Job ideas for gap year with a M.S. in Biology?

[wzue542]

I graduated in 2020 with a B.S. in biology and am now graduating in Summer 21 with a Master's in biology. Any ideas? I want to do more than a vet assistant because I want to use my degree and get paid like I have a degree. Currently a pharmacy technician at CVS. I am hesitant about lab work because I was never a huge fan... Crossing my fingers this will be my last gap year. I was waitlisted twice this cycle.

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[bird.nerd]

Maybe see if there are any government jobs in your area! They are always hiring people in Biology, ecology and environmental science! They pay well and have great benefits.

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[battie]

Animal welfare auditor positions would be an interesting use of your degree. Not sure of the salary potential

 

[wzue542]

Animal welfare auditor positions would be an interesting use of your degree. Not sure of the salary potential

I saw a position for that but wasn't sure what it was exactly. I will have to look into it thanks!

 

[battie]

I saw a position for that but wasn't sure what it was exactly. I will have to look into it thanks!

I honestly wish I had known more about the animal welfare world prior to vet school, cause I very likely would have not gone to vet school and focused instead on animal welfare auditing as a career long term

I've participated in the animal welfare assessment contest and interacted with several auditors if you want more info.

 

[wzue542]

I honestly wish I had known more about the animal welfare world prior to vet school, cause I very likely would have not gone to vet school and focused instead on animal welfare auditing as a career long term

I've participated in the animal welfare assessment contest and interacted with several auditors if you want more info.

OMG really? Yes I would love more info and hear your opinion about it. I am very into animal rescue/welfare but more of the husbandry side of things (fostering, cleaning, caretaking, TNR, etc).

 

[battie]

OMG really? Yes I would love more info and hear your opinion about it. I am very into animal rescue/welfare but more of the husbandry side of things (fostering, cleaning, caretaking, TNR, etc).

Unfortunately, I haven't seen really any welfare auditing on the side of companion animals (that's the field I would like to find myself in at some point). While there's certainly a growing knowledge base for welfare for companion species, it doesn't come close to the wealth of knowledge in production species. The exceptions I can think of are like when American Humane certifies animals not being harmed in movie/television productions.

Essentially, a welfare auditor will be certified in a species or multiple species under a specific company (PAACO, American Humane, etc). That company is contacted by a facility to have their welfare evaluated in order to have that company's seal of approval for the welfare standards. The vast, vast majority of species that are audited are production species, and the audit standard manuals are 50-100 pages long depending on the species and the certification company. These standards range from how many square feet per pig, the wattage of the lighting in the broiler house, the feet cleaning station cycle of the cattle, etc etc.