How To Become A Field Scientist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a field scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.

A field scientist conducts ecological and natural resource field surveys, including wetland delineations and threatened and endangered species assessments, among others. His/Her job covers NEPA evaluations, environmental site investigations, assessments, and surveys to sample, measure, and analyze a wide variety of environmental factors. He/She identifies and reviews environmental risk factors and recommends risk strategies to promote compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Also, he/she performs site visits, field observations, and field data collection.

To become a field scientist, you need at least a bachelor's degree in environmental science or any related field with a minimum of a year of relevant experience. You may also be required to have some certifications in your field of expertise. Since your work is on the field, you will need a valid driver's license. Additionally, you must possess communication, interpersonal, and organization skills. Field scientists are paid an average salary of $63,835. It varies between $32,000 and $127,000.

What general advice would you give to a Field Scientist?

A. Alonso Aguirre Ph.D.

Department Chair & Professor, George Mason University

A career in environmental science, policy, and/or conservation is extremely rewarding and exciting. A degree in environmental science and policy will provide you with high qualifications to be sought-after by many agencies from local to federal, NGOs and businesses and private enterprises; you can make important contributions to solving complex environmental issues that challenge the integrity and sustainability of our planet. This is the time to get into a green career! The rapid growth of green/alternative economies will require more jobs exponentially. Organics, recycling, alternative energy, conservation of species and ecosystems, fair trade in green investments, sustainable agriculture and forests, and ecotourism, to name a few. Whatever your chosen career or life path will be-science, business, advocacy, public administration, journalism, parenting, community activism-you can play an important role in protecting Earth's biodiversity.

ScoreField ScientistUS Average

Salary

6.0

Avg. Salary $76,601

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.7

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.77%

Asian 5.03%

Black or African American 3.09%

Hispanic or Latino 6.19%

Unknown 3.68%

White 81.24%

Gender

female 27.48%

male 72.52%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress Level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.1

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.7

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a field scientist

Explore field scientist education requirements

Most common field scientist degrees

Bachelor's

82.1 %

Master's

8.2 %

Associate

6.6 %

Start to develop specific field scientist skills

Skills	Percentages
Field Testing	33.68%
Data Collection	17.31%
Geotechnical	6.18%
Asbestos	5.43%
Storm Water	4.00%

Complete relevant field scientist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New field scientists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a field scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real field scientist resumes.

Research field scientist duties and responsibilities

Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
Collect groundwater samples following EPA low-flow sampling procedure.
Perform wetland delineations with GPS unit.
Create GIS maps for publications, flyers, and use for colleagues.

Apply for field scientist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a field scientist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do field scientists rate their job?

-/5

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Field Scientist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2021

Pros

Firstly, the most important is to protect our planet for us and the future generations. Secondly our planet is not going to support the pressure and negative impacts because of the big Increased human population . Finally our planet needs more and more environmental specialists to regulate and control all human activities, especially the ilegal ones.

Cons

I don’t like when big companies they know what’s wrong and what’s right, but still the destroy, like cutting trees in Brazil and the other side big companies even knowing those trees are ilegal, but still they continuing to porches. There for I can’t understand and I don’t like.