Chloe Mills
What employment sector do you work in?
Public Sector
How long have you had a green job for nature?
2 years
Please describe the work that you do.
As a Graduate Ecologist, my job can vary day to day as I spend most of my time assisting the other members of my team. This could include carrying out ecology checks prior to minor works being undertaken, reviewing documents for protected species licences, or working with the Biodiversity Officer to survey sites for plant species. I also spend a lot of time working with GIS. I am currently working towards my NRW hazel dormouse handling licence, so I often join box monitoring surveys.
What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?
My favourite thing about my job is that it looks different everyday. In the summer, I get to spend days looking at different plant species, or undertaking hazel dormouse monitoring. In the winter, I might spend a full week working on our GIS layers. I love that I constantly get new opportunities within my role, where I always learn something new or gain experience in a skill essential in this sector. For example, I was able to join my first bat hibernation survey this past winter, which was entirely new for me.
What inspired you into this career?
I first became interested in wildlife and conservation when I was undertaking my A levels as I enjoyed learning about plants. My biology lecturer was very encouraging and invited a Biodiversity Officer to speak to our class about his role, which I found really interesting! I also began borrowing books on conservation from this lecturer, such as Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, which piqued my interest. I decided to pursue Biology at university to learn more about the natural world and after undertaking a placement during my time at university, I chose to apply for ecologist roles.
Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far?
One challenge I’ve faced is that it can be hard to start the training you need for an NRW species handling licence. It can be quite difficult to get started as you need to know the right people who have time to help you learn! I’ve been lucky that my team are very supportive and have helped me to get in touch with trainers, but it would be very hard for someone starting out who needs the experience.
What education/training did you have?
I started thinking about a career as an ecologist when undertaking my graduate degree in Biology. My university course offered a placement year, so I took a year out of my degree to work in the sector as a research assistant on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). During that year, I was able to undertake habitat management, species surveys (such as reptiles, butterflies and plants) and learning about Biodiversity Net Gain. I also applied for a bursary to fund my own small project during this year on invasive plant species. I undertook projects on QGIS too, which gave me an essential skill for ecology.
I’ve also been a member of Butterfly Conservation’s Youth Panel since 2024, which has offered me different training opportunities, especially in public engagement.
What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession?
I would recommend trying to volunteer with local wildlife groups as much as possible. I learned a lot of different skills through volunteering which helps when applying for jobs, especially species specific knowledge. It is also a great opportunity to meet others working within the sector and hear about different job roles.
I would also recommend young people in the sector to join a youth council in a nature charity. It gives a good insight to the sector and opportunity to develop new skills.
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Tags: Wales, Public sector, Ecologist, Ecological surveyor, Data and mapping roles
Date profile submitted: 17/04/2026
