Susan Jones talks about her role organising citizen science projects. Susan talks about having different types of jobs to support her career and the importance of communication. Current Job Tell us about your current role I am recruiting and engaging participants to a citizen science project about monitoring garden wildlife. Career Beginnings When you were 15, what job did you want and who did you ask for advice?I think I'd just decided I didn't want to be a vet (having wanted to do that since a toddler!) I think I was moving more towards wildlife conservation but wasn't sure whether that would be in ecology or zoo keeping. Didn't really have anyone to ask as I didn't know anyone doing either role at the time.Did you have an interest in the environment at this time?Yes, always had a bit of an interest, although teen years was probably when it waned the most. What were your first steps in starting your career? I volunteered at my local Wildlife Watch (children's group run by the Wildlife Trust) once a month, helping and co-leading engagement sessions for children. Then I applied to study BSc Ecology. I took a gap year before Uni and did a month's work placement at a Zoo. The physical work was gruelling, but I found I really enjoyed chatting with visitors and helping with education sessions. Whilst at Uni, I was convinced I wanted to go down the ecologist route, and did lots of volunteering for local conservation projects, as well as running the Nature Society for the duration of my degree (setting up a wildlife garden, running a BioBlitz and getting students involved with monitoring species on campus). At Uni, I found plenty of support from fellow students. What does your career path look like? I would say a squiggly line! Retail, summer camp counsellor, retail, outdoor tutor, retail, field research assistant, education officer in a zoo, retail, youth work, field ecologist, teaching assistant, education officer at a bird of prey collection, supporter development officer for bird survey. I've always had retail work to fall back on, particularly between seasonal or fixed term jobs, and this has taught me some really useful skills about working with people/ customers and communication.What skills were important for you to develop in your career? Communication is vital! Listening, speaking and writing. Be flexible and adaptable, and willing to learn. This article was published on Monday 19 October 2026
