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Conservation Officer

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Conservation Officers create and manage initiatives to safeguard the environment and natural resources through community engagement and fieldwork.

  • This role has a low level of AI exposure. Core skills such as adaptability, social intelligence, and complex physical tasks remain beyond the capabilities of current AI.
      • NT
  • 10,000 people employed in Australia
AI exposure data adapted from Felten, Raj & Seamans (2021). Shortage data sourced from Jobs and Skills Australia (2024).

How do I become a conservation officer

Get qualified to work as a conservation officer with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.

Related career opportunities

Browse occupations related to Conservation Officer.

Common questions

Salaries for Conservation Officers start at $60,000 per annum and increase as you obtain university qualifications and experience in the field.

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There are approximately 4,200 Conservation Officers employed in Australia right now. They are often employed by Councils and government agencies as well as non-profits and (sometimes) industrial organisations. There are opportunities for Conservation Officers to work as independent consultants.

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You can get started as a Conservation Officer with either a VET qualification or Bachelor’s degree. Suitable qualifications include the Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management, Diploma of Conservation and Land Management, Bachelor of Environmental Science, or the Bachelor of Science (Conservation Biology). Some Conservation Officers who are engaged by local government Councils to carry out auditing and compliance activities start their career with the Certificate IV in Government Investigations and develop knowledge of environmental legislation applicable to their state or territory.

Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023

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Related fields of study

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Further reading

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Conservation Officer careers

Conservation Officers develop and implement programs to protect our environment and natural resources including agricultural land, forests, fishes, and wildlife. They can be assigned to a range of duties including administration and office based work, education and community outreach, auditing, and fieldwork.

As a Conservation Officer you could be attending a community outreach program to raise awareness of local wildlife and biodiversity, inspecting a conservation area to develop a fire management plan, investigating a complaint about illegal tree clearing, preparing a written report to submit to a government agency regarding the deterioration of native plant and animal species.