A botanist is a scientist who studies plants, such as algae, conifers and ferns. They study many areas of plants, including their genetics, physical structures and distribution. Many botanists specialize in an area of botany, such as ecology, which is the study of the relationship between plants and their environment.
Botanists study all forms of plant life in the laboratory or in their natural environment. They work for a wide range of industries including agriculture, environmental conservation, forestry, pharmaceuticals, and food science. Botanists work in a variety of areas, including field research, laboratory research, managing plant collections, as curators of botanic gardens or keepers of herbariums. They may also be lecturers within higher education. Specialisms include plant anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, marine biology, palaeobotany and taxonomy.
Botanists may work with other scientists and technicians, volunteers from conservation organisations and representatives from local and national government and industry. There are lots of specialist options, as botany relates to many areas of plant science. If you’re fascinated by plants and keen to work in science, this could be an ideal career choice.
The sky is the limit! Research Leader, Head of Science, Government advisor, Consultant, Curator of living or preserved collections, Lecturer, Conservationist, TV presenter, Author
£22,000-£40,000