So you want to work in the FIELD? Honest truths for environmental scientists

[@kristina_lynn]

Are you interested in doing field work? Why? Comment below!

[@williamdavis6276]

Id say that field work is where most of the impact is made actually. Just my opinion, and im pretty sure you know way more on the subject than I do, but, without the brave women and men that gather the actual data nobody would have a basis to make an impactful decision off of. Again, you have ten times the experience that i have. Just my uneducated opinion. By the way, love Jane Goodall. That picture book is awesomesauce! 😛

[@jrewing1512]

I'm so want to do feild work.

[@cjsands7102]

I'm interested in field work because I feel as if I've spent my last 5 years at work looking at a computer screen or computer networking equipment in a cold server room. The idea of sitting in an office 8-9 hours for the next 5 years doesn't really excite me so much as being on a trail or out in the field does. Running in ultra marathons is one of my favorite hobbies so the idea/experience of being outside, rained on, bugs, and spending hours on end on your feet doesn't bother me. I did some volunteer work with the U.S. Forest Service blazing the Florida National Scenic trail and albeit simple, I found being out there in the thick of it SUPER fulfilling. Part of me worries because on Reddit I'm constantly reading about people who can't find jobs, even field work jobs... so I'm trying to get as much experience/internships as possible while in school to help. Also, dig the new opening in the video!

[@jrewing1512]

@@cjsands7102 What is your career goals?

[@cjsands7102]

@@jrewing1512 Would love to work in something dealing with ecosystem restoration.

[@bonythe2nd]

After thought and experience, I switched my career from IT to Environmental Biology! Figured I wanna do something I love instead of being rich lol

[@scozzy4656]

Did you go back and get a new bachelor degree? I'm thinking about making a similar switch

[@bonythe2nd]

@@scozzy4656 i was halfway through my degree when I made the switch, 2 more years of work but I'm actually more motivated and happy to work on the environment.

[@kittyzilla90]

Hey that sounds like me! I'm still in IT, and considering this field. So how do you like it so far? Would you say it's worth it?

[@bonythe2nd]

@@kittyzilla90 so far I’m loving environmental sciences, love working with animals and the habitat! I’d recommend taking a class and see how you like the field work and the idea of it!

[@haileynichelle8343]

@@bonythe2nd what kind of class would you recommend? 🙂

[@jasminelittle98]

Would love to know the differences between working in gov’t, nonprofit, and the private sector!

[@loafalini]

There’s probably a huge difference in benefits or something.

[@rei-dr5wl]

Private sector - Lose most if not all of your morals and justify companies poisoning the environment poor people live in

[@kcclim26]

I'm an Environmental Science graduate (June 2019) and I've worked as a Research Assistant last year, we went to a different mountains within 2 months (different mountain everyday) and determined the survival rates of all plantations, which i counted some trees planted in the mountain. I must say that working in mountains/field is quite hard and tiring because of some steep terrain, mosquito bites and not able to sleep well in the mountain. it is maybe too tiring but that job gave me the opportunity to see the magnificent mountain views, experiences that forever to cherish and new friends to hang out. So far, it was the most memorable experience i've ever had.

[@ThePassionT]

Would you mind sharing the organization you worked for?

[@ekaterinaa.8790]

how fast did you find a job after graduation?

[@kcclim26]

@@ThePassionT sorry for the late reply. I've worked on Center for Environmental Law and Policy Advocacy Inc., a Non-governmental Organization here in the Philippines.

[@kcclim26]

@@ekaterinaa.8790 3 months after my graduation

[@joeieraven]

@@kcclim26 oh my gosh! i'm from the Philippines too but i'm hesitant on what to take between biology or envi sci. thank you your comment made me sigh in relief i was worried about employment and demand regarding envi sci. graduates.

[@bellanoche6843]

Yes please make a pros and cons video about non prof and government please.

[@porcu12345]

I'll be 32 by the time I get my first field job, so i'm coming in to it quite late compared to most. I've already done 7-8 years worth of generic retail and office work throughout my 20's and it was miserable being sat in doors in the same spot all day every day. Ultimately, I was doing something that was pointless and made no difference, so I came to the conclusion that I just could not do it for the rest of my life. The prospect of being out in the field, boots on the ground, is really what pushed me over the edge and inspired me to do a complete 180 career wise and go back to University. I want to be hands on. I want the reward of hiking out to a survey spot and then seeing an amazing view, or catching glimpse of a rare bird in the trees. I want to know that what i'm doing in that given area, is going to have a long lasting effect on the wildlife within it. Every step that I take, through the good and the bad conditions, would be going towards the protection of that environment. I can't wait to do field work!

[@kristina_lynn]

That’s so amazing! I totally agree. I did retail for awhile and it was suffocating because I wanted to be outside. This job is much better 😊

[@stephv1563]

Glad to see someone else getting into it later in life, I’m 34

[@alicehill5779]

Thanks so much for this! I've just turned 26 and looking at going to uni to study so it's nice to hear of other people doing it later in life

[@lewys9204]

I'm the same, spent 10 years in a warehouse as a forklift driver.

[@jamesf5303]

@@lewys9204 are you in school now or have you already gotten your degree?

[@elalalalalala8647]

I just wanna say that I’m so thankful to you. I’m an upcoming high school senior, and corona has limited me a lot in terms of searching for colleges and visiting. I feel like a lot of schools unless their like Ivy or supper hard to get into don’t have much info on their env majors and programs, so it’s really frustrating. I also don’t personally know anyone even in college, in science, or env, so it’s just really hard. I seriously sometimes consider even changing my major completely because of this lol. Thank you so much for your videos it has been super helpful and have kept me motivated (:

[@jessicadouglas4006]

Omg same

[@forniafishing]

Check out humboldt state university... they have great programs along that line and has a 77% acceptance rate... im a highschool senior and I just got my acceptance letter today!

[@cinthyaalarcon9561]

This video has inspired me to choose my career, thank youu

[@gaudiyawarriors87]

Which field ?

[@dandychiggins3668]

As a senior at a passion-killing highschool, your videos are super helpful! Keep up the good work

[@emilybryant8461]

Loved the intro! I cannot stress enough how helpful these videos are. Keep it up!! I would love some videos about how much your degree is applied to your job (like how much your academics impacted your skills vs on the job experience)

[@kristina_lynn]

Oh this is a good video idea, thanks!

[@cearad4996]

I want to be a wildlife biologist so much, I love nature, wild animals, and exploring. I can deal with hiking long distances and bugs too, although it could get hard. I don't even mind running experiments because I find having experiments in a lab and running tests cool to (we used to do it in 5th grade, although I know that was just in middle school and it would be a lot more different irl)

[@green_goose1]

Thank you for this! It's extremely helpful to see what a career in environmental science looks like realistically. I'm in high school right now, and looking into various majors and careers in science. Biology and nature interest me a lot, so I think environmental science might be a good fit for me

[@griffinbird3000]

Anyone else got interested in this field because of wild kratts. That damn cartoon changed my life

[@hannahd8731]

LMAO that explains it

[@simran6382]

I swear I have been thinking about different organisations and how they opearate like unicef etc, I would be grateful if you made videos regarding it, looking forward to it

[@kristina_lynn]

Will do!

[@norikosmallwood4415]

Yay so happy you posted! I hope to have a job that’s about 50% field work and 50% office!

[@kristina_lynn]

Yes this is the life!! I’m close to that now it’s lovely. Always something new and you’re never too far from home

[@emilybryant8461]

Also girl, your editing and video skills have improved so much! You seem a lot more comfortable in front of the camera now 😊

[@kristina_lynn]

Thank you so much it is so nice to get this feedback! I am trying to improve with every video :)

[@Olivia-nu6dr]

I would definitely love to see a video on what it's like working for different organizations! Trying to get a better understanding of how the industry works on a larger scale with companies like that. It's sometimes intimidating trying to figure out a career path but not fully realizing just how many opportunities there are outside of the most common jobs within the field. Thanks for making these videos! They've been so helpful to me on my journey!

[@kristina_lynn]

Totally - and more opportunities are good. At the beginning I kind of took what I can get, whether it was non profit or government or consulting...now I have almost a decade of experience under my belt I’ve been more picky into transitioning into my favorite path. Even if you don’t have a choice into which path you go down at first it’s good to know the pros and cons at least to be prepared.

[@theresachupacabra]

I freakin' love your videos. I'm thinking about going for a degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, and your videos give great prep/background knowledge for those pursuing this path

[@alyomallycat]

This was super educational! I’d love to do field work, I’m definitely a hands on kind of person and love the possibility of traveling

[@aelskliiing]

I love your videos! They give a realistic insight to what it's like to be a biologist! I especially love watching your videos because I never dared to sign in to a biology major because I was never good at maths, physics or chemistry and thought it wasn't for me. Although I regret not having believed in myself to actually try it, it's nice seeing what it would have been like if I actually did it. :) I ended up studying communications and at the office I always feel like I'm missing out on something! Anyways - thank you for your videos!

[@angewuzhere]

this comment was somewhat enlightening, since I'm a high school senior torn between environmental science and communications. I also have my doubts about the former, being that I'm not a mathematical person; but I have to believe in myself and challenge myself to find the most rewarding path for me.

[@dinabina3551]

all field tech jobs ive worked pay like $2500 for the summer with no overtime (even though your whole life for the summer is working + you get no weekends)..you really gotta love this field to stay in it. Full time permanent jobs in this field are rare.

[@ihavea4]

I'd definitely be interested in the government vs private pros and cons! I was also curious, how would you say your job(s) have changed over time since you started working in this field? Are you trying to move towards mostly office work? What kinds of mid career positions are out there to aim for, after working for say, 3-5 years?

[@kristina_lynn]

My jobs have changed from literally no work life balance (living at a field station) to a decent work life balance. My first job was trekking through the Amazon sometimes 16km a day with rescued cougars through swamps. I don’t physically want to do that anymore and be so isolated from society and family. I wouldn’t say I ever want to do 100% office work but I’d prefer not to be away from home for months at a time anymore since I enjoy being home at nights. Mid career is a sweet spot for a lot of wildlife biologist positions (vs lower paid “technician”)

[@jrewing1512]

I want to thank you for your videos. I just subscribed to you. I just graduated with an A.S. in Environmental Science and I want to get my Bachelor's in Science. I'm an aspiring wildlife biologist with a keen interest in Herpetology. It's hard to find volunteer experience and opportunities but it's still worth it. I want to thank you for your videos and I hope God blessed you in your career as well.

[@diyapatel3286]

I'm yet 17 and you motivating me girll ❤

[@crystvlone4881]

I can't thank you enough for making this! I want to study Environmental Science in college and was stuck on if I wanted to be an environmental scientist or something else, but this made me see the pros and cons of both sides. Thank you again!

[@StefanoIaniro]

Great information and points for each type of job! It's hard for me to imagine switching my field jobs for office jobs... but that could also be my birding addiction talking 😅

[@kristina_lynn]

Totally and some brilliant wildlife biologists spend their entire career in the field and would suffer in an office setting - lucky for us, we have a choice in which career path works best :)

[@skylarcarter4795]

The intros are getting better and better.. you should make a video of just clips like the intro with music like this behind it, your intros are always gorgeous

[@kristina_lynn]

Thank you so much, this means a lot because I spend a lot of time on them!

[@billyclob637]

Im 23 about to graduate w a business degree still indecisive what I want to do as a long-term career. Field Biology sounds very explorative. Ive always loved learning about biology and being apart of nature as a kid and even till now. I hike trails for the sake of finding wildlife and am even goin to The Everglades and the Keys next month and plan on going to Yellowstone next with my S/O! That excites me. My passion for biology started with my obsession for arachnids. I was always outside everyday walking around my neighborhood looking for new species of spiders ive never seen but would also look for other insects to observe them. This might be the most realistic major for me.

[@billyclob637]

Also my question is: What degree is more beneficial to becoming a field worker? Biology or Ecology degree? Thanks!

[@kristina_lynn]

You want to pick a degree with a focus on earth sciences and ecology, so take a look at the classes offered. Biology degrees can sometimes be really heavy in human and cell biology which aren't as relevant to ecological field work. I am really happy with my ecology degree

[@asax46xd23]

Yes. I’m so interested. Well..... to me.... I still want to be a wildlife biologist and work in the field, have many experiences and feel the nature. And I think I will not care too much about the time in home Bcause I don’t like to feel tied to some place. Thank U for these videos. So useful.

[@kristina_lynn]

Flexibility to travel will open a lot of doors for you!

[@aidabiten]

Hello 👋 I’m from Kazakhstan🇰🇿 Finally I was able to find a very useful videos about the real work of the ecologist!😃😍 Thank you for your blog and hope you will continue to share interesting activities in your life.🌸

[@VVOXMUSIC]

Hi Kristina! Yes! Definitely interested in a video with the pros and cons of a government, non-profit and private company! Your videos are the best

[@gabrielledennis549]

Thanks SOOO much for this video. Both jobs seem amazing. With an office job, around how often are you out in the field? Thanks again, and you should seriously make a government vs. non profit vs private sector video!

[@kristina_lynn]

It depends on the company! I’ve worked at some places with only maybe 5 field days a year (as an administrator) or sometimes it’s closer to 25%.

[@Yetipfote]

every video of you is pure quality and relevance for me. Thanks a bunch!

[@kristina_lynn]

Wow, thank you!

[@Coldbreezed]

This inspired me to look into another field😂 thank you for saving me alot of years

[@tyleryoast8299]

I just got my first internship for the summer! I'm so excited to be out in the woods for 3 months. I feel like I'm setting off on a grand adventure.

[@TheMasterCaster]

we had to watch this video for my environmental science class at UConn and it *definitely* inspired me even more to be a fisheries biologist

[@kristina_lynn]

TheMasterCasters oh I love hearing when profs are recommending my videos, crazy cool! Glad it helped 🐟

[@gabbydempsey4155]

What’s the difference between zoologist and wildlife biologist?

[@indecisiveimbecile7576]

If I’m correct, a zoologist’s study and work is based around animals specifically, while wildlife biology is the study of the environment and how it works together, including plants, animals, and abiotic factors such as water. Hope I could help! 🥰

[@drewgrad8871]

A zoologist studies wildlife in captivity where the wildlife biologists study the animals in their natural habitat. 🌲

[@dudeguyman9095]

This channel is my aesthetic.

[@kristina_lynn]

Yess 🙌🙌🙌

[@brandonpeniuk]

Thank you for the insider scoop. Your content is the best out there on KZbin. It is really helpful in the scope of positions in this field. Thank you.

[@brotherjay9744]

Yes, would love to hear the pros and cons of different organizations

[@brh0065]

0:21-I recognize Roche de Bull when I see it! That mountain is near my hometown! And hey I like your videos..i am currently 3 courses away from a degree in environmental science.

[@kristina_lynn]

Yes! I did some work up there

[@brh0065]

@@kristina_lynn this "small world" always blows my mind.

[@scientificpoet1]

Yes, also interested about pros and cons of government work

[@dinabina3551]

thank youu i feel like out of all of my many co workers im the only one that wants to settle down and have a family which is SO hard in our field!

[@princessaxis9966]

Can you please make a video about your career journey and basically how you have so much experience in both field and office work?

[@fluffypuppy6492]

All this did was convince me that I want to go into environmental science- office or field work haha (I’m a sophomore in hs rn a month away from being a junior)

[@aurafuentesgarcia2741]

Very helpful video!! I'm looking at starting my degree and this helped a lot to get real knowledge about my decisions! Thanks a lot!! :)

[@arieltallen5732]

Getting my degree in environmental science in geosciences!!! So excited

[@Kristina-bs6ph]

Thank you! This was very enlightening and helped me better understand what positions may be right for me. This was by far the most useful breakdown of the jobs + expectations I’ve encountered.

[@greenpotamus]

Kristina makes the most legit and insightful videos🙌🏼 Keep going ✨

[@cheekypigg]

Fieldwork sounds like a dream, to be honest. Being able to hike every day while getting paid to work sounds amazing. It's like having a free gym membership! And getting paid to work abroad is also very appealing.

[@roastbeeff]

Thanks so much for this video, it was really helpful! I was completely stuck between not knowing if i wanted an office or field job with a BSc in Enviro Sci and never realized that i could transition from one to another if i wanted

[@joaquinmercado4085]

Thanks for this video, it solidified the path that I want to take

[@drewgrad8871]

I have a Masters degree in Natural Resource Policy and there are no jobs available unless you have 15-20 years experience. And even then there's very few opportunities to look at. I have no idea what to recommend for aspiring conservationists. The only thing I could think of is going into the recreational marijuana industry if that can take off enough to the point where small businesses can thrive and work for one of them in the greenhouse or something.

[@gracedell]

this is hard haha. the field seems fun, the office seems boring. but the office has a schedule and can make big decisions the higher up you go. i just want to skip the lower level office jobs and go for the big decision making jobs. but that’s probably impossible.

[@kristina_lynn]

The field is fun and if you can live with an unpredictable schedule at the beginning it’s a good place to start out!

[@FireKeepersDaddy]

Thank you very much for this advice, as i have been interested in a botany or biology degree and didn't know where to start to get a good understanding. This helped a bunch, and also i love your cute kitty cat!!! :)

[@kristina_lynn]

Thank you! And tiger is a cutie

[@sapphire6025]

Can you take your dog with you if your going to be doing field work somewhere far from home for months on end. I don’t mean with you to work everyday but I mean like bring him to the place you’re staying at. That’s the only reason I’m scared to go into field work I don’t wanna leave him behind

[@bolusofeverything]

Thanks for this very helpful video Kristina! I was just wondering, how do you build up your species ID knowledge.- especially if you are traveling to different habitats and parts of the world?

[@tanishkasingh8919]

i just love your explanation thank you so much.....

[@fabianaa.7660]

Another useful and great video like always, it’s like you read my mind with these videos ! Always come at the perfect time. Please make the other pros and con vid(:

[@ajbeew2257]

I'm still in high school but I'm thinking of taking environmental science. The biggest thing I'm concerned about is the fact that I've always been indoors and sheltered all my life, and because of that, I'm concerned that I wouldn't be physically fit enough to do fieldwork. I would love to contribute to saving wildlife and nature but I don't work well outside of my comfort zone (indoors) nor do I work well managing, so I'm not sure if I'd be capable enough to do either office work or fieldwork which is frustrating. (won't give up tho)

[@a.frisch4735]

You can improve physical fitness pretty fast! Maybe during and before your college, you can start improving your stamina by taking gradually longer walks, then transitioning to running, biking, and/or hiking, finding student groups that do challenging hikes and group camping, etc. Another good bridge would be to find an outdoor hobby that you enjoy such as gardening, frisbee, kayaking, etc.

[@scientificpoet1]

Thank you for this awesome vid!

[@yixinfang9720]

Love this video!! Kind of changed my previous thoughts about office work and field work, really useful. Plz make the video about pros and cons about working for government and ngo. Love you.

[@MariaBrGr]

Being away from home is truly not a cons for me hahaha

[@alexisdiaz275]

I love your videos they’re so informative and helpful

[@JayBird-ej3bp]

schet sedule: a most wretched combination of words.

[@FloraNovax3]

I really want to do wildlife biology, and other careers similar..however I do have some issues with field work that I can’t get over. I do have limitations even if I wish I could be out there in the field traveling etc but it’s not realistic for me... I want to work with wildlife bio etc, but more in the lab.

[@sharris6617]

Interested in the video between government, privatea nd sector, whatever it is tou said.

[@ofthehunt4243]

Count me in for a video on the different organizations you can work for!

[@sharonmendez1431]

How could I do both? I would love to work out in the field however I would also love to have that ability to be speaking with politicians and planners like that would be my dream job 😊💓

[@kristina_lynn]

Maybe look into government biologist work? It's hard to find that balance, I think that's a common complaint among wildlife bios is that whenever we're in the field too long we want to be in the office, too long in the office and we're bored and want to go into the field :P its taken me years to find a job that has a good balance for me. and it changes too for some people as you get older and more settled.

[@megankoester2993]

I learn more and more from every video I watch of yours! When you mention 'doing statistics' in an entry level office job, what specifically do you mean by that? Using computer programs or simply comparing published statistics? Did you have to take statistics in college as part of your degree?

[@kristina_lynn]

All of those! Some people will need to learn how to use computer programs to analyze data depending on the work they do. Definitely comparing published statistics and looking at statistical analysis to determine the significance of findings. I did have to take two stats courses in college - 1 general stats, and 1 course of bio-statistics unique to biology

[@janellehartwick355]

Hi!! I am a junior in high school and I definitely want to enter a science based education. I was wondering is there a specific career that would allow me to do a combination of field and office work? I like aspects of both but if there's somehow a way to incorporate both forms of field and office work in a job that would be the perfect dream job for me! But I haven't seen anything like that yet.

[@kristina_lynn]

Most wildlife jobs or technical scientist/biologist/ecologist jobs have a good combo of field and office work :) Most field biologists even spend ~10-25% of their time in the office or more in some cases.

[@zahrakhan3876]

Could you talk a bit about policy jobs?

[@Joe-pr5dm]

Thanks for this video Kristina! Recently graduated with a B.S in ecology but not sure how to get my foot in the door of this career. I have applied to many positions in the student conservation association, the nature conservancy, and other private orgs but have not heard back from them. I was wondering if you have any recommendations. Keep up the awesome videos. Thanks! ✌

[@gektoast4968]

Have you gotten in? How has it gone for you?

[@gaudiyawarriors87]

I want to be a Botanist.

[@navneetyadav3941]

Thank you!!

[@f0xh0nd51]

I’d be interested in your comparison of gov v ngo etc

[@josephagudelo726]

Awesome Video

[@winterdemonp2105]

I really REALLY want to do wildlife biologist and environmental science but I’m young and I want to get a head start My school teaches nothing literally nothing about those two. I love plants and animals but what should I do? I’m not sure what to do with those and how to learn those subjects?

[@rodriguez7198]

You're so naturally beautiful❤❤❤🌸🌸

[@kristina_lynn]

Aw thank you ❤️

[@milakastenbaum7320]

id be interested in the pros and cons of working for NGOs vs private sector or government :)

[@k.cunanan6356]

Im surprised u didnt state encountering a bear as one of the cons of field work

[@freshappleseed6966]

U tryna tell me that ur not trying to get up close and personal with yogi??🤨

[@briannam.982]

i always get super intimidated when people say you're going to have to do a lot of writing in a job because i forget that it's not going to be super terrible because you'll actually understand what you're writing about, it's just the actual writing it out that sucks.

[@kristina_lynn]

Its definitely not super terrible if its a topic you're hopefully interested in, like your research or summarizing field findings. I definitely enjoy writing more now than I did in school but it can be a bit of a drag sometimes

[@briannam.982]

@@kristina_lynn yeah that’s the goal! i’m leaning more toward horticulture than wildlife biology but both are super interesting to me!!

[@fishbait2509]

I am currently an environmental science major planning to transfer into geography resource and environmental science, I’m in my late 20’s and my biggest concern is being away from home for family reasons also. Im not sure if it’s possible to do mostly office work? Or is it better to do field work and try to switch to office work later on?

[@nikidamarshall9878]

Hey I would love to hear how you have navigated your career so far?

[@fishbait2509]

@@nikidamarshall9878 hey! I’m actually starting a new job related to my career in a couple of weeks, I graduate this semester though. I’m basically just taking what I can get to go into the field. It is a lot of travel but I think it’s worth it getting my foot in the door and going from there

[@Jr-bi4tc]

❤. Off course what to see what u wanted to make. About Govt work, non profit and private sector work. Lynn I m waiting. J**y

[@rachelpleaseenteralastname879]

is there ever jobs that are mostly field work? like does every job come with both field and office work or is there a chance i could stick to field work. i love the idea of field work but im a good writer so if i had to do analysis and whatnot i could but the collection of data and being in the field is more of what im interested in doing. im young and spending months away from home wouldnt bother me as i love love love to travel and have very little holding me back.

[@kristina_lynn]

Nope there are lots of 100% field work jobs! If you're willing to travel for them and are flexible that's even better.

[@carlamora9912]

Do they get paid travel? or do they have to pay for hotels, meals and the flight themselves?

[@kristina_lynn]

Generally most biologists have a “home base”. Like where your work office is and where you live when not in the field. Work should pay for everything associated with travel outside of your home city along with a per diem ($40-100/day for meals). Sometimes if you accept a field job based out of London for example, but if you live in Los Angeles you’re usually responsible for getting there and back. Hope that makes sense

[@carlamora9912]

@@kristina_lynn It really does! Thanks for the reply :3

[@someplacewild965]

This is a very helpful video in seeing the pros and cons of the different types of work you can have as a wildlife biologist! I do have a question, you mentioned how field work is becoming more of a challenge as you’re wanting to have a family and become more stable, so what is the solution to this? I know that for me, that will definitely be hard for me too and I wonder what the solution is. Is there a way to get a stationary field job where they only have you research in a smaller area, so that you can be in the area more often? Thanks so much, and again such a great video :) I would love to see the different types of places you could work for as you said at the end of this video! :)

[@kristina_lynn]

Yes there’s totally field jobs close to home! At the city of San Diego I only ever did field work within the city and was home every night. My job now is kind of my solution, I’m only ever gone for two days or maybe three at a time. I think when I have kids I’ll probably reduce that to just overnights and day trips. It’s tough for women though since, as in many industries, if you have a family you’re sometimes seen as now an “office” lady who “doesn’t do” field work. There’s a lot of stigma placed on mothers in this career unfortunately. Luckily my employer has a lot less of it and a lot of our biologists are mothers.

[@hannahkate6207]

Hi!! Im almost 19 i'll be starting college next fall and i can't decide between being a wildlife biologist, marine biologist, or an environmental scientist. Do you have any advice?

[@elizabethjadedeshotel5501]

Kristina, what is your job title/position? It sounds really interesting to me.

[@simran6382]

nice intro

[@shannonmaconaghy1668]

I am still a high school student and want to become a wildlife biologist. I have done my research and know that I want to work in the field. Almost all field job descriptions say a minimum of 2 years experience in the field is required. How in the world do I get that experience??

[@savannahwise7058]

This may seem like a very mundane question, but what do you do with your home when you are away for months at a time? As you said, you don't own a home, so do you rent a place and continue to pay rent while you're in the field? Does frequent travel make it difficult to have a "home base" of sorts outside of your travels?

[@kristina_lynn]

I usually keep an apartment (either shared with roommates or just mine) in my home city to keep my things, and also since my accommodation wherever I'm travelling is covered its not a big deal to pay rent. I also have lived with boyfriends who stayed at home while I was gone. Before that I would also sometimes keep things at parents house when I was between apartments. all different sorts of situations. ive always had pretty unstable housing situations that always change so looking forward to getting my own home soon to have an easier home base

[@mooninthemist3825]

Hey, I have a question. I am starting a zoology degree in September hopefully (depending on my a level results which I get in August). However, whilst browsing through wildlife related jobs I have seen that most ask for ‘ecology degrees or related’ and never ‘zoology degrees’. The uni I am hopefully going to is a smaller coastal campus of a very good uni here in the UK, and thus has a variation of bioscience courses which I could switch between early in Year 1 if I wanted to (as a lot of the year 1 modules such as genetics, zoology and conservation are the same). I was wondering if it would be better to switch to an ecology degree, as would this make me more employable? The only downside is that whilst the zoology degree has access to all the modules and the most flexible choice of any combination of modules I would like, the ecology degree is slightly less flexible and I have to take modules I am less interested in. Do you think it is worth it to make the change? (We don’t have a degree such as ‘wildlife biology’ here that I’ve seen, the other courses my uni offer are such as marine biology, conservation, animal behaviour which imo are too specific and wouldn’t give me the breadth of knowledge a more varied zoology or ecology degree would). EDIT: I forgot to add, the type of jobs I would at the moment prefer to go into would be wildlife conservation jobs or possibly wildlife documentation e.g for tv programmes. Would switching to ecology make me more employable for these types of jobs?

[@kristina_lynn]

Hmm that’s a good question and there’s not a simple answer. I would say though that zoology is definitely a “related to ecology” degree, it’s quite similar so it would qualify you for the education part of most jobs. I majored in ecology and it was great so I am biased towards that major. But if your ecology program has less flexibility it might be better to pick the modules you are passionate about. I do agree that the other majors are quite specific so either zoology or ecology would be a good pick. I think go with your gut - both majors would qualify you for wildlife jobs! I would just say if you pick ecology try to get a wildlife internship or courses so you can prove to jobs that you “specialize” in wildlife.

[@mooninthemist3825]

Kristina Lynn thanks!

[@hitdadhaniya3829]

My question is to which jobs are available They can pay me 1.5 to 2 lakh after my environmental engineering

[@madzluv9531]

I truly do want to have this job i'm just not sure how the job would continue after i have a kid 😔 i really do love to be out in nature and hike! and i really don't want to be the parent thats away all the time as i want to bond and be close with my kid

[@kristina_lynn]

There's plenty of time to have a child in the future, you said you're 15 years old so you have a good 20 years child-free ahead of you if you wanted to have kids later! So much can happen between now and then. There are always office job options in the future when that time comes. I would encourage you to not give up on your dream so young because it might seem difficult to balance work-life and motherhood far into the future. There are many parents who transitioned into a less field based career (government policy, planning) to spend time with kids.

[@madzluv9531]

@@kristina_lynn thank you🥺 i don't wanna give up on it! i want to do it for the animals

[@ETHANMORGAN-k6e]

Thank you

[@mariusflorian4043]

Is there a video about the differences between Ecology and Wildlife biology or Wildlife science.. I would like to have a field job but I don't know wich..

[@nat2057]

Hey, she did a video on it and I took some notes so what she said was that wildlife biology is better if you're 100% sure you want to be a wildlife biologist but because it's quite specialised, it closes so many job opportunities. She did ecology and it's easy to become a wildlife biologist from having studied ecology. It's mainly working with abiotic and biotic systems and is quiet general which gives you the option of specialising later on. If I were you I'd probably take ecology, that's what I'm most likely planning on doing anyway. It seems like it's the safest and wisest option. Hope this helps!

[@monique3984]

do you ever work with environmental lawyers or policy analysts? what are their jobs like?

[@negintangestani7614]

I am graduated in analytical chemistry.How can I find this kind of job in canada?

[@zaccheusofficial6014]

one of my ambition is to become a zoologist... but im worrying about my exam grade😔😔, kristina, can i still be a zoologist but with a normal grade... like B, C and D

[@mooninthemist3825]

Zaccheus Official which country do you live in?

[@zaccheusofficial6014]

@@mooninthemist3825 Malaysia

[@kristina_lynn]

at least in my country, having a low gpa will mainly effect your ability to get into grad school. I got a 3.0 and was rejected from every grad program I applied to because my grades were bad. Luckily I was able to combat that by doing a ton of internships (which were part of the reason why I got bad grades...). But try to keep your marks up since you don’t want to shut off the opportunity to do a masters or PhD! I wish I could go back and tell my university self to study more and try to absorb more information!

[@mcscrafts1232]

Hello! Fellow Malaysian here! I'd really recommend trying to improve your grades if possible if u intend on studying locally in a government university. Unfortunately, zoology isn't all that common of a major in Malaysia, and most of the unis that offer it are either expensive or have a fairly hgih criteria.

[@zaccheusofficial6014]

@@mcscrafts1232 😔😔😔are u serious