Potential earnings
£40,870.89
Conservation professionals are responsible for ensuring that landscapes, habitats and species are protected and enhanced via appropriate management and conservation. They promote public understanding and awareness of the natural environment and help to develop and implement appropriate policies to achieve these objectives.
Main tasks
- Carries out research into aspects of the natural world.
- Prepares applications for funding to other organisations, and assessing applications for funding from other organisations.
- Promotes conservation issues via educational talks, displays, workshops and literature and liaison with the media.
- Maintains and develops knowledge in relevant policy areas within a national and European legislative context.
- Liaises with other groups in the selection and maintenance of the Protected Site System including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Ramsar sites, and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
- Provides advice and information to government at national and local levels, clients, landowners, planners and developers to facilitate the protection of the natural environment.
- Implements, evaluates and monitors schemes for the management and protection of natural habitats.
- Carries out environmental impact assessments and field surveys.
- Promotes and implements local and national biodiversity action plans, particularly with regard to threatened species and habitats.
Source: Office for National Statistics.
Salary and earnings
Average earnings
£24,161.99
Source: Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).
Skills & knowledge
The top 5 most important skills and knowledge requirements relevant to this career.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
What course level do I need to study?
The level of study required will vary with each job, sector and company. The table below shows the level of study achieved by those currently working in this career choice.
Educational requirements: Honours, Bachelor's degree
Source: Office for National Statistics.
| Level of study | Percentage achieved |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 0% |
| Level 2 | 3% |
| Level 3 | 7% |
| Level 4-5 (Higher Education) | 4% |
| Level 6 (Bachelors) | 35% |
| Level 7 (Masters or equivalent) | 38% |
| Level 8 (Doctorate) | 13% |
Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) data.
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Economic data for careers is provided by Lightcast and also available through our Career Coach app. Job postings, employment and earnings information is represented at the regional level for the East Midlands.
