Interpretive naturalists may be employed full time, part time or on a contract basis by:
- National or provincial park services
- Urban or rural nature centres
- Science or ecology interpretive centres
- Wildlife or bird sanctuaries
- Zoos
- Botanical gardens or conservatories
- Private ecotour operators
Many positions are seasonal. Temporary positions are excellent entry-level opportunities for gaining experience. Competition for permanent positions is keen, so related work experience (as an employee or volunteer) is essential.
Experienced interpretive naturalists may move into:
- Supervisory or management positions such as program coordinator, or district interpretation or education supervisor
- Administrative positions
- Related fields such as commercial or tour company guiding, public relations, marketing or education
In some organizations, advancement to supervisory and management positions requires a graduate degree and years of related experience.
Interpretive naturalists are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 2121: Biologists and related scientists. In Alberta, 80% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
- Trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
- Location in Alberta
- Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
- Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
- Size of the occupation
In Alberta, the 2121: Biologists and related scientists occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.1% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 58 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
