Megan Johnson

Consultant Ecologist

Please describe the work that you do.

Wildlife surveys mainly water vole, bats, reptiles, badger and otter as well as Preliminary Ecological Appraisals and Preliminary Roost Assessmen, report writing.

What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?

Varied, every day is different! You never know what you may find on a wildlife survey and it is really interesting when you come across something unexpected or in a place you didn’t expect. I like the mix of indoor and outdoor work as well.

What inspired you into this career?

I like finding rare and hidden species that are often overlooked in a habitat.

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far?

Short-term contracts can be quite intimidating, especially as there are not often many graduate roles so this can mean you have to move to find the right position. Specifically in ecological consultancy, as my degree is not recognised by CIEEM I am not qualified for certain CSCS cards that would provide more opportunities in the industry.

What education/training did you have?

BSc Bioveterinary Science University of Liverpool, Outdoor incident management training, mental health awareness training, brush cutter license and BORDA off-road driving qualification.

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession?

Be curious and get outdoors to learn about natural history as much as possible at whatever age or career stage you’re at. A good foundation in identification is appealing to employers and ID quizzes are often a feature at interviews! Look to local charities such as the RSPB, wildlife trusts, Froglife or Plantlife to get relevant training and experience and it shouldn’t cost you the earth!

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