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Career Details

Conservation Scientist

Entry Level Qualification 

Graduate

Career Fields 

Agriculture & Food Science

For Specially Abled 

Career Entrance Exam 

JIPMER MSC/MPH, AIIMS MSC

About Career 

PARTICULARS

DESCRIPTION

Name

Conservation Scientist

Purpose

Manage, Improve, & Protect Natural Resources.

Career Field

Mathematics & Science

Required Entrance Exam

No Entrance Exam

Average Salary

200000 - 400000 Rs. Per Year

Companies For You

Avi Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd., Tata Power Solar, Adani Solar & Many More

Who is Eligible

Graduate


1. As a Conservation Scientist, the key purpose of your work will be to get involved in research, studies, management, and policymaking for the protection and conservation of Earth’s natural resources, it’s flora and fauna, and the biodiversity. You will aim to protect species, conserve their habitats, and conserve the natural ecosystem so as to reduce or reverse the rate of extinction of the various flora and fauna (plants and animals) that our Earth has. 

2. Conservation scientists manage, improve, and protect Earth’s natural resources to maximize their use without damaging the environment. They manage the overall land quality of forests, parks, rangelands, and other natural resources such as soil, water, wildlife, forests, watersheds, energy, marine ecosystems, etc. Watersheds are areas of land that contain sets of streams & rivers that all drain into a single larger body of water, such as a larger river, a lake or an ocean.

3. Conservation Scientists may work with all levels of government to devise ways to use & improve existing conditions while safeguarding the environment. They advise farmers and other agricultural production managers on how they can improve their land for agricultural purposes or control erosion.

4. Conservation Biologists are specifically dedicated to protecting & preserving the fauna (including birds) of this planet, monitoring animal populations, restoring habitats. They also study aquatic environments & their influence on terrestrial fauna, understand the trends of extinction to prevent future extinctions, analyze the role & impact of predators on different ecosystems.

5. They also work towards improving management practices to provide more food resources to needy recipients, identification & distribution of mammalian/ avian (birds) biodiversity, understanding landscape-level effects on biodiversity and evaluating the effects of urbanization on ecosystems.

6. Wildlife Ecologists specialize in wetland, wildlife, rare species, and other natural resources assessment and environmental impact analyses. They are experienced in wildlife habitat assessments, shoreline habitat studies, habitat management, vernal pool evaluation, rare species impact assessments & surveys, mitigation & management plans.

7. Vernal pools are seasonal pools of water within a wildlife habitat that provide for distinctive plants and animals. They are also equipped with knowledge of specialized techniques &technologies utilized for rare species surveys and ecological assessments. Apart from naturalistic observation, their regular work also involves collecting samples of diverse materials including soil, sediment, water, vegetation, air and noise for various environmental tests related to investigation, analysis, and construction projects. Naturalistic observation is a research tool which involves observing a subject in its natural habitat without any kind of exploitation by the observer.

8. Conservation Ecologists work to reverse the loss of natural habitats and the trends of species extinction. This growing field combines knowledge of biological & chemical sciences with leadership & communication skills that are needed to engage the public. They may work for nonprofit organizations and agencies, in confined habitats like zoos or in the wild.

9. Soil and Water Conservationists are dedicated to maintain or enhance the productive capacity of land including soil, water and vegetation in areas that are prone to degradation. They work towards preventing/ reducing soil erosion, salinity; maintain soil fertility; conserve water and control drainage of it. 

10. Marine Conservationists are dedicated to the protection & preservation of ecosystems in sea and oceanic environments through planned management for preventing the exploitation of associated resources such as marine plants and animal resources.

11. Energy Conservationists need to have a thorough understanding of how energy is made, transmitted & used to find efficient and cost-effective ways to save energy or cut down on energy usage. They have to identify opportunities for saving energy in hotels, commercial properties, municipalities, and even in private homes. They may carry out energy audits to see how electricity is used in these facilities, for finding ways to improve efficiency. They also need to look at areas of wastage, such as inefficient production processes, and find solutions to them. 

12. Forestry Scientists have a wide range of duties like drawing up plans to regenerate forested lands, monitoring the progress of those lands, and supervising tree harvests, evaluate data on forest and soil quality, assessing damage to trees and forest lands caused by fires and logging activities. 

13. In addition, Conservation Scientists often use remote sensing (aerial photography & other imagery taken from airplanes or satellites) and Geographic Information System (GIS) data to map large areas and to detect widespread trends of wildlife or land use or expanse of other natural resources. They make extensive use of hand-held computers and Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to study these maps.

14. Many Conservation Scientists advance to managerial duties like conducting research or working on policy issues, often after getting an advanced degree. Those in management typically leave the usual fieldwork behind, to spend more of their time in an office, working with teams to develop management plans or supervising others.


Key Roles and Responsibilities

As a Conservation Scientist you will be responsible for one or more of the following roles or associated tasks as well:

1. You will work to reverse the loss of natural habitats/ environments, plan to protect natural resources such as soil, water, wildlife, forests, watersheds, energy, marine ecosystems, etc., understand trends of species extinction in order to prevent future extinctions.

2. You will use aerospace remote sensing(aerial photography & other imagery taken from airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles-UAVs, drones or satellites) which can be used for various matters such as for forest resource inventory, monitoring & management, agricultural mapping, urban construction activities, soil conservation, water resource management, collecting data for wildlife management especially for inaccessible areas or delicate ecosystems, etc. and policy development for these matters.

3. You will help protect lands from foreign species that can be harmful to the future ecology of the area and identify invasive species and plan strategies for the future health of the land.

4. You will work with water & water issues in forested areas or locations near forested areas and help improve the plight of humans dependent on forest produce.

5. You will help to find efficient & cost-effective ways to save energy or cut down on energy usage and employ various options & technologies available that can be implemented in order to use energy more efficiently.

6. You will protect & preserve ecosystems in sea & oceanic environments through planned management for preventing the exploitation of associated resources such as marine plants and animal resources.

7. You will maintain or enhance the productive capacity of land including soil, water, and vegetation in areas that are prone to degradation or to improve the productivity of particular sites.

8. You will independently conduct research to obtain and review technical data, scientific literature, and standards and may also be responsible for communicating complex analyses clearly & succinctly even to a non-technical audience.

9. You will be traveling to relevant national and international conferences/ symposiums around the globe.

Career Entry Pathway 

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelor’s in Zoology/ Botany/ Similar – Master’s in Zoology/ Botany/ Agricultural Science/ Similar – Ph.D.

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a Bachelor’s in Zoology/ Botany/ Agricultural Science/ Plant Science/ Environmental Science/ Ecology/ Wildlife Science/ Forestry / Similar. Thereafter go for a Master’s in Zoology/ Botany/ Agricultural Science/ Plant Science/ Environmental Science/ Ecology/ Wildlife Science/ Wildlife Biology/ Forestry / Similar. Then pursue PhD studies in Conservation Science/ Environmental Science/ Wildlife Biology/ Ecology/ Biodiversity/ Conservation Biology/ Wildlife Ecology/ Forestry/ Wildlife Science/ similar.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelor’s in Physics/ Chemistry/ Environmental Science/ Similar – Master’s in Environmental Science – Ph.D. in Environmental Science

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, go for a Bachelor’s in Physics/ Chemistry/ Environmental Science/ Similar. Then go for a Master’s in Environmental Science. Thereafter complete your PhD studies in Environmental Science.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies –Undergraduate degree in Zoology/ Botany/ Life Science/ Ecology/ Environmental Biology /Plant Science/ Environmental Science/ Anthropology– M Sc in Ecology & Environmental Science

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for a3 or 4 year Undergraduate degreein Zoology/ Botany/ Life Science/ Ecology/ Environmental Biology /Plant Science/ Environmental Science/ Anthropology. Then pursue M Sc in Ecology & Environmental Science. To study a UG degree in Anthropology, you can study Biology and any subject at Class 11-12 level.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies - Undergraduate degreein Geology / Geography/ related- M Sc in Ecology & Environmental Science

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for 3 or 4 year Undergraduate degree in Geology / Geography/ related. Then you can pursue M Sc in Ecology & Environmental Science. For studying Geography in UG level and thereafter obtain an M.Sc. in ‘Ecology & Environmental Science’, you must have studied Mathematics during your Class 11-12 and you must have obtained a B.Sc. degree in order to receive an M.Sc.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies – Bachelor’s degree in Botany/ Zoology/ Plant Sciences/ Life Sciences/ Ecology/ Biological Sciences/ Environmental Sciences/ Environmental Biology/ Anthropology/ Geology/ Geography/ Similar - PGDBC

After completing Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for 3 or 4 year Undergraduate degree in Botany/ Zoology/ Plant Sciences/ Life Sciences/ Ecology/ Biological Sciences/ Environmental Sciences/ Environmental Biology/ Anthropology/ Geology/ Geography/ Similar. Then go for a PG Diploma in Biodiversity Conservation.

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies – Class 11-12 with Biology & any other subject as per scheme of studies – Undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences/ Ecology and Allied subjects/ Environmental Science/ Environmental Biology– Post Graduation in Wildlife Science, Sustainability & Development or M Sc in Ecology & Environmental Sciences

​​​​​​​

After completing Class 11-12 with Biology & any other subject as per scheme of studies, you can go for Undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences/ Zoology/ Botany/ Veterinary/ Forestry/ Agriculture/ Microbiology/ Natural Resources/ Ecology and Allied subjects/ Environmental Science/ Environmental Biology. Then go for Post Graduation in Wildlife Science, Sustainability & Development or M Sc in Ecology & Environmental Sciences.

Required Qualification & Competencies 

To get into this field, you will need to pass Class 11-12 with:

1. Physics, Chemistry, Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies

2. Physics, Chemistry, Mathematic along with any other subject as per scheme of studies

3. Biology and any other subjects as per scheme of studies

4. Mathematics and any other subjects as per scheme of studies

5. Biology, Chemistry, and any other subjects as per scheme of studies

6. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per scheme of studies

Then you can do a degree in Engineering, or any Science discipline or Anthropology or Geography or Geology or Economics or in any one of the following fields or any other technological fields. Master’s degree is a must in this field as most Scientist level industrial roles require post-graduation at the least.

You can study for a Bachelor’s or Master’s or Doctoral degree in any of the following fields in India and/ or overseas (Note that all these fields may not offer you a degree at all 3 levels, that is in Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral. Some fields may offer a degree only at the Master’s or at the Doctoral level).

1. Conservation Sciences

2. Animal Ecology & Conservation Biology

3. Conservation Biology

4. Marine Ecology and Conservation

5. Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Science

6. Soil & Water Conservation Engineering

7. Ecology & Biodiversity

8. Environment Management

9. Forest Management

10. Natural Resources Management

11. Sustainability

12. Forest Ecology and Sustainability

13. Wildlife Habitat Ecology

14. Biodiversity Studies


Compentencies Required


Interests

1. You should have interests for Investigative Occupations. Investigative occupations involve working with ideas and quite a lot of thinking, often abstract or conceptual thinking. These involve learning about facts and figures; involve the use of data analysis, assessment of situations, decision making and problem-solving.

2. You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations involve more practical and hands-on activities than paperwork or office work. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment. 

3. You should have interests in Social Occupations. Social occupations involve helping or assisting others; these involve working with and communicating with people to provide various services; these may involve educating and advising others.


Knowledge

1. You should have knowledge of Planning and Development - Knowledge of various principles, ways and processes to plan, implement, and monitor projects for human development, rural and regional development, environmental conservation and protection, etc.

2. You will need knowledge of Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

3. You may need knowledge of Biological Sciences - Knowledge of plants and animals, their physiological functions, evolution, and all other related aspects.

4. You should have knowledge of any analytical or scientific software relevant to your industry such as HEC-RAS; IWR-PLAN, Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment EIO-LCA, Pre Consultants Sima Pro; Production Flow Analysis and Simplification Toolkit PFAST; Substance Flow Analysis STAN etc.


Skills

1. You should have Active Listening Skills - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, understanding the points being made by others, asking questions, etc.

2. You should have Critical Thinking skills- Skills in the analysis of complex situations, using logic and reasoning to understand the situations and take appropriate actions or make interpretations and inferences.

3. You should have Reading Comprehension Skills - Skills in understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

4. You should have Active Learning Skills - Focused and continuous learning from various sources of information, observation and otherwise for application in getting work done.

5. You should have Judgment and Decision Making Skills - considering pros and cons of various decision alternatives; considering costs and benefits; taking appropriate and suitable decisions.

6. You should have Problem Solving Skills - Skills in analysis and understanding of problems, evaluating various options to solve the problems and using the best option to solve the problems.

7. You should have Coordination Skills - Skills in working together with other people to get things done.


Ability

1. You should have Deductive Reasoning Ability - apply general rules and common logic to specific problems to produce answers that are logical and make sense. For example, understanding the reasons behind an event or a situation using general rules and common logic.

2. You should have Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

3. You should have Inductive Reasoning Ability - to combine pieces of information from various sources, concepts, and theories to form general rules or conclusions. For example, analyzing various events or situations to come out with a set of rules or conclusions.

4. You should have Information Ordering Ability - to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

5. You should have Oral Comprehension Ability - listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

6. You should have Oral Expression Ability - communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

7. You should have Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

8. You should have Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.


Personality Traits

1. You are always or mostly careful about your actions and behavior.

2. You are always or mostly disciplined in your actions and behaviour.

3. You are always calm or generally remain calm in most situations.

4. You can always act independently or could do so in most situations.

5. You are always imaginative or in most situations.

Career - Job Opportunities & Profiles 

Conservation professionals work in the field and in offices across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. You will typically work in government departments, universities, non-profit organizations, or in industry in various managerial, educational, research and consultancy roles.

You may work in areas such as:

1. National Parks and Wildlife Conservation

2. Natural Resource Management

3. Policy Development

4. Mining

5. Agriculture

6. Education

7. Research

Alternatively, you can further your research ambitions and proceed to enroll in an MPhil/Ph.D. program, where you'll continue to develop your research skills and make significant contributions to knowledge.

With skills and qualifications in conservation sciences, you may work locally, nationally and internationally and the work opportunities are many & varied. This vital field is growing rapidly and highly qualified candidates are in demand.

At the beginning of your career, you can get a job as a Graduate Intern/Extern/Trainee/ Research Intern/ Graduate Teaching Assistant, etc. and then proceed to these work roles in an industry or business segment. At the Intern / Trainee level you will put inquiry and theory into practice.

The following are some of the entry-level roles that you may find after at least your post-graduation (you may surpass internships and traineeships to directly get your first job).

1. Conservation Biologist/Ecologist

2. Conservation Planner

3. Conservation/Restoration Program Manager

4. Sustainability Scientist

5. Enforcement Inspector

6. Green Building Designer

7. Wind Energy specialist

8. Plant Mapping Intern

9. Groundwater Hydrologist

10. Forest Hydrologist

11. Interpretive Naturalist

12. Range Conservationist/ Rangeland Scientist/ Rangeland Economist

13. Environmental Consultant/ Specialist/ Lawyer

14. Restoration Ecologist

15. Water Conservation Specialist

16. Wildland Soil Specialist/ Soil Conservationist

17. Invasive Species Management Specialist

18. Landscape Ecologist

19. Field Botanist

20. Wildlife Habitat Manager

21. Bird Breeding Intern

22. Central/state/international universities, colleges, international donor agencies, non-government organizations, firms dealing with wildlife and forestry, eco-tourism; forest departments etc.

Some of the NGOs include Bombay Natural History Society, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), TRAFFIC India, Nature Conservation Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Greenpeace, Wildlife Protection Society of India, Kalpbriksh, Centre for Science and Environment, Centre for Environmental Education, Centre for Science and Environment, The Energy and Resources Institute, Applied Environmental Research Foundation, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Madras Naturalists Society etc.

You may work with molecular scientists, conservation biologists, agencies, and conservation organizations to explore, lead, and develop genomic & biotech innovations for biodiversity conservation and restoration.

You may work with state or central government bodies/ ministries/ offices/ scientific journals such as Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Rural Development, National Scientific Journal, Ministry of Agriculture, Soil Conservation of India,  National Biodiversity Authority, state biodiversity boards etc.


Specialisation Tracks In This Career

Conservation Ecologist

Conservation Biologist/Ecologists work to reverse the loss of natural habitats and the trends of species extinction. This growing field combines knowledge of biological & chemical sciences with leadership & communication skills that are needed to engage the public.

They may work for nonprofit organizations and agencies, in confined habitats like zoos or in the wild.

Geospatial Analysts (Environment Restoration& Natural Resources)

Geospatial Analysts use aero-space remote sensing which can be used for various purposes such as for forest resource inventory, monitoring & management, agricultural mapping, urban construction activities, soil conservation, water resource management, collecting data for wildlife management especially for inaccessible areas or delicate ecosystems etc.

Conservation Biologist

Conservation Biologists are specifically dedicated to protecting & preserving the fauna (including birds) of this planet, monitoring animal populations, restoring habitats. They also study aquatic environments & their influence on terrestrial fauna, understand the trends of extinction to prevent future extinctions, analyze the role & impact of predators on different ecosystems. They also work towards improving management practices to provide more food resources to needy recipients, identification & distribution of mammalian/ avian (birds) biodiversity, understanding landscape-level effects on biodiversity and evaluating the effects of urbanization on ecosystems.

Invasive Species Management Specialist

Invasive Species Management Specialists help protect lands from foreign species that can be harmful to the future ecology of the area. Their understanding of ecological relationships allows them to identify invasive species and plan strategies for the future health of the land. For an example, some specialists study factors that affect the spread of Mikania micrantha, an invasive climber species that slows the germination & growth of a variety of plant species including coffee, cocoa, tea, bamboo, palm etc. and is a widespread weed in the tropics.

Forest Hydrologist

Forest Hydrologists work with water & water issues in the forest. Their expertise in forest management and biological sciences is extremely necessary in this field. They work in the field measuring water—how much and how safe it is, what are the chemicals in it, if it needs improvement; gather & look at information about water resources located in specific areas of a forest such as watersheds which contain river systems or large bodies’ of water within a forested area; plan how the adjacent land should be used; decide how to damaged areas can be restored; identify & define mechanisms through which fire influences forest structure and functionality etc.

Wildlife Ecologist

Wildlife Ecologists specialize in wetland, wildlife, rare species and other natural resources assessment and environmental impact analyses. They are experienced in wildlife habitat assessments, shoreline habitat studies, habitat management, vernal pool evaluation, rare species impact assessments & surveys, mitigation & management plans. Vernal pools are seasonal pools of water within a wildlife habitat that provide for distinctive plants and animals. They are also equipped with knowledge of specialized techniques & technologies utilized for rare species surveys and ecological assessments. Apart from naturalistic observation, their regular work also involves collecting samples of diverse materials including soil, sediment, water, vegetation, air and noise for various environmental tests related to investigation, analysis, and construction projects. Naturalistic observation is a research tool which involves observing a subject in its natural habitat without any kind of exploitation by the observer.

Energy Conservationist

An energy conservationist needs to have a thorough understanding of how energy is made, transmitted & used to find efficient and cost-effective ways to save energy or cut down on energy usage. They need a good knowledge of the various options & technologies available that can be implemented in order to use energy more efficiently. Professionals have to identify opportunities for saving energy in hotels, commercial properties, municipalities, and even in private homes. They may carry out energy audits to see how electricity is used in these facilities, for finding ways to improve efficiency. They also need to look at areas of wastage, such as inefficient production processes, and find solutions to them. This also involves calculating costs involved in improving energy usage, such as the addition/ disengagement of any machinery or equipment, or the cost involved in making changes to the production processes etc.

Marine Conservationist

Marine Conservationists are dedicated to the protection & preservation of ecosystems in sea and oceanic environments through planned management for preventing the exploitation of associated resources such as marine plants and animal resources. Think of increased pressure from tourism, fisheries including reef degradation and overfishing, increasing levels of CO2 etc. They focus on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, restoring damaged marine ecosystems, and preserving vulnerable species. For an example, coral reefs are becoming increasingly degraded and in need of conservation. They provide various marine animals with food, protection, & shelter and are key players in the survival of entire ecosystems.

Conservation Scientist (Environmental/land-use planning)

Environmental/ Land- use Planners help prevent conflict among people or within ecosystems by applying their knowledge of these relationships to plan land use and change in an efficient and ethical way. From water availability to social conditions, they analyze all the impacts to provide sound advice.

Conservation Scientist (Wilderness/Backcountry Management)

Some Conservation Scientists help protect some of the world’s most precious, & remote, natural resources by working in unique settings. They ensure that all those accessing the backcountry understand the impact of their activities, implement strategies for human interaction with these resources and oversee the sustainable use of these areas.

Soil/ Water Conservationist

Soil and Water Conservationists are dedicated to maintain or enhance the productive capacity of land including soil, water and vegetation in areas that are prone to degradation. They work towards preventing/ reducing soil erosion, salinity; maintain soil fertility; conserve water and control drainage of it. These activities depend on respective local conditions and measures are implemented accordingly.


Career Growth

1. If you join as a Graduate Intern/Trainee/Graduate Field Extern, then after completion of your training, you will be positioned as Conservationist/ Scientist/ Enforcement Officer/ Research Assistant or Associate/ Hydrologist/ Naturalist/ Planner/ Consultant/ Biologist/ Ecologist/ Specialist/  etc. or similar positions. However, if you join after your Master’s degree, you can directly get a job as anyone of these positions.

2. The next level of promotion will be to Senior level – as a Senior Scientist/ Senior Project Conservationist/ Senior Planner/ Analytic Advisor/ Senior Restoration Ecologist/ Senior Specialist -Data Science & Planning/ Senior Consultant or similar.

3. After 5-7+ years of experience, you can expect to become a Program or Project Manager/ Senior Lead Planner/ Senior Policy Advisor or similar and after 12-15 years of experience, a Principal Biologist / Or Chief Ecologist/ Lead Habitat Scientist/ Global Food Lead Scientist, etc.

4. Then after 15-20 years of experience, you may grow as a Scientific Director and Head/ Division Head/ Director, Conservation Leadership & Education/ Director of Research & Partnerships / Director of Conservation Innovation/ Director of Programs or similar roles.

Salary Offered  

1. After a Master’s degree, a stipend in India while doing a Ph.D. is about Rs. 35,000-38,000 a month in a university or research center or as a Research Associate with a salary of about Rs. 15,000-20,000 a month.

2. After a Ph.D., stipend for Post-Doctoral Fellows is Rs. 40,000-45,000 a month or as a Research Scientist/ Scientist E or similar positions in a research institution or university research center you will be remunerated according to the following.

If you work for a government-owned/ aided institution, the emoluments of Scientists as per the 7th Central Pay Commission in India are given below. The minimum qualification required for entry-level positions is a Master's degree or post-graduation. These are all monthly initial pays in INR. Initial pay increases as an individual grows through ranks and pay bands in each level.

1. Scientist 'B' (Level 10):  56,100/-

2. Scientist 'C' (Level 11):  67,700/-

3. Scientist 'D' (Level 12):  78,800/-

4. Scientist 'E' (Level 13):  1,23,100/-

5. Scientist 'F' (Level 13A): 1,31,100/-

6. Scientist 'G' (Level 14): 1,44,200/-

7. Scientist 'H' / Outstanding Scientist (Level 15):  1,82,200/-

8. Distinguished Scientist(Level 16):  2,05,400/-

9. Secretary / Chairman(Level 17):  2,25,000/-

In other organizations/companies mostly after a Ph.D. as a Scientist or after a Post-Doctoral Fellowship as a Scientist, salaries in India may vary between Rs. 70,000-1,50,000 a month or even more. Some opportunities do exist as a RA after Master’s. Salary would be about Rs. 25,000-35,000 a month.

The monthly salaries of faculty approved by the Ministry of HRD (Department of Higher Education), Govt. of India are:

1. Assistant Professor Grade-II: Rs 57700 to Rs 117200

2. Assistant Professor Grade I: Rs 101500 to Rs 204700

3. Associate Professor: Rs 139600 to Rs 211300

4. Professor: Rs 144200 to Rs 224100

Major opportunities todayare concentrated at these locations Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Vizag, Chennai and Delhi in declining order of abundance.

Global (US)

1Remember, opportunities exist mostly for postgraduates who have pursued higher-level education overseas after graduation in India or even graduation overseas. In this field, hardly any postgraduate exiting from programs conducted in India get campus placements or individually sought placements overseas. However, after Ph.D. from India, you may find opportunities overseas but you will have to start as a Teaching Intern/ Project Extern or Assistant or at similar positions before being absorbed full-time in any organization or research institution. Most professionals in this field are either postgraduates or Ph.D. holders in the US so competition will be tough if you wish to find an opportunity right after graduation.

2. At the entry-level jobs, after your Master's degree depending upon the institution where you are graduating from, you may expect to get about USD 3,000 – 5,000 or even more a month.

3. After 4-5 years of relevant work experience, you may expect to earn around USD 5,500 to USD 7,000 a month or more depending on your job location and roles.

4. In mid-level jobs, you can expect to earn about USD 6500 – 9000 or even more a month.

5. In senior-level jobs (after 10+ years of relevant experience), you can expect to earn about USD 8,000 – 10,500 or even more a month. Senior corporate leaders including roles such as those of Director of Research & Partnerships / Scientific Director & Head get much more than this; their total remuneration including performance bonuses could be as high as USD 1500 000 a year or more.


Monthly Earnings In Indian Rupee

1. Entry level: 0 - 2 years of work experience

2. Junior Level: From 1 to 12 years of work experience

3. Mid-Level: From 5 to 20+ years of work experience

4. Senior Level: From 10 to 25+ years of work experience (there could be exceptions in some high-end technical, financial, engineering, creative, management, sports, and other careers; also in the near future, people will reach these levels much faster in many careers and in some careers, these levels will have no meaning as those careers will be completely tech skill driven such as even now, there is almost no level in a Cyber Security Expert’s job)

Work Activities 

1. Analyzing and interpreting data and information - Analysis of data and information to find facts, trends, reasons behind situations, etc.; interpretation of data to aid in decision making.

2. Communicating with co-workers and others - Communicating with people in writing, verbally or otherwise inside your workplace and various other people who have professional relationships with your place of work including vendors, government officials, etc. or with people at large.

3. Computing - using various computer software applications; using software applications for scientific and technical work.

4. Creative thinking - Developing new ideas, concepts, innovative solutions to problems, newer ways of getting things done, designing products and services, creating work of art and craft, etc.

5. Getting Information and learning - Observing, hearing, reading, using computers, or otherwise obtaining information and learning from it.

6. Identifying objects, actions, and events - Identifying various characteristics of objects; observing and understanding actions and events; understanding changes in actions and events.

7. Making decisions and solving problems - Analysis of data and information; evaluation of alternative decisions and results of decisions; taking the right decisions and solving problems.

8. Organizing, planning and prioritizing tasks - Planning and organizing tasks in order to achieve work goals; prioritizing tasks to achieve goals and making the best use of the time available.

9. Processing Information - Compiling, tabulating, calculating, auditing, verifying or otherwise dealing with information processing including data entry, transcription, recording, storing and maintaining databases.

10. Providing advices and consultation to others - Giving advices or consultation to others about various issues, conceptual matters, know-hows, scientific matters, products or services.

11. Strategic planning - Developing visions and goals, developing strategies and action plans for achieving visions and goals.

12. Updating and using relevant knowledge - Keeping updated with the latest knowledge relevant to your fields of work and use of the relevant knowledge in getting things done.

13. Working in a team - Working in a team of people; developing team; maintaining professional relationships among team members.

Future Prospects 

1. You can expect a bright future in this field as the industry statistics are encouraging. The demand for Conservation Experts is steadily on the rise as this is emerging as a vital industrial segment with ballooning global population, global warming, deforestation, global poverty, depletion of energy sources and water scarcity. These can be considered as the growth-inducing strategic drivers. The world’s population is projected to increase from around 7.6 billion today to close to 10 billion people by 2050.

2. New generations of satellites & scientific developments are also opening vast opportunities for understanding & monitoring nature and biodiversity. The Remote Sensing Services Market is estimated to be USD 10.68 billion and is projected to reach USD 21.62 billion, at a CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) of 15.14%.

3. Wildlife trade poses a severe threat to the planet's wildlife and needs immediate attention. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that involves wild animals being captured or intensively farmed to be sold as exotic pets, or slaughtered to be turned into various products, such as meat, traditional medicines, and furniture.

4. Assuming continued economic & population growth, by 2030 water supplies will satisfy only 60% of global demand and less than 50% in many developing regions where water supply is already under stress, including China, India, and South Africa. The CAGR of global water supply is estimated to be around 2% during 2005-2030 with the demand reaching 6096 billion cubic meters by 2030 maximum out of which is for agricultural activities.

5. There are about 240 million people living in forested areas and in the savannahs. Estimates of the number of "forest-dependent people" range from 12 million to almost 1 billion. This includes any household that makes use of forest products (occasionally) and those who survive solely from forests and do not engage in any agricultural production, even shifting cultivation. The Paper & Board Packaging Industry is valued at USD ~369 billion and is likely to continue growing at a CAGR of 4.4% .


Future Prospects At a Glance

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