Do you have a lingering desire to start a wildlife career, but feel like it might be too late for you? Or maybe you’re working on a wildlife career, but it isn’t working for you, and time just keeps passing by? You got the degree, but then life got in the way, and you even had to get a non-wildlife job to pay the bills…
Listen to Age is Just a Number!
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Well, I’m here to tell you that whether you’re 25, 45, or older, a wildlife career IS still possible for you (and yes, I get by 25 year olds that they think they are too late), and this week’s Fancy Scientist podcast episode really proves it! I interviewed Yellowstone Park Ranger Lynda Moore about her journey from Radiologic Technologist to environmental educator and what it’s really like to work in one of the most famous protected areas.
Lynda first spent 28 years working in healthcare before deciding to return to school in 2017. She graduated with her degree in wildlife conservation biology in 2021, just two weeks before her 58th birthday! Now, she is working in one of the most coveted locations in the world for wildlife job seekers: Yellowstone National Park.
Through our conversation, you’ll learn how Linda navigated the challenges of being a non-traditional student and successfully landed a position with the National Park Service. She didn’t let age hold her back or fears about ageism in the workplace. In fact, she embraced her past experiences and used them to her advantage, leveraging her work as a Radiologic Technologist to her new career while focusing on new strategies to land her a park service job.
You’ll learn that Lynda emphasized networking and learning from others, building relationships with professors and graduate students while getting her degree. She shares how she willingly raised her hand for new opportunities, including counting bee behaviors in a lab and driving across the country for internships.
“I graduated in 2021, two weeks before my 58th birthday. And I gotta tell you, I felt very accomplished doing that."
You’ll also get an insider’s perspective on the fascinating, and sometimes dangerous, reality of working in America’s first National Park. Lynda discusses her role as an interpretive ranger, educating the public on everything from the park’s unique thermal geology to the “Big Five” wildlife species in the United States. She shares eye-opening stories about “babysitting” a 2,000-pound bison and the constant struggle to keep tourists at a safe distance from unpredictable wild animals.
“I wasn’t as brave and confident when I was younger... but you sell yourself. Don’t undermine yourself.”
I also asked Lynda about the technical side of landing a federal job. She credits her success to having a mentor help her navigate the notoriously difficult federal resume process. You’ll learn about the new federal resume requirements and how she transitioned from the “healthcare brain” to the “biologist brain,” and how she carried over the work ethic and supervisory skills from her previous career that made her a standout candidate.
"I had the thought that I have one shot at this. I’m this many years old. I don’t have five years to try and get into the Park Service. So I’m only going to apply to Yellowstone. I’m going to reach the highest that I can reach."
I also asked Lynda about the technical side of landing a federal job. She credits her success to having a mentor help her navigate the notoriously difficult federal resume process. You’ll learn about the new federal resume requirements and how she transitioned from the “healthcare brain” to the “biologist brain,” and how she carried over the work ethic and supervisory skills from her previous career that made her a standout candidate.
"Talking to those kids and getting them to understand why these places are important and why we need to protect them…I think that is going to be what saves us all."
After the interview, I break down take-home points that you can apply to your own journey, regardless of your age. I explain how previous “unrelated” career experience can actually contain a variety of transferable skills for wildlife jobs, how to network with people who are decades younger (or older) than you, and how seeking outside help from professionals can help you navigate something like the frustration of the federal application system.
"The very first time I saw a wolf in Yellowstone, I cried. It was emotional seeing that animal there in the wild and knowing what had happened to them in history."
If you’ve ever told yourself you’re “too old,” that “it’s too late,” or that “employers won’t hire someone my age,” Linda is living proof that the National Park Service, and the wildlife field at large, needs your experience and your passion! And even if you aren’t working towards a wildlife career, in this episode, you’ll be fascinated by what it’s like to work inside one of the world’s most iconic parks.
"I wasn’t as brave and confident when I was younger... but you sell yourself. Don’t undermine yourself."
Specifically, we talk about:
- Linda’s steps from a 28-year career in radiology to becoming a Park Ranger at Yellowstone
- What it’s like to go back to school in your 50s and graduate alongside your own daughter
- How starting your career later in life can work to your advantage: using “adult money” and maturity can be a competitive edge in wildlife work
- Behind-the-scenes of working at Old Faithful and educating the public on thermal safety
- Why “interpreting” wildlife behavior is actually a safety talk in disguise
- Fascinating animal facts and the emotional impact of seeing a wolf in the wild for the first time
- Lynda’s most impactful animal moment with Lucy the Orangutan at the National Zoo
- Practical tips for federal resumes and navigating the shift from long-form to two-page limits
- The reality of seasonal life in temporary wildlife work
- The importance of using informational interviews to learn the “hidden” requirements of jobs
- Why you should never underestimate yourself before you even apply for a job
- The mindset shift needed to overcome imposter syndrome as a career switcher
- How protecting the natural world starts with educating a single tourist or child
- And MORE!
Resources and Sources in Age is Just a Number!
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Fancy Scientist Podcast #153: Not Accepting No! Succeeding at Wildlife Careers with a Disability: Interview with Grace O’Dea
Fancy Scientist Podcast #152: Age is Just a Number! Breaking into the National Park Service in Your 50s: Interview with Lynda Moore
