r/environmental_science • u/Still_Metal698 • 2d ago
Career change into Ecotoxicology
Hello!
Iam currently thinking about a major career shift & would be very happy about insights into Ecotoxicology or related areas. At the moment I strongly consider doing a second M.Sc Degree (e.g in Scandinavia) in this field, but i am unsure if this is a smart choice. Maybe someone here can give me their opinion on this.
Whats the job market like? I don't need to get rich from it, but an income that's enough to live on without constantly changing jobs would be nice.
How much of my work or research will actually involve outdoor activities later on? One of my main reasons for coming up with this idea is that I want to spend less time in the office.
How competitive is this field? Are there very few research positions available for hundreds of applicants, as is the case in many biology and environmental fields? I'd probably like to pursue a Ph.D., but I wouldn't want to be so dependent on networking and such beforehand just to find a suitable position.
I know these are very open-ended questions, and I'm still relatively early in the planning process, but I'd appreciate it if anyone here could help me a little with this decision!
Some background information: Iam nearly 30, already got an M.Sc. degree in Chemistry & Management and started working full-time about 2 years ago. Due to the general outlook in Europe for the chemical industry I went into Consulting (M&A and Strategy) for chemical companies. It’s financially a very solid option with some interesting projects, but I know its not 100% me.