How to hire conservation scientists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions. • Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives. • Compute design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, using survey or field information, technical guides or engineering manuals. • Gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations. • Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans. • Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications. • Participate on work teams to plan, develop, or implement programs or policies for improving environmental habitats, wetlands, or groundwater or soil resources. • Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring and writing skills • Working knowledge of customer and personal service, biology, English Language and education and training • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $35.10 an hour ($73,010 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for conservation scientists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to compute design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, using survey or field information, technical guides or engineering manuals. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What conservation scientists do
- Advise land users, such as farmers or ranchers, on plans, problems, or alternative conservation solutions.
- Apply principles of specialized fields of science, such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, or agriculture, to achieve conservation objectives.
- Compute design specifications for implementation of conservation practices, using survey or field information, technical guides or engineering manuals.
- Gather information from geographic information systems (GIS) databases or applications to formulate land use recommendations.
- Implement soil or water management techniques, such as nutrient management, erosion control, buffers, or filter strips, in accordance with conservation plans.
- Monitor projects during or after construction to ensure projects conform to design specifications.
- Participate on work teams to plan, develop, or implement programs or policies for improving environmental habitats, wetlands, or groundwater or soil resources.
- Plan soil management or conservation practices, such as crop rotation, reforestation, permanent vegetation, contour plowing, or terracing, to maintain soil or conserve water.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for conservation scientists
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +5.3% over ten years, faster than average · about 2,100 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay conservation scientists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Colorado | $84,820 |
| Oregon | $80,790 |
| California | $79,810 |
| Wisconsin | $79,540 |
| Massachusetts | $78,740 |
| Missouri | $63,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,480 |
| Florida | $51,130 |
See conservation scientists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Animal Scientists
- Food Scientists and Technologists
- Soil and Plant Scientists
- Biochemists and Biophysicists
- Microbiologists
- Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
- Biological Scientists, All Other
- Foresters
- Epidemiologists
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.