Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Overview

Teach courses in forestry and conservation science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As

  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Forestry Professor
  • Professor

Alternate Job Titles

  • Assistant Professor
  • Assistant Teaching Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Biometrics Instructor
  • College Faculty Member
  • College Professor
  • Conservation Biology Professor
  • Ecology Professor
  • Environmental Conservation Professor
  • Extension Professor
  • Forest Biometrics Professor
  • Forest Ecology Professor
  • Forest Explorers Instructor
  • Forest Management Professor
  • Forest Management Teacher

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics, such as forest resource policy, forest pathology, and mapping.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Supervise students' laboratory or field work.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

  • Monitor research program budgets.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • English Language
  • Education and Training
  • Mathematics
  • Biology
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Geography

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

  1. Instructing
  2. Reading Comprehension
  3. Writing
  4. Learning Strategies
  5. Active Listening
  6. Speaking
  7. Active Learning
  8. Critical Thinking
  9. Monitoring
  10. Complex Problem Solving

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Oral Expression
  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Written Expression
  • Speech Clarity
  • Speech Recognition
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Inductive Reasoning
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Near Vision

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Intellectual Curiosity
  • Dependability
  • Innovation
  • Social Orientation
  • Achievement Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Working Conditions
  • Achievement
  • Independence
  • Recognition
  • Relationships

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Doctoral Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Atlassian JIRA
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Google Angular
  • Google Docs
  • Hibernate ORM
  • JavaScript
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Tools & Equipment

  • 100-foot measuring tapes
  • Backpack fire pumps
  • Backpack spraying equipment
  • Broadcast seeders
  • Brush axes
  • Cable tongs
  • Cant hooks
  • Carousel slide projectors
  • Chainsaws
  • Compact digital cameras
  • Compact disk CD players
  • Computer data input scanners
  • Computer laser printers
  • Conference telephones
  • Desktop computers

Work Environment

  • E-Mail
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Salary & Job Market

Salary PercentileAnnual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)$58,670
Median$100,830
Top Earners (90th percentile)$154,630

Workers Employed Nationally: 1,310

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:


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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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