Also called: CWD Technician, Wildlife Health Technician
Collects samples from hunter-killed deer and elk so wildlife agencies can track chronic wasting disease, a fatal brain illness spreading in deer.
Works a check station on opening weekend of deer season: hunters pull in, and you cut out lymph nodes from each deer's neck, label the sample and log where it was shot. Later you drive to processors and taxidermists to collect more. Positive results guide hunting rules.
Estimate; mostly seasonal hourly work in fall.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Often a bachelor's in wildlife biology or a student in one; seasonal jobs may accept relevant field experience.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Wildlife Biology, Biology, Natural Resources.
Growing faster than average. CWD keeps spreading to new states, expanding testing.
Low risk for 10 years. Lab tests get faster, but cutting samples from deer at check stations stays hands-on.
Classes: Biology, Anatomy, Environmental science.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.