I invited my friend and colleague Rebecca Mowry for a conversation about her job as a big game wildlife biologist on my podcast. Rebecca is the Bitterroot area Wildlife Biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. I’ve been seeing her photos of mountain goats, moose, bighorn sheep and more pop up in my Facebook feed for years now and thought it would be great to have her on the podcast to talk about her journey into wildlife biology. 

I met Rebecca in graduate school where we both worked in the same lab studying very different species (river otters and forest elephants) using non-invasive techniques. Since then, she graduated with a Master’s degree, but Rebecca still didn’t have a straight and narrow path to a permanent job in wildlife biology.

We also go over in detail Rebecca’s path to her permanent job. She has A LOT of experience – for real over a dozen tech positions. She talked about how she struggled to find a job numerous times and almost transitioned careers, even after her Master’s degree. Aspiring wildlife biologists will find this conversation very helpful with lots of advice. 

Specifically we chat about:

• What does a big game wildlife biologist do from day to day? How does Rebecca’s work vary over the year? 
• How often is Rebecca in the field and what type of field work does she do? 
• How do you count ungulates like bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, and mountain goats? 
• What kind of challenges did Rebecca face on the job market 
• Why Rebecca decided to get a Master’s degree
• What it was like to find a permanent job post Master’s degree
• Rebecca’s advice to someone who wants a job like hers

For full show notes click here.

Get a free chapter of my book “Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology: What It’s Like and What You Need to Know” here: https://stephanieschuttler.com/getting-a-job-in-wildlife-biology-book/

Want to learn about cool animals, conservation, and get tips about careers in wildlife biology, science, and more? Subscribe to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/StephanieSchuttler and join my email list: https://stephanieschuttler.com/ 

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Join the “Getting a Job in Wildlife Biology” Facebook group to connect with other aspiring wildlife biologists, post your questions and get free advice: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingajobinwildlifebiology