The Best Outdoor and Environmental Education Job Boards

In June 0f 2015, I was sitting on top of a 40-meter watch tower in the Peruvian Amazon as part of a university course in Tropical Biology and Conservation at the Los Amigos Research Station. The sunset was going down, and I had my camera with my 120-600 telephoto lens ready, watching and listening to the jungle. Being surrounded by so much wildlife at once makes you feel insignificant in this world. The sun was creating those stunning golden bands of light, and I looked toward the east and saw three gorgeous blue and gold macaws coming my way towards a tall fruit-bearing Ceiba tree. They turned their undersides to me, and the sunlight cascaded over their bellies, really giving meaning to the gold part of their name. I held down the trigger for a couple of seconds and, after that, checked the photo and got it! Now looking back at the photo and how I have improved over the years as a photographer, it was not the best, but that did not matter then because, from that moment forward, I knew this was the kind of life I wanted to live. Exploring the world, seeing new places, working with wildlife, and doing amazing conservation work.

My path to outdoor and environmental education work was not the typical path one would have taken as I prioritized traveling and the location where I would be based. That is what led me to many places where I have worked contracts. After graduating university from Eckerd College in 2016 with a BA in Environmental Studies and a double minor in Biology and Coastal Management, I headed home to Cozumel, Mexico, to get my PADI divemaster certification and apply to jobs. I moved to Thailand in October of 2016 to work as a King Cobra radio telemetry tracker for my first-ever job out of university and out of the country. I worked in Thailand for seven months, then backpacked around Southeast Asia. I got a position as a herpetologist in Madagascar for the summer of 2017, working with students which gave me my first glimpse into the field of environmental education.

After Madagascar, I applied to over 50 natural sciences-type jobs within a two-month period, and funds were getting low. I needed a job and stumbled across an immediate start for an environmental education opportunity in Austin, Texas. I made a phone call and got the job. That was the start of my Environmental Educator career, which is how I was able to continue to travel around the world and work in places like Indonesia, the UAE, and Guyana, which in turn led to jobs in Guam, Antarctica, and the Maldives.

I have had many titles since my first job in Thailand. Naturalist, Expedition Leader, Science Cargo Handler, Field Technician, Wildlife Biologist, Lead Herpetologist, Outdoor Educator, Environmental Educator, Camp Counselor, Field Studies Instructor, Dive Master, and even a Lifeguard. There are many different paths one can take to have a career in conservation. Especially if you are fresh out of university, a great way to get experience is to get into environmental education. The Best job board for natural sciences and conservation work are linked here, and the best job boards to find jobs abroad are linked here.

Because I am from the United States, my search engines are geared toward that, so many of the job boards I have listed have postings from the United States. However, I have also included international job boards and all job boards listed have international opportunities.

These are eight great options for you to check out and find your next job.

People ask me repeatedly, “How did you find all these jobs?” especially my first National Geographic job. I googled ‘National Geographic jobs’ and applied. It sometimes really is that simple. The key is to understand SEO (Search Engine Optimization). This is understanding the power of keywords when you type them into Google. Using the right words will help you with your job hunt.

I find myself joining more job boards on Facebook as that is becoming more popular. It is nice because there is a good community there, and people who have been working in conservation for a while will act as mentors and advise the people who seek it.

I struggled to try to find a job right out of college. I wish I had known about these job boards when I was in university so I could have found great summer jobs between school years. Please do not hesitate to contact me at my email, thewildgingerbeast@gmail.com, or my Instagram @thewildgingerbeast if you have any questions or want guidance.

Thank you for reading the blog. It means the world to me. Stay wild!

"It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living."

David Attenburough