How to hire zoologists and wildlife biologists
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 • Conduct literature reviews. • Develop, or make recommendations on, management systems and plans for wildlife populations and habitat, consulting with stakeholders and the public at large to explore options. • Disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs. • Inform and respond to public regarding wildlife and conservation issues, such as plant identification, hunting ordinances, and nuisance wildlife. • Inventory or estimate plant and wildlife populations. • Organize and conduct experimental studies with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings. • Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry. • Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories, diseases, development, genetics, and distribution. 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, science, speaking, writing and active learning skills • Working knowledge of biology, English Language, geography and mathematics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $36.91 an hour ($76,780 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for zoologists and wildlife biologists
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 conduct literature reviews. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to develop, or make recommendations on, management systems and plans for wildlife populations and habitat, consulting with stakeholders and the public at large to explore options. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to inform and respond to public regarding wildlife and conservation issues, such as plant identification, hunting ordinances, and nuisance wildlife. 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?
- Tell me about a time you used scientific or technical knowledge to solve a work problem.
- 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 zoologists and wildlife biologists do
- Conduct literature reviews.
- Develop, or make recommendations on, management systems and plans for wildlife populations and habitat, consulting with stakeholders and the public at large to explore options.
- Disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs.
- Inform and respond to public regarding wildlife and conservation issues, such as plant identification, hunting ordinances, and nuisance wildlife.
- Inventory or estimate plant and wildlife populations.
- Organize and conduct experimental studies with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings.
- Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry.
- Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories, diseases, development, genetics, and distribution.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for zoologists and wildlife biologists
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.6% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 1,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay zoologists and wildlife biologists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $98,530 |
| Alaska | $90,370 |
| Oregon | $85,150 |
| Washington | $83,780 |
| Colorado | $83,300 |
See zoologists and wildlife biologists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Animal Scientists
- Food Scientists and Technologists
- Soil and Plant Scientists
- Biochemists and Biophysicists
- Microbiologists
- Biological Scientists, All Other
- Conservation Scientists
- Foresters
- Epidemiologists
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
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.