Wildlife Biology Career Guide
Explore Options: A Menu of Major-Specific Experiences and Sampling of Related Career Paths
Explore our Wildlife Biology academic resources, designed to support your academic aspirations.
Feeling like you don't know what to do with all of this great information? We highly encourage to make an appointment with your academic advisor and career advisor. Another great starting point is the Self-Guided Career Exploration Tool.
Unlock career potential in Natural Resources and Environmental Management! Discover resources to maximize your professional trajectory.
Menu of Experiences
Sample Wildlife Biology Internship Sites
Internships provide a way for you to get hands-on, supervised experience in the world of work. You are able to apply the concepts you are learning in the classroom to a work environment.
- Student Conservation Association
- Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources- Wildlife Division
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, National Park Service
- DNR at Silver Lake State Park
- Michigan Nature Association
- The Nature Conservancy
Join A Student Organization
Get involved with a student organization related to your major. Student orgs are a great way to get connected and explore career options!
Biology Club
Student Environmental Coalition
Wildlife Society
Soil and Water Conservation Club
Beekeeper Club
Student Organizations
Relevant Courses and Certificates for Building Skills
Developing the relevant skills that employers seek is an essential component of a student's education. GVSU students should consider strategic elective courses and certificates to pair with their major in order to gain additional skills.
Environmental Remote Sensing Certificate
Grant Writing
Research
Public speaking
GIS Certificate
Sustainable City and Regional Planning Certificate
Sustainable Food Systems Certificate
NRM 230, NRM 415, NRM 430 - Fire Certification
Community Service Opportunities
Seek volunteer opportunities related to the field you're exploring as a way of testing out future careers.
The Civic Engagement Center keeps a list of current volunteer opportunities updated on their website. There are ongoing opportunities on a continuous basis, as well as on-campus and off-campus opportunities posted as they become available.
Civic Engagement Center
Wildlife Biology Study Abroad Options
Through study abroad you’ll also set yourself apart from other job-seekers and graduate-school applicants in an increasingly competitive market.
Imagine learning about the delicate marine ecosystems of coral reefs while living on the coast of Australia, taking classes about the ecology of the rainforest and its exotic inhabitants in Costa Rica, or conducting field work in the Sahara or a national park in Kenya. Study abroad opens up opportunities around the world for wildlife biology students to get a firsthand look at ecosystems drastically different than our own as well as access to global natural resource management styles.
Undergraduate Scholar Engagement
Pursuing academic, creative, and research experiences and projects outside the classroom is an excellent way to learn new skills and build a body of work in your field.
The Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement (CUSE) provides opportunities for undergraduate research and scholarship.
Wildlife Biology Career Spotlights
Wildlife Biology Spotlight
There are not any Wildlife Biology Spotlight at this time.
- Wildlife Assistant - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Biological Field Technician - Western EcoSystems Technology
- Ecologist - U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- Fish and Wildlife Biologist - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Forestry Technician – U.S. Forestry Service
- Invasive Species Strike Team – Ottawa Conservation District
- Fisheries and AIS Biotechnician - Yellowstone National Park
- Senior Analyst - Merjent
- Native Aquatic Species Biologist - Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Attend Events
Career Community- STEM
Careers in Lab Sciences
January 28, 2025 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Join us to learn about volunteer, part-time, and full-time opportunities from various employers who are in the Lab Sciences area. Students will hear a brief overview of each employer, followed...
Prepare for the Career Fair
February 10, 2025 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Are you preparing for the upcoming Winter GVSU Career and Internship Fair, but not quite sure where to start? The Career Center will be hosting a drop-in event to help you refine your resume,...
Employer Showcase: Gentex Corporation
February 12, 2025 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Stop by the Mackinac Hall Pod, 2nd Floor between Hall C2 & D2 anytime between 9:30am and 2pm to meet representatives from Gentex Corporation! Want to learn about exciting career opportunities...
Summer Job Fair
February 18, 2025 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
The GVSU 2025 Summer Job Fair is an excellent place for your summer job or internship search and to start networking with organizations looking to connect with Grand Valley students and alumni of all...
GVSU Winter 2025 Career and Internship Fair
February 20, 2025 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The Winter Career & Internship Fair is an excellent place to kick off your job or internship search, or to begin networking with organizations looking to hire Grand Valley students and alumni...
Consider joining the STEM Career Community or any other Career Community you are interested in!
Beyond Undergraduate: Graduate or Professional Programs
Students with a Wildlife Biology degree may continue on to a graduate program. Here are some examples of programs students have pursued:
- Natural Resources Management
- Forestry
- Wildlife Biology
- Environmental Science
- Public Policy
- Sustainability
- Genetics
- Marine Biology
- Medical Science
Discover More
Join a Career Community
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Career Center Resources
Looking for other career resources? The Career Center Resources page contains resources related to careers, resumes, internships, job search, interviewing, networking, and more.