Botanist
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Botanists study plants and apply knowledge to teaching and research in agriculture, horticulture, land use planning, conservation, forestry, and medicine. They study the smallest pollen grains to the largest trees. They play an important role in environmental stewardship, particularly through contributions to conservation, sustainable practices, and remediation. Botanists often choose to specialize in a particular area of plant research, for example pathology, plant physiology, or plant taxonomy. (Adapted from Eco.ca)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- Botanist career profile - ECO Canada
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- Careers in Botany - from the Botanical Society of America
- UM Career profile - U of M professor, Botanist
- Career Profile: Botanist - Environmental Science .org
- Conservation Careers: Botanist
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit the faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- Department of Biological Sciences - Faculty of Science
- Department of Plant Science - Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations organize events and directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities are also available. This is a great way to learn and network.
- The Canadian Botanical Association
- Canadian Phytopathological Society
- Manitoba Association of Plant Biologists (Facebook page)
- American Society of Plant Biologists
- American Society of Plant Taxonomists
- Society for Ecological Restoration
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Bioscience Association of Manitoba - members
- Manitoba Environmental Industry Association
- Environmental Careers Organization Canada
- Plant Canada - The Federation of Canadian Plant Science Societies
- Botanical Gardens Conservation International
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
External resources that will provide you with additional information about the occupation, areas of work and opportunities to build experience:
- Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society
- Manitoba Association of Watersheds
- Parks Canada- Government of Canada
- Forestry Branch - Manitoba Government
- Urban Forestry Department - City of Winnipeg
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Botany Links - from the UBC Department of Botany
- BSA Suggested Websites - from the Botanical Society of America
- Canadian Forests - Private business directory
- Green Mentor Program: Project Learning Tree Canada - for youth aged 18 to 30 with an interest in forestry and conservation