Breadcrumb
Careers
Our Biology, Botany, and Zoology majors are broadly based which allows latitude of choices when developing a program suitable to individual needs.
Favorable opportunities can be expected for biological scientists with advanced degrees and for bachelor's candidates with outstanding educational and experiential backgrounds. Employment in the life sciences is expected to grow due to recent advances in genetic research, advances in biological technology, and efforts to conserve the environment.
The employment outlook will vary by specialty. Those who have the ability to do research in areas related to the genetic, cellular, and biochemical areas of biology should experience better employment opportunities than those in other specialties. However, many persons with a bachelor's degree find jobs in occupations such as sciences or engineering technicians or medical laboratory technologists. There is a continuing demand for secondary and private school life science teachers.
Related Job Titles
The following list is not meant to be all-inclusive; many other job alternatives and titles may exist. Many of the job titles listed require further education.
Agriculture Inspector
Aquatic Biologist
Biological Technician
Biologist
Biotechnologist
Biotechnology Research Technician
Botanist
Conservation Officer
Ecotourism Specialist
Environ. Protection Specialist
Environmental Consultant
Environmental Educator
Environmental Health Sanitarian
Environmental Planner
Environmental Scientist
Horticulturist
Industrial Hygienist
Laboratory Asst/Tech.
Life Scientist
Marine Biologist
Marine Educator
Microbiologist (Public Health Micro.)
Museum Curator
Naturalist
Park Ranger
Pharmaceutical Sales Rep.
Plant Ecologist
Plant Geneticist
Plant Physiologist
Research Assistant
Science Teacher/Professor
Science Writers
Science Writers
Scientific Divers
Scientific Illustrator
Technical Writer
Water Quality Biologist
Zoologist
Marketable Skills
Communication
- Writing precise technical reports
- Working as part of a team
- Media, public relations, and public speaking
- Writing precise technical reports and research papers
- Designing and presenting scientific posters
Technical Skills
- Knowledge of plant and animal ecology
- Operating and maintaining specialized scientific equipment
- Conducting chemical analyses
- Culturing body fluids or tissue samples
Recording & Interpreting Data
- Categorizing specimens & experiments
- Studying & describing normal plant and animal physiological functions
- Observing and recording animal behavior or habits
- Observing, characterizing, and recording traits of microorganisms and eukaryotic cells
- capturing and analyzing microscopy data
- collecting and analyzing molecular markers from a wide range of sample types
- performing statistical analyses and reasoning
- bioinformatics analysis
Featured Alumni
Degrees in the Biological Sciences have given alumni opportunities to work in their fields around the world.
Some Biology, Botany, and Zoology alumni have gone on to graduate schools. Others are making a difference as teachers and professors, have documented rare insects in Patagonia, work in orchid conservation, and have become health care professionals.
Alumni Profiles - Biology B.S.
Alumni Profiles - Botany B.S.
Alumni Updates
Michelle Emily Nielsen
Biological Sciences, 2019
Michelle is currently residing in Texas and is attending the Blinn Veterinary Technology Program. She will be graduating in May 2026 with an Associate of Veterinary Technology and will then take a test to receive her Registered Veterinary Technology License.
Jerre Winder Maurer
Biological SciencesBiological Sciences Teaching Credential , 2001 and 2002
Jerre would like to thank the Cal Poly Humboldt credential program and biological science department. Jerre just finished her 20th year teaching science for the Bret Harte Union High School District in Angels Camp, California, and continues to love it! Jerre teaches biology and anatomy/physiology. She is also the science department chair and the recycling coordinator. She says it has been a great place to work all these years with wonderful staff and students! The credential program ensured she was prepared to teach! Thank you, Humboldt!
Leah Meyers
Botany, 2022
Leah was hired as a Botanist under Stantec to work in environmental consulting in August 2022 and has recently completed her first year there. She moved to Santa Barbara for this job and has had a wonderful experience working with other biologists and getting out in the field. Living in Santa Barbara is a blast, and Leah is grateful to be a part of protecting California's amazing wildlife—but she says her heart is always in the Redwoods!
Marianne Lancaster
Biological Sciences, 1979
After 30-plus years of serving as a high school biology teacher in Humboldt County and Riverside County, Marianne retired and took another job serving as the Nature Education Manager for The Nature Education Foundation at the Santa Rosa Plateau in Riverside County, which supports education programs on the 10,000-acre Reserve known as the Santa Rosa Plateau. Emphasis has been on helping high school students become citizen scientists by participating in data collection for the National Phenology Network, which collects data on the seasonal changes in plants and animals with the changing climate.
Richard Sayre
Biological Sciences, 1974
Dr. Richard Sayre is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer for Mercury Bio Inc. (www.mercurybio.com) based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mercury Bio Inc. focuses on the targeted delivery of therapeutic RNAs and small molecular weight drugs to human cells to address various viral and genetic diseases. Dr. Sayre recently introduced Mercury Bio's platform drug delivery technology to the pharmaceutical industry at Boston's third mRNA-Based Therapeutics Summit.
Mary Colleen "MC" Hannon
ZoologyMarine Biology, 2015
MC graduated in 2015 with a double major in Marine Biology and Zoology. During her time at Humboldt State, she was the captain of the Women's Ultimate Disc club and worked at the University Center Information Desk. On March 8th, 2023 MC successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation at Texas A&M University at Galveston with a study describing the reproductive biology of a local polychaete worm (Family Nereididae). She has accepted a postdoc position at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC where she will continue her research looking into polychaete vision in the open water column.
Myshelle Charlon
Biological Sciences, 2000
Myshelle Charlon ('00, Biology, Zoology) is now leaving in the Bay Area with her family. She is working to develop effective, tolerable, and durable treatments to help patients with cancer thrive.
Matthew Nelson
Biological SciencesB.S. in Zoology 2004, M.A. Biology 2009, 2004, 2009
Matthew Nelson ('04, Zoology, '09, M.S. Biology) has worked as a biological technician for Olympic National Park, a marine biologist for the City of San Diego, and is currently a Shellfish Biologist for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Washington. This position involves working closely with other state and tribal managers to maintain healthy and productive fisheries while ensuring that the resource will be around for the benefit of future generations.
Bob Freeman
Biological Sciences, 1976
The third volume of the SciFi series "H2LiftShips - Bosons Wave" by local author, Bob Freeman, is now out in the wild. The author is a graduate of HSU with a Masters in Biology and a retired Public Health Laboratory Director (Imperial County). In the classic Space Opera SciFi style, he takes the reader from one end of California to the other. They ditch the red roadster and the trip continues to Luna, the asteroid belt, and beyond. More information, sample chapters, and the dreaded 'Trigger Warning' can be found here.
Cindy Purnell Frakes
Biological Sciences, 1981
After 33 years in the high-tech industry, Cindy Purnell Frakes retired from her most recent position of 13 years as Senior Director, Information Development at Oracle. Her career journey prior to that included stints at Borland, PeopleSoft, Computer Associates, and the Paradigm Group. She's now happily retired, living in Ferndale, WA, and has picked up her binoculars to pursue bird #485 and beyond to add to her life list.