Careers dealing with animals?

There are several career paths you can follow as a biologist, including these:

Research: Research biologists study the natural world, using the latest scientific tools and techniques in both laboratory settings and the outdoors, to understand how living systems work. Many work in exotic locations around the world, and what they discover increases our understanding of biology and may be put to practical use to find solutions to specific problems.

Health care: Biologists may develop public health campaigns to defeat illnesses such as tuberculosis, AIDS, cancer, and heart disease. Others work to prevent the spread of rare, deadly diseases, such as the now infamous Ebola virus. Veterinarians tend to sick and injured animals, and doctors, dentists, nurses, and other health care professionals maintain the general health and well being of their patients.

Environmental management and conservation: Biologists in management and conservation careers are interested in solving environmental problems and preserving the natural world for future generations. Park rangers protect state and national parks, help preserve their natural resources, and educate the general public. Zoo biologists carry out endangered species recovery programs. In addition, management and conservation biologists often work with members of a community such as landowners and special interest groups to develop and implement management plans.

Education: Life science educators enjoy working with people and encouraging them to learn new things, whether in a classroom, a research lab, the field, or a museum.

- Primary and secondary schools: Teaching younger students requires a general knowledge of science and skill at working with different kinds of learners. High school teachers often specialize in biology and teach other courses of personal interest.

- Science museums, zoos, aquariums, parks, and nature centers: Educators in these settings may design exhibits and educational programs, in addition to teaching special classes or leading tours and nature hikes.

Sorry, but the most common job you're likely to get is working in a lab for crap pay (considering the years you just spent in college) and doing a Ph.D's b#### work. I worked in a lab this summer for a research internship and a woman that was working there for like 20 years had a B.S. in Biology and knew just as much as, if not more than, the Ph.D's there, but she made a lot less and had to do much more grunt work. If you want to actually make some decent money, I definitely suggest furthering your education (like getting your Ph.D so you can at least RUN the lab)

In terms of jobs with animals, there is always an opportunity like star mentioned to work at a zoo or as an assistant in marine biology. Conservation biology is really big in zoos - check out your local job listings at the zoo, you'll be amazed at how many retailed jobs you'll find!

here's a basic list... http://www.aibs.org/careers/index.html

I'm still doing my undergraduate btw - still got half a year remaining. Prolly do my PHd but not sure yet

Research IS NOT POSSIBLE for those with a BS. You will be doing grunt work or doing someone else's bidding, meaning you will have little if any independence in your work. You can be a lab tech and over time get to do some research, but you will still be a tech and will need to get a graduate degree to do more independent research projects. Lucky for you, being a tech in academia or industry can pay upwards of 40K so you can easily pay the bills and live in comfort as a single person. Your nights are also free time for you since you will likely never take your work home.

Being a teacher is only good for those cut out for it, and they are few and far between and have little interest in bench work. The resources you will have are horrible across the board, the pay is low, and you will be teaching at the most advanced high school level biology or chemistry courses equivalent to the first classes a normal college grad takes in the sciences (incredibly simplified and lacking any real applicability to actual research).

Think more broadly about your choices, its better to ask what jobs are out there for a BS in general, not just biology. Patent clerk/law might be possible and pay really well but a lot of PhD's and master's degree holders are starting to look into that. Don't sweat it though, finding a job isn't so bad after college. As a current grad student who took a year off between university and my PhD work (got paid through a fellowship to do research though during that time), school burn-out will not go away. All graduate students have it, some deal better than others. But as far as coursework goes, if you are interested in life sciences MS or PhD, the classes and how you study for them are completely different. No one cares if you memorized the lectures, that doesn't help in the slightest on examinations since they are all based off of applying what you have learned rather than repeating what someone else said.

These are some of the fields and jobs that involve animal experience and training.

Preventive Medicine (small animal, large animal, exotic, wildlife rehabilitation, research (private industry, university and government), military, zoo):

Research Veterinarian
Veterinarian
Veterinary Technician

Care and Conservation of Wildlife:

Biologist
Conservation Officer
Cooperative Extension Agent
Ecologist
Educator
Environmental Management
Environmental Chemistry
Forestry/Park Ranger
Interpretive Naturalist
Natural Resources Management
Wildlife Rehabilitator

Pets:

Animal behavior
Outreach programs
Therapy and Psychology

Zoos (training varies, ranging from exotic animal caretaking to biology:

Director
Supervisor
Keeper
Habitat Specialist
Research
Animal Training:

Trainer (large, small and exotics) for work, show and entertainment industry, and obedience training
Volunteer (may require special training or previous work experience):

SPCA
Camps
4-H
Field Research
Future Farmers
Humane Societies
Nature Centers
Parks
Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities
Zoos

General areas of study and work:

Agriculture & Natural Resources
Education
Environmental Sciences
Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences
Law (Animal Welfare, Environmental)
Psychology
Science Technology
Veterinary Medicine

http://www.anapsid.org/resources/jobs.html

You may find this link helpful kelly... Whatever path you choose, bets of luck in your endeavours!

i have to agree with biology101, whatever you decide to do, don't stop at undergrad studies, it is very important to get higher degrees, it will allow you to do the same jobs and will give you many more options and it will be easier to get jobs abroad  and you'll have more independence and a better salary.. and consider options other than working with animals, of course do what  makes you happy, but don't set your mind on something and forget about everything else... good luck