Conservation Careers

A great question popped up in our Conservation Careers community recently. Someone asked how you turn an initial networking conversation with a stranger into an authentic, lasting relationship. You have a great chat. You connect on LinkedIn. Perhaps you exchange a couple of messages. And then… what? Three months pass. Six months. A year. Suddenly

How to discover your purpose, find greater fulfilment, and build a life aligned with who you really are, with our guest Maren Oslac. Have you ever reached a point where, on paper, life looks pretty good. You’ve worked hard, achieved success, ticked all the boxes. But something still feels missing.. Today’s guest is Maren Oslac, co-Founder of The Soulful Leader Project. For decades she’s explored …

Conservation is often portrayed as a world of wildlife, protected areas, and ecological research. But behind every successful restoration project, protected landscape, or conservation initiative lies another story entirely. There are budgets and risk assessments. Funding gaps and stakeholder negotiations. Logistics, procurement, data management, and project delivery. Andrew Coates has spent much …

There are many ways to enter conservation. Some people begin with wildlife. Others start with science, policy, advocacy, or community engagement. For Andrew Coates, the journey began with ancient trees, dusty African ranches, and a simple belief that conservation is ultimately about stewardship. Over the past twenty-five years, Andrew has worked across Africa and Latin

On 21st September 2014, I wrote an email that changed my life – and, it turns out, a lot of other people’s too. I’d been in the UK a little over a year, working as a Communications Officer for Fauna & Flora International, quietly dreaming about a pivot into ecotourism as a form of conservation.

How conservationists can create lasting impact by empowering communities, transforming environmental education, and building inclusive conservation movements, with our guest Cindy-Lee Cloete. Conservation isn’t just about protecting wildlife. It’s about people too. The most successful conservation projects don’t happen in isolation – they happen when communities are empowered to care for the plac…

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learnt over the past 13 years running Conservation Careers is this: Conservation careers are better together. Whether you’re trying to land your first conservation job, change specialism, move into leadership, secure funding for further study, or simply become better at what you do, very few people get there alone.

How conservation organisations can use immersive technology to educate, inspire, and reconnect people with nature, with our guest Camille Mougenot. Have you ever wondered whether technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive storytelling could help people care more deeply about wildlife and the natural world? Today I’m joined by Camille Mougenot, Director of International Pa…

“How many of the people you work with actually land the job they want in conservation?” I’ve been asked this question many times. And I answer it honestly: very few. Most end up somewhere they hadn’t considered. In jobs that didn’t exist when we started working together. In projects and businesses they built themselves. In

Mariam Weston is a small cat champion and conservationist from Mexico, who believes that protecting wildlife requires more than science and fieldwork-based skills. Successful conservation also depends on good leadership, project management, and emotional intelligence.   At a young age, she began to show an interest in the wildlife around her, one of the most biodiverse

When most people picture a conservation career, they imagine wildlife veterinarians, marine biologists, anti-poaching units, or scientists deep in the field. Rarely do they picture economists. And yet, according to Matthew Guest, some of conservation’s biggest successes, or failures, are often shaped not only by ecology, but by economics, incentives, human behaviour, and the systems

How entrepreneurs, innovation, and restoration businesses can help save coral reefs and build a new restoration economy, with our guest Sam Teicher. Coral reefs cover less than one percent of our oceans, yet they support around a quarter of all marine life and provide food, livelihoods, and coastal protection for around a billion people. Yet

How marine scientists can combine conservation, entrepreneurship, storytelling, and tourism to create impact, with our guest Justin Blake. Justin Blake is a marine scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of RockHopper – a social enterprise that blends marine science, storytelling, tourism, and conservation to create new ways of funding and delivering impact. After spending more than 15

We call it Planet Earth. But perhaps we should have called it Planet Water. After all, around 71% of our planet’s surface is covered by water, and the oceans contain around 97% of all water on Earth. They regulate our climate, produce around half of the oxygen we breathe, absorb vast quantities of carbon dioxide, provide food

South African conservationist Nick Evans shares his journey from childhood snake enthusiast to renowned snake rescuer, researcher, educator, and advocate for human-wildlife coexistence. Discover career advice, conservation lessons, and the realities of working with some of Africa's most misunderstood animals.

How Indo Ocean Project is using science, education, and field experience to conserve Indonesia’s marine ecosystems, with our guest Lauren Sparks.  Indonesia sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle – one of the most biodiverse marine regions on Earth. But protecting these extraordinary ecosystems requires more than passion. It requires science, local partnerships, long-term

When I was in university studying Earth Science, I went to a giant geology career fair full of employers and students. I’m shy, and talking to people used to feel (and sometimes still feels) terrifying. I remember walking around thinking I needed to sound as intelligent and impressive and valuable as the other students around

How to build a meaningful career protecting our oceans, with our guest Dr David Shiffman. What does it really take to build a career protecting our oceans? Today’s guest is Dr David Shiffman – marine conservation biologist, public science communicator, author of Why Sharks Matter, and our Marine Conservation Expert in Residence here at Conservation

For Alain Vidal, conservation has never been a career switch, it was always the path. From his early days studying bioclimatology (the science studying the relationships between living organisms and the climate) in France to advising global coalitions on biodiversity and regenerative agriculture, Alain’s journey is a testament to the power of science, strategy, and

For Samara P. El-Haddad, conservation isn’t just a profession—it’s a force that has shaped her life from the very beginning. From a child whose the biggest connection to the world was through wildlife documentaries to a leading conservationist navigating crises and reshaping biodiversity efforts, her story is one of defiance, resilience, and unshakable determination. This