Naturalist
Naturalist
Career Overview
Naturalists study and share knowledge about the natural world, including plants, animals, ecosystems, and the environment. They may conduct field observations and research, lead nature programs, educate the public, monitor wildlife and habitats, or help protect natural areas. Naturalists can work in parks, museums, conservation organizations, research settings, and educational programs
Education
A bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, wildlife management, natural resources, or a related field is commonly required for scientific and professional naturalist positions. Some educational or park positions may have different requirements, depending on the role. Experience with fieldwork, public education, and working with plants and animals can also be valuable.
Future Outlook
As interest in protecting biodiversity, restoring natural habitats, understanding ecosystems, and connecting people with nature continues to grow, naturalists can contribute in many different ways. New opportunities are emerging around environmental education, conservation, ecological research, outdoor recreation, and habitat protection. This career can be a great fit for students who are curious about nature, enjoy being outdoors, like science, and want to help others understand the world around them.
Work Environment
Naturalists can work outdoors in forests, parks, wetlands, and other natural areas, as well as in visitor centres, museums, laboratories, offices, and classrooms. Their work may involve observing wildlife, identifying plants and animals, collecting information, leading educational programs, and helping visitors understand and appreciate the natural world.
Recommended High School Courses
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
- History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Provide technical information or assistance to public.
- Plan special events.
- Develop educational programs.
- Conduct historical research.
- Measure environmental characteristics.
- Compile geographic or related data.
- Document events or evidence, using photographic or audiovisual equipment.
- Collect information from people through observation, interviews, or surveys.
Schools
Schools
Angelo State University
Appalachian State Univers...
Auburn University
Berea College
California State Universi...
Clemson University
Columbia University - Ny...
Dartmouth College
Delaware State University
Dickinson State Universit...
Duquesne University
Earlham College
East Central University -...
Eastern Kentucky Universi...
Georgetown College
Humboldt State University
Oklahoma State University
Oregon State University
Smith College
Southern Illinois Univers...
Stephen F. Austin State U...
Suny At Albany
Suny At Cobleskill
Suny College Of Environme...
Suny Plattsburgh
Union College- New York
University Of Alaska- Fai...
University Of California-...
University Of Connecticut
University Of Idaho
University Of Kentucky
University Of Maryland -...
University Of Minnesota-...
University Of Montana
University Of Nebraska- L...
University Of New Hampshi...
University Of Tennessee-...
University Of Wisconsin-...
University Of Wyoming
First Nations Universi...
Fleming College- Frost...
Holland College
Ics Canada
Lakehead University- O...
Lakeland College- Verm...
Mcgill University
Olds College- Main Cam...
Sault College
Thompson Rivers Univer...
University Of Alberta
University Of British...
University Of Guelph
University Of Manitoba
University Of New Brun...
University Of Northern...
University Of Prince E...
University Of Victoria
Vanier College
Vancouver Island Univer...
Approx Salary Expectation
Currency:
Low End:
$45,000.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$73,000.00 /yr
High End:
$108,000.00 /yr
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
Salary.com, https://www.salary.com/.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
Salary.com, https://www.salary.com/.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.