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Zoologist

Study animals, their habits and the places they live. Ready to create a greener world for wildlife?

Also known as: wildlife expert, parasitologist, paleozoologist, ornithologist, naturalist, natural historian, herpetologist, entomologist, ecologist, biologist

About skills Getting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£442

Entry level

£923

Experienced

Monthly

£1,917

Entry level

£4,000

Experienced

Yearly

£23,000

Entry level

£48,000

Experienced

11,500

people are currently employed

High growth

700 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would study animals, their habits and the places they live. You could use your skills to:

  • study animals in the wild or in a zoo or laboratory 

  • assess the overall health of ecosystems by studying animals and their habitats  

  • use manual and computerised methods to look at cells, fertilise eggs and more 

  • write technical reports 

  • give presentations and publish information in journals and books 

  • develop strategies to help protect endangered animals 

  • restore damaged ecosystems, such as wetlands, forests or coral reefs  

  • study how climate change affects animal behaviour, migration patterns and reproduction  

  • educate the public about the importance of biodiversity and the need for sustainable practices 

You could become an expert in one area, for example reptiles, insects, fossils, or the environment.

Green job  

In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs. 

Hours

In industry, research and higher education you would usually work regular hours from Monday to Friday. As a field researcher you would work variable hours. For example you would need to work at night if you are studying nocturnal animals. If you work in conservation you may have to work evenings, weekends and public holidays, for example to attend evening meetings, supervise volunteers or host public open days.

Environment

You could work indoors in a lab or office, or outdoors researching the behaviour of animals in the wild.

Travel

Some research posts and jobs may require living overseas for periods of time.

Explore more information about this job

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Related industries

Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.

  • Life sciences
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Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • understanding
  • analysing
  • attention to detail
  • researching
  • observation
  • working with numbers
  • written communication
  • verbal communication
  • cooperating

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

Discover skills

Getting in

Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

  • Biology

  • Environmental Science

  • Science

You would need a degree (SCQF level 9/10) in a subject such as:

  • Zoology

  • Animal ecology

  • Animal behaviour

  • Conservation

Many people who do this job also have postgraduate qualifications such as a Master of Science (MSc) (SCQF level 11) or a doctoral degree (SCQF level 12) in relevant subjects.

Most undergraduate courses ask for at least four Highers at B or above (SCQF level 6). Some universities may require AABB (first sitting) for entry.

The University of Dundee offers a BSc Life Sciences course which requires Highers in Biology and Chemistry plus National 5 Mathematics. This course has been developed for those with high academic potential who experienced disadvantage.  

You will normally have to get some voluntary experience before getting any work in this area, possibly volunteering on field survey trips or working in a research lab.

Search for opportunities on Volunteer.scot.

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