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Ecological consultant: Duncan

This Case Study belongs to Ecologist.

Duncan graduated with BSc in Ecology in 2001 from the University of Aberdeen.

During his time at university Duncan set up an opportunity to conduct research involving catching frogs in Borneo. Instead of using a company to organise it, he used a contact through a fellow student on his course for accommodation and contacted a local organisation directly to set up the placement. This saved money as he only needed to fund his travel and expenses. Armed with this experience, prior to graduating, Duncan was successful in his application for a research assistant post, advertised by the biology department, studying bats at the Prince of Songkla University in southern Thailand.

After enjoying the hands-on experience of foreign research Duncan returned to the UK to work as an ecotour guide on the west coast of Scotland which provided an excellent opportunity to develop his skills in interacting with the public. In 2005 Duncan completed an MRes in Ecology & Environmental Management at York University. This included a short summer placement with the RSPB which in turn led to a temporary contract with the consultancy RPS as an ornithologist on numerous wind farm projects. In 2006, having gained some experience in consultancy, Duncan obtained a post for a consultancy in their Glasgow office which involved a commute for one year after which he managed to negotiate a transfer to their Edinburgh office. In his post, Duncan has worked on a plethora of projects throughout Scotland, from ecological constraints surveys to full blown environmental impact assessments. For graduates considering working in consultancy, it’s important to be aware that this type of work involves meeting deadlines, managing your own workload and being accountable for the work you produce.

For the future, Duncan thinks he’d like to work for an NGO as he misses some of the more detailed science work involved in his studies and previous posts. He also has the travel bug so would consider working overseas again if the opportunity arises.

Finally, emphasising the importance of work experience and contacts, Duncan recommends that to successfully build a career as an ecologist, students and graduates should gain as much exposure to relevant types of work and people as possible through involvement in voluntary groups, university clubs and societies and placements.

Case Study sourced by Tracey Innes of University of Aberdeen, 15 April 2009.