What kind of jobs are there in biology and anthropology?

Mai-Kero

So I've been fucking around since I started college last year, and took some biology and anthropology classes this semester, and I seem to actually be really interested in them. Right now I'm taking one class for every focus of anthro except linguistics, and I think I kind of like biological anthropology (basically the study of evolution) the best. If I still think this kind of stuff is balls awesome by the end of the year, I might seriously consider switching my major from English to this. I'm just kind of wondering what kind of jobs I can possibly get with that kind of a doctorate, and how much money I'll be making. I'm slightly worried that my options will be: a) teaching or b) teaching, which I'd probably enjoy, but not as much as, say, traveling around doing research and writing.

firewaterword

One of my housemates in college worked as a forensic anthropologist in San Diego for a few years. She certainly seemed to enjoy it. She majored in anthro and minored in biology.

For what it's worth, I would think that there would be many interesting career opportunities for one with such a focus. And, at the risk of being descended upon by hordes of angry English majors (and their well phrased and precisely worded barbs), I would say you would be better served by this path.

JebusUD

You could most likely get a job in forensics. Depends on if your school has it set up well. Do they have a comajor with Criminal Justice?

Or you could become an Archaeologist. Lots of jobs in C-ultural R-esource M-anagement. Basically there are rules for new constructions and such. If they go through a cultural site or a suspected cultural site there may be some excavation that must take place.

You could maybe get a job at the zoo working with primates.

Cultural Anthropologists are usually profs, thats they only way they really get to travel. However if you pair this with a buisness minor/major you could probably get yourself into an HR position. If you did International Relations minor or major, that would probably work well, get a job as some kind of cultural liason for a company or for a nonprofit.

You could learn a language and then specialize in a culture, then you could probably sell your skills to many buisnesses or the government.

You could work for the government in a diplomatic office in another country or you could work for say, USAID, because I hear they are hurting for anthropologists bad, mostly they get pissed and leave because they realize it is run from an ethnocentric perspective and the project will not work if it is not tailored for that culture. But I hear they are trying to change that around.

Quid

I hear about cultural anthropologists getting jobs consulting companies on the area of their expertise so they don't screw up marketing or investing in some place that won't want them. Also occasionally running focus groups. The job really opens up if the area has a different native language and you speak it.

Bio anthro I usually hear going to forensics as far as non academic work goes.