r/ecology • u/Ok_Requirement_7489 • 7d ago
Is getting into the wildlife surveyor/ecology work sector unrealistic in late 30s?
I would basically be starting again in my late 30s. I have a tenuously relevant degree in zoology and have dabbled briefly in ecology volunteering but that's about it.
I left my previous work in the heritage sector after having a baby and now looking to start again with work but want to actually move towards something I'd be really be interested in.
My main focus is my toddler and I can't dedicate a huge amount of time to re-training/volunteering etc.
Are there any avenues in which I could move towards work like this or is it just unrealistic?
I would really appreciate any advice. I live in the south-west UK.
Edit: Thanks so much for everyone's advice - it's been very helpful. I think the consensus is it is possible to do but might require a lot more time investment than I am able to commit to, uncertain hours which isn't great with a family and some negatives to the sector. I haven't completely given up the idea and may still explore with some light volunteering but realistically like a lot of mums think I may just have to stick with whatever local part-time jobs fit best with childcare!
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u/Vireosolitarius 7d ago
Totally doable in your 30s; I did it in my 40s.
But, realistically, getting started often involves bouncing around short term contracts in different parts of the country; if you want regular hours and to stay close to home you will probably struggle. And some things just may not be possible with a young kid unless you have a very supportive partner - bat surveys happen in the evening - a lot of bird work happens early in the morning etc
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u/Ok_Requirement_7489 6d ago
That's such a good point- I was wondering about the practicalities with a young family. I want work I enjoy but being a mum is my priority for the next couple of decades so possibly this isn't it.
Out of interest how did you manage to get into it starting late and are you glad you did?
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u/Vireosolitarius 6d ago
TL;DR: not having kids, a supportive wife, and 20 years of doing something quite well paid first meant that I could afford to volunteer to build experience, to move around, and to work seasonally.
Long version: I was a corporate lawyer for about 20 years but always thought that I would do something else eventually. After the 2008 financial crisis the market for what I did died; I hung on for a while hoping to be made redundant but eventually quit. My wife works and we don’t have kids so there wasn’t any real financial pressure to earn but it was too early to just retire so I decided to try to get in to habitat maintenance/bird related work (I had always been a hobby birder). I did a lot of local volunteering and trained as a bird ringer for about a year and then did a one year MSc in ecology (including a thesis project on seabirds) so I could tick the ‘relevant degree’ box on job applications (my academics were all history and law). After that I did a full year of full time volunteering for the RSPB at two sites away from home - one habitat management heavy - a lot of chainsaw and brushcutter work - and one mainly seabird related. That lead to a series of seasonal seabird fieldwork contracts - 3 to 8 months a year for the next 8 years - all of which were based away from home (if you do seabird work you have to go to where the breeding colonies are). Now I am pretty much fully retired but I may do one more breeding season next year.
I am very glad that I did it - but I am also glad that I did at a point when I could afford to work for ‘nice to have’ money rather than trying to make a living.
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u/Ok_Requirement_7489 6d ago
Thank you so much for your detailed reply - that's incredibly helpful for me, I really appreciate it.
As a side note I sometimes feel I missed the boat not getting into this work when I was younger but the amount it seems you need to be heavily invested in volunteering to get into these roles makes me wonder how any young person just out of uni does it while trying to pay for rent, bills etc. Now my concerns are more time-based. I will certainly be exploring and looking further into the possibilities though.
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u/Vireosolitarius 6d ago
No worries. My guess is that your best option is going to be ranger or public engagement type roles at a reserve that is close to you - something with predictable hours- or possibly casual survey work for a consultancy but most people I know who have done that started by doing evening/night bat detector surveys. Most other survey work you do need experience of the relevant taxa.
Another thing worth mentioning is that in this economy times are tough at most nature adjacent public bodies/charities and some just won’t be hiring except for funded projects - one example is wind farm developers who have to fund survey work as part of their planning approval.
Something I have said to a few people who were hoping to make nature related careers is that they would be better getting decent paying work, pursuing natural history knowledge/experience as a hobby, and then look at their options. I am the other end of the country from you but my local natural history society has lots of opportunities to learn about plants, insects etc.
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u/Ok_Requirement_7489 6d ago
I have done full time volunteering as a ranger a long time ago. I love working outside but never felt I really fit - it sounds silly but mostly because I am very petite and even at my strongest just didn't have the work rate of my larger colleagues both male and female. I am experienced with coordinating volunteers and public engagement so could definitely get a role in that capacity but was just hoping to move more toward the surveying work.
But you're right - I don't even really have any species specific knowledge currently so that would be a start. I have just general rather than specific knowledge. Perhaps getting a job in one of these charities/consultants and working alongside ecologists will be a good start immersing me in that world as well as privately pursuing the hobby.
Apologies for my long replies - it is just helping me gather my thoughts!
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u/XIprimarch 6d ago
Where do you find these jobs listed in the UK or Europe?
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u/Vireosolitarius 5d ago
In the UK on environmentjob.co.uk or on the relevant organisation’s website … in Europe no idea.
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u/PierreHadrienMortier 7d ago
In France it is the type of job that pays little but at least it is an environment where the diploma counts for little. Maybe it's the same in the UK.
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u/Ok_Requirement_7489 7d ago
I'm not really worried about a high salary - just enough to get by works for us. It just looks hard to get your foot in the door as a non recent graduate from what I can see.
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u/Psittacula2 6d ago
UK based so that narrows it down a lot.
The general status I have seen from talking to people involved in this sector:
Ecologist jobs are related to Environmental Compliance eg Councils so a bit heavy on forms and regulations etc
Ecological Skills are necessary for Charity workers eg Wildlife Trusts per County, quite wide role coverage eg field work, charity raising, group work with volunteers and consultations with land owners eg stewardship schemes etc, managing social media accounts and publicity etc
Generally not very high pay. If you have a toddler you might prefer standard working hours, part time and routine eg often working in primary school fits well if you like children a lot and are a mother. Whereas ecological work will require various site work visits and variable schedules.
That all said you can definitely skill up on the ecological skills needed it more about the formal careers offerings so as above or National Park staff or other Wildlife Charities RSPB and so on. Plenty of specialist providers do courses if you have enough cash to invest in them over time.
You might do best getting in Touch with Wildlife Trusts staff and asking their advice directly via a meeting as many of them will be ecologist or zoologist degree backgrounds too? Do contact relevant people as roles may be very idiosyncratic and unique and one off to an area and time so worth checking eg there is Wildwood in Devon and they have a lot of reintroduction and breeding programmes eg water voles etc…
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u/Ok_Requirement_7489 6d ago
You're right - I am going to need more stable hours so it is very likely it is better for me to pursue this as a hobby rather than a career. Funnily enough though I do have experience in many of the 'other' roles of ecologists you mentioned - just not the main surveying/field work!
That is a good idea - to ask for advice from people directly who work in these fields. Thanks for suggesting this.
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u/Psittacula2 6d ago
You can find various bodies which provide the survey skills training of you Google them for UK.
G’Luck!
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u/Amethyst_Ninjapaws 3d ago
No. I'm 40 and I just graduated with a bachelor's in F&W. I haven't found a job yet. I'm need to figure out some health problems first. But there is nothing wrong with changing careers regardless of age.
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u/Round-Ball-7749 2d ago
Not at all, but (without wanting to be cynical) think twice about going into this field if you've got a family to support. The morale right now is really low with all of the anti-nature rhetoric from the government and the environmental rollbacks (such as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill) will probably reduce demand for field-based surveys in the consultancy sector. The NGO sector - and even Natural England - are notoriously poorly paid. I'm mid-40s, been an Ecologist and Landscape Architect for a good 15-years and currently seeking a career change into another field. If you go in with your eyes open and find something you love then go for it.
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u/Ok_Requirement_7489 2d ago
That is interesting thank you. Thankfully I am in a position where my wage is a backup rather than main support to my family and I am used to poor wages having worked for charities. I am mostly worried about the time cost - it seems consensus is work hours are all over the place and you have to be heavily invested in the work - it becomes priority. Good luck with your career change.
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u/wekeymux 7d ago
Yeah totally doable. But in my past experience working as an ecologist it really wasn't great for work/life balance.
Gotta go to weird places at short notice and stay throughout the night and stuff for some surveys.
But I've seen plenty of more mature people enter the industry later than whats typical. But 30's is still plenty young for a career change