Area
Employer
Information/Strategies
Area:
Plant Biology
Sub-Area:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Cytology
- Ecology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Morphology
- Paleobotany
- Physiology
- Systematics
- Systems Ecology
- Taxonomy
Employers:
- Research organizations
- Colleges and universities
- Museums
- Botanical gardens and arboretums
- U.S. Department of Agriculture branches including Medical Plant Resources Laboratory, Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Arboretum, U.S. Forest Service
- Federal agencies including Departments of Interior and State, U.S. Public Health Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, and Environmental Protection Agency
- State agencies
- Environmental and biotechnical regulatory agencies
- Ecological consulting companies
- Industries including petrochemical, chemical, and lumber and paper
- Companies including pharmaceutical, food, seed and nursery, fruit growers, biological supply houses, and biotechnology firms
Strategies & Information:
- Obtain a Ph.D. for teaching and advanced research positions.
- Conduct undergraduate research with professors to gain experience.
- Apply for undergraduate research fellowships or other student research programs.
- Maintain a high grade point average and develop good references in preparation for graduate school.
- Develop excellent computer skills.
- Join related professional associations.
- Read scientific journals or articles to stay abreast of current research.
- Learn federal and state government job application process.
Area:
Applied Plant Science
Sub-Area:
- Agronomy
- Biotechnology
- Breeding
- Economic Botany
- Food Science and Technology
- Forestry
- Horticulture
- Natural Resource Management
- Plant Pathology
Employers:
- Colleges and universities
- Research organizations
- Agriculture industry including lumber and paper, seed and nursery, fruit and vegetable growers, fermentation, food industry, and supply houses
- Biotechnology firms
- Industries including petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and chemical
- Ecological consulting companies
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
- Environmental and biotechnical regulatory agencies
Strategies & Information:
- Take courses or double major in your area of interest.
- Gain relevant experience through volunteer positions, part-time work, or internships.
- Obtain a Ph.D. for teaching, advanced research positions, and administration.
- Learn a foreign language for international work such as plant studies in the tropics.
- Learn federal, state and local government job application process.
Area:
Organismic Specialties
Sub-Area:
- Bryology
- Lichenology
- Microbiology
- Pteridology
- Mycology
- Phycology/Marine Botanists
Employers:
- Colleges and universities
- Research organizations
- Federal and state government laboratories including Agriculture, Health, etc.
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Food and beverage industries including brewing and fermentation
- Hospitals
- Related industries
Strategies & Information:
- Gain experience working with technology.
- Become familiar with laboratory procedures and equipment.
- Assist a professor with research or find a part-time job in a laboratory.
- Obtain a graduate degree in area of interest.
Area:
Education
Sub-Area:
- Teaching
- Research
- Administration
Employers:
- Public and private high schools
- Colleges and universities
- Museums, botanical gardens and herbaria
Strategies & Information:
- Gain certification or licensure for high school science teaching.
- Obtain a Ph.D. for positions in college teaching and research.
- Gain experience through tutoring.
- Learn to work well with different types of people.
Area:
Communication
Sub-Area:
- Writing
- Editing
- Botanical Illustration
Employers:
- Publishing companies including newspapers, magazines, books, and textbooks
- Professional associations
- Scientific and educational software companies
- Non-profit organizations
Strategies & Information:
- Take courses in technical writing, journalism, or illustration.
- Develop word processing and desktop publishing skills or computer-aided design.
- Find an internship with a magazine, newspaper, or publisher.
- Obtain a master's degree in scientific journalism.
Area:
Law
Sub-Area:
- Agricultural
- Environmental
- Biotechnological
Employers:
- Law firms with environmental focus
- Government agencies and regulatory agencies
- Biotechnical regulatory firms or agencies
Strategies & Information:
- Obtain law degree after completion of bachelor's degree.
- Gain relevant experience by working at a law firm.
Area:
Business
Sub-Area:
- Sales/Marketing
- Administration/Management
Employers:
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Seed companies
- Biotechnology firms
- Scientific publishers
- Biological supply houses
Strategies & Information:
- Earn a minor in business.
- Hold leadership positions in campus organizations.
- Join related professional associations.
- Develop good communication skills; take a course in public speaking.
- Learn various software packages including spread sheets, databases, and word processing.
Area:
Computer Programming
Employers:
- Scientific and educational software companies
Strategies & Information:
- Double major or minor in computer programming.
- Gain related work experience through internships or part-time and summer jobs.
General Information and Strategies
- Bachelor's degree qualifies one for work as a laboratory technician or technical assistant in education, industry, government, museums, parks, and gardens.
- Master's degree opens some opportunities in research and administration.
- Ph.D. is required for advanced research and administrative positions or college teaching. Most plant scientists work in higher education.
- Build good relationships with science professors and secure strong recommendations. Maintain a high GPA for graduate school admission.
- Obtain part-time, summer, co-op, volunteer, or internship experience with government agencies, college/university labs, agricultural experiment stations, freshwater and marine biological stations, or private companies.
- Complete an undergraduate research project to decide on a specific area of interest in botany.
- Enjoy outdoor activities if planning to conduct research in an outdoor environment.
- Join organizations concerned with the world food supply and other related areas. Read scientific journals related to botany.
- Develop an excellent background in mathematics and strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Select a broad range of courses in English, social sciences, arts, and humanities.
- Become proficient with computers.