Starting a 'career' in zoology.

[Equinox]

Hello, I'd like to first say that I'm a new member, and I apologize if I do break the rules by posting this or by anything I say.
I'm currently a senior in high school and I'm going to be entering zoology as my undergrad in the fall. I'm not too sure what I should specialize in, as the school that I plan on going to does offer some specialized course. I was thinking about going into herpetology, entomology, or conservation biology, but that's still a while away (junior & senior year). I am, however, going into wildlife biology. I do have some background, I've been handling snakes since a young age and I am knowledgeable when it comes to animals. No boasting intended, sorry if it does come out that way. I've also volunteered at my local zoo for a year. To help me gain more experience I'm also going to be saving up money so I can go on volunteering 'expeditions' in other countries to make me seem more desirable to future employers. And let me note, I'm not going into the zoology field for money. I want to go into it because I love studying animals.

The university that I'm going to offers a study under a professor in a specialized area of the field, and freshman can take advantage of that. Would it be a good idea to start learning how to conduct research as soon as I start my college career? Or should I wait a year?

Also, I know this question is probably overused, but, what's the best branch of zoology to go into? I was thinking about pursuing a career in herpetology/entomology and follow that through until I get a Ph.D so I can start conducting field work. I don't really know how to go about doing this tho, since I'm guessing you would need to associate yourself with an orginization or the government to help fund the research and to pay you. But I was also thinking about becoming a professor. The only thing discouraging me from doing that is that I was told right off the bat, it's very hard to become a professor and you might end up becoming a TA for a long period of time.

I was also thinking about waiting until I get a Ph.D and then trying to go into the zoo career and hopefully becoming a curator of reptiles/mammals/birds/etc. or even the curator of the zoo itself, then figured out that would pretty hard to become, as the odds are against me.

Can anyone give me any suggestions of any paths I should take to become any of those? I have asked for help, but nobody has given me quite a clear answer. Or any insight would be helpful. I just want to be able to work with animals/study animals/etc. and make a career out of it. Once again I apologize if this breaks any rules or anything. Thanks!

[CharonY]

The big issue is that there is really no path per se. There are a number of things people go through (e.g. obtaining degrees and so on) but getting a real career is incredibly hard and very volatile. The best advice is probably to go out and look what kind of jobs are actually there that would interest you and get into contact with these people. This is very tricky, but there is no educational or research path that can land you a specific position. Having a strong network of people is much more useful in the long run. Of course, you are somewhat far off and none of the crucial steps are likely to be happening right now. If you are interested in zoo work, I would try to get an (unpaid) internship there as an undergrad. That way at least you will get to know people.

If you want an academic career, be advised that getting a PhD and technical knowledge is the easy part. Just as a point of reference, if you have got a PhD and some postdoc under your belt, you will be competing with about 150-250 other people with at least the same education and knowledge as you for any given faculty position . Even positions on soft money can easily get about 100 applicants. Being the perfect fit that puts you head and should above that competition is often down to luck. For instance you may have just been working on a topic that became hot just when the job was posted, but may have not been hot a few years earlier or later.

Having a strong network will help to maximize your chances.

That being said, you are still early in this game, and I would advise you to join a lab as early as they would take you to get a feel for the things. Realize though that what you will be doing in the lab will be the stuff you are doing up until and including part of your postdoc (i.e. post PhD but pre-faculty time). but as faculty you will see a radical shift in the things you will have to do. I also would advise you to enjoy your time, where you still got some freedom to do things of your liking.

[ewmon]

Honest, all I did was google — zoo curator career path

 

How to Become a Zoo Curator: Career Guide

 

There's probably more info at this website for other career paths.

 

Then there's always the human approach of asking a zoo curator about how such curators end up in that position. Also, by talking with people in the profession about what excites/interests you, they can help to point you in the right direction. But don't take their word for it. If a zoo curator suggests being a field researcher sounds more to your liking, then talk with a field researcher to see if it's a near-optimal fit.

 

Try to get summer jobs in your career path.

 

Check on job statistics, predictions, outlook, etc. Maybe zoo curators or field researchers are becoming obsolete.

 

I can't recommend this hilariousness movie enough — My Family and Other Animals. It's an autobiographical work by naturalist Gerald Durrell, telling of the part of his childhood he spent on the Greek island of Corfu between 1935 and 1939. Get through part 1, which gives you Durrell's background, and the rest of the movie is a riot.

[Ophiolite]

@wannabeZoologist, Keep in mind that as you work through your degree it is very likely that your interests will change. You may find what fasinates you now will become droll and tedious, while a new field, of which you are currently unaware, will come under the spotlight. By all means have a goal, but remember that one great human strength is adaptability.

[Arete]

I worked as a zookeeper part time while I was doing my MSc and I am now a postdoc in life sciences.

 

The first thing I notice is that you're really discussing two different career paths. To be a zookeeper, at least in my experience, no formal qualifications were required, and the directed career path was through trade certificates at technical school. That said, it's a highly competitive career path and me and most of my colleagues had bachelor's degrees in some form of biological science, however, most staff did not have graduate degrees and it certainly wasn't a requirement. A PhD would not be a logical path to working in a zoo. The zoo I worked in hired heavily from its pool of volunteers, almost every person with limited experience at other zoos previously was a volunteer (I guess it's like an extended interview) so I would highly recommend volunteering at a local zoo.

 

On the other hand, you're talking about a career in biological research. While the zoo I worked at did have some staff who had a background in research, most people in research are not working in zoos. If you're more interested in a research path, I would research the labs at the university you're intending to go to, and offer to volunteer or intern in your freshman year. Our lab prefers to get people to start as soon as possible, as it takes a while to train someone. As such, they'll get more out of you and you'll get more out of your undergraduate training if you start earlier rather than later. Just make sure it's a lab who are genuinely doing research you find interesting.

 

Personally, I didn't see zookeeping as a career for me. Neither of those paths leads to riches, so don't expect to make a lot of money (you'll earn a living though). Zookeeping involved a lot of face time with the public, a lot of tasks which in any other setting would be quite manual and menial, and generally the same routine each day. I personally find a research career to be more varied, challenging and rewarding, but I am not outside actually interacting with animals on a daily basis, and it's a lot less unsung in how much gratification from others you will as a zookeeper.

 

If you're undecided, you could do a semester volunteering at a zoo, and then one at a research lab to see where you'd more like to invest your energy.

Edited April 8, 2013 by Arete