Finding a Job with a Biology Degree

College life. My college days were spent frolicking in creeks and streams. I kicked up rocks to look for aquatic insects, electro-shocked fish, and sketched aquatic plants. I camped out with other self-proclaimed aquatic science nerds, explored the oceans, beaches, and salt marshes. I just knew that I was going to find a career doing those very same things.

Real World. A few months before graduation, I began scouring websites for job openings. If it required a Biology degree and minimum experience, my pathetic resume got submitted. I took the first job offer I received, not fully understanding what it entailed. When people asked, I could only tell them it had something to do with permitting and being okay with getting dirty. I was a little disappointed when I realized my duties included permitting and inspecting septic tank systems, home additions, and new lots for residential construction. This is what a biology degree got you?! I worked there for a year and a half until we moved to a different state where I ended up getting a job at the city’s wastewater treatment plant as a lab technician. I worked mostly in the lab but also did field collections for onsite monitoring wells and streams. I have since switched over to the drinking water side where I continue to have a mix of lab and field work. So, is it the dream job I had originally hoped to find? No, but I have learned to love it almost as much as my college adventures.

My Advice. A biology degree can take you more places than most people realize. There are the more glamorous, yet elusive jobs, like the ones that send you out on research vessels for months at a time or send you traveling around the world conducting research. More commonly found are the jobs offered by the medical or teaching fields. Most are unaware of all of the opportunities government jobs have to offer. Though they may not sound as exciting, there will always be a need for lab technicians for drinking water and wastewater, water quality monitoring, permitting, inspections etc. Do not forget to include city, county and state job openings in your search. Many have jobs that can quite easily turn into careers and may even become your dream job. Pursue your dreams but keep an open mind. You never know where you will end up!


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