Description
Conduct research on the classification, physiology, ecology, genetics, and evolution of plants and algae; document and conserve plant diversity; and apply findings to habitat restoration, sustainable cultivation, and natural resource management. May identify and map plant species or communities and assess environmental impacts on vegetation.
- • Communicate research findings to scientists, land managers, or the public, and teach courses, seminars, or workshops.
- • Advise conservation agencies, landowners, or restoration teams on native plant selection, habitat management, and invasive species control.
- • Investigate plant responses to environmental variables, management practices, and climate stressors.
- • Develop plant conservation strategies and management plans for rare, threatened, or culturally important species.
- • Conduct breeding, selection, or propagation studies to improve plant traits such as resilience, disease resistance, or climate adaptation.
- • Assess effects of soil and water quality on plant health and community composition.
- • Classify and map plant species, vegetation types, or floristic communities using field surveys and GIS.
- • Develop and refine botanical sampling, monitoring, imaging, or herbarium digitization methods.
- • Conduct experiments on plant physiology, development, reproduction, and plant-environment interactions.
- • Identify degraded habitats and design revegetation and ecological restoration plans.
- • Perform tissue, phytochemical, genetic, or microbiome analyses to study plant function and plant-microbe associations.
- • Advise on policies and standards related to plant conservation, biodiversity, and habitat restoration.
- • Develop ecologically sound methods for managing weeds and plant pathogens, including biological or plant-based approaches.
- • Research best practices for cultivation, propagation, and ex situ conservation in nurseries, seed banks, or botanical gardens.
- • Consult on environmental impact assessments, providing expertise on vegetation, rare plants, and mitigation measures.
- • Design substrates, site preparations, or microhabitat modifications to support target plant communities.
- • Study plant distributions, habitats, and population dynamics to inform conservation status assessments.
- • Identify and classify plant species; prepare and curate herbarium specimens and metadata.
- • Investigate plant-pollinator interactions, flowering phenology, and factors affecting nectar and pollen resources.
- • Evaluate plant species and biomass potential for bioenergy or bioproduct applications.
- • Study plant performance in urban green infrastructure, such as green roofs, rain gardens, and street tree plantings.
- • Research practices that enhance sustainability of plant production and ecosystem services.
- • Manage or contribute to seed banks, living collections, or herbaria, including data management and accessioning.
- • Plan or supervise vegetation restoration and reclamation projects for disturbed sites.
- • Analyze and model plant growth and responses to environmental change and publish results.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
