Have you considered branching out into ecology from another sector? One of our ecologists, Leah Smith, discusses her non-traditional route into ecology, and how she found opportunities to bridge the knowledge gap to make the change.
Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment. An average day for an ecologist may involve analysing plant or animal data or researching the impact of activities like house building and farming on land and waterways. Ecologists often input into creating and managing wildlife conservation areas and restoration projects, while advising landowners and local authorities on ecological legal matters. Opportunities for ecologists are therefore diverse in nature. According to The Chartered Insititute of Environmental Management and Ecology (CIEEM), roles are common within local authorities, government agencies, industry, consultancy, teaching/research, and NGOs.
While the profession demands high levels of skills and commitment, it provides great job satisfaction. In the 2022 CIEEM Employment and Salary Survey, most respondents would recommend the profession to those looking for an interesting, varied and worthwhile career.
To work as an ecologist, an individual will usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a subject such as: ecology, environmental sustainability, environmental science, conservation, marine or plant biology, or zoology.
While university study is usually necessary, that is not to say that the right individual with some determination could not begin making the switch to ecology. Field and practical skills are essential for entering the profession, but volunteering can provide this experience; these necessary practical skills are not always gained through university courses. Most professional ecologists have volunteered for a period of time to gain the necessary level of field skills, before finding paid employment.
Leah Smith describes how she became an ecologist at Cura Terrae:
“I have always had a passion for nature and wildlife which stems back to spending my childhood outdoors. After leaving college I didn’t know what direction to take professionally, so I joined the NHS and worked there for 15 years. During my time in the NHS, I worked across a variety of administrative roles, including being an Executive Assistant, but I kept my passion for nature alive by volunteering.
I volunteered in a range of roles from working at Whirlow Farm and at Mayfield Alpaca Farm, to being an RSPB Community Campaigner for Sheffield. For this, I even created a campaign event at Sheffield Botanical Gardens to help educate people on how they can protect wildlife, and I am also a licenced bird ringer through the British Trust of Ornithology (BTO) which has deepened my knowledge of bird ecology/ornithology.
In 2020 I decided that I wanted to turn my hobbies and volunteering experience into a career, so I enrolled at The Open University to do an Environmental Science degree (BSc). While on a field trip at Preston Montford Field Study Centre doing a soils and vegetation study, I met an inspiring botanist who encouraged me to pursue a career in ecology and suggested that I should contact local ecology companies and ask for a seasonal role. That is how I learned about Cura Terrae.
I was put in touch with a Technical Director of Ecology at Cura Terrae who interviewed me as a seasonal ecologist, and that’s when I started doing bat surveys. In May 2024 I began my second season as a seasonal ecologist and was so excited to be offered a permanent position within the company as a graduate ecologist.
Since joining Cura Terrae I have been able to bring together my administrative background and resulting organisational skills, academic learning, and hands-on volunteering experience. Bird surveys have been a particular highlight given my interest in ornithology, but I’ve also really enjoyed Preliminary Ecological Appraisals (PEAs) and Biodiversity Net Gain Assessments (BNGAs) which help me build my botany skills. Most recently, I took part in my first Great Crested Newt (GCN) survey, and seeing a GCN for the first time was a real moment of awe. As Cura Terrae is also multi-disciplinary I have also been able to speak to and collaborate with colleagues in landscaping, archaeology and geophysics, and learn about how their roles link in with the work that we do in Ecology.
This career change has been the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made. I feel incredibly lucky to be an ecologist and I’m excited to keep learning, growing, and contributing to a field I truly care about. I would like to give Cura Terrae a massive thank you for enabling me to pursue this amazing career.”
