can last from 3 months during summer break up to 2 years full time. Many naturalist jobs in the United States are found on a job board called USAJobs. This job board can be very difficult to maneuver and is based on a point system. The Peace Corps provides young people with the opportunity to gain preference points for USAJobs while also gaining a full time valuable work experience overseas. There are even some environmental science master’s degree programs that partner with the Peace Corps. Pacific Islands (U.S. affiliated):Kupu, like the Student Conservation Association, is affiliated with Americorps, but is only hosted by conservation organizations within the Hawaiian Islands. Unlike SCA, Kupu provides a living (albeit small) salary to their participants in addition to the education award. The best part about Kupu is that they aim to get more young people from the islands involved with their programs. Many positions don’t require a four-year degree, and kupu even has an affiliation with the University of Arizona to help members take courses during their internship. Austria and Germany:This 12 month program helps anyone ages 16-27 get practical work experience in conservation. The organization will provide a small amount of pocket money and depending on your placement, may provide room and board (or funds to cover the cost). The only additional requirement is to attend several seminars throughout the year. Singapore:The Jane Goodall Institute offers volunteerships for individuals within Singapore-free of charge. While you won’t get paid, the time commitment is not too demanding, meaning it is a great opportunity for those still in school. JGIS offers a range of volunteerships that involve very practical hands on skills-observing primate behavior, teaching the public, assisting with events or even managing social media. This opportunity allows volunteers to become very active in the tight knit wildlife community in Singapore which will prove invaluable for your future career. Malaysia:Fuze has been actively trying to recruit more community members to be involved in their programs, with less reliance on overseas staff members. While overseas staff must pay a small fee, the local interns do not, and will receive room and board for free. They have several different programs throughout the country aimed at sea turtle and reef conservation, rainforest ecology, and environmental education. They do offer some opportunities for advancement for individuals with exceptional talent as well. Note: This list is by no means comprehensive, but a compilation of places to start looking that is based off of my own experiences and that over other biologists I've met in the field over the last 10 years. The organizations that are featured are meant merely as alternatives to the pay-to-work scheme so often seen in wildlife biology. While I would love to say that there are better paying entry level jobs in this industry, they are few and far between, as are most jobs in wildlife. If you know of any other great widely available entry level conservation opportunities, please let us know in the comments below!
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About the AuthorsThese stories come from several biologists working in the field around the globe. Archives
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