botanist
Snapshot
Do you find yourself fascinated by the diversity of plant life and eager to contribute to its understanding and preservation? As a botanist, you'll combine scientific research with hands-on plant care, playing a vital role in botanical gardens, research institutions, and conservation efforts.
Botanists are scientists dedicated to the study of plants. Their work spans a wide range of activities, from maintaining collections in botanical gardens to conducting fieldwork to study plants in their natural habitats. This role often involves leadership and strategic planning, especially within larger institutions, ensuring the long-term health and development of plant collections and research programs.
- • Conducting scientific research on plant taxonomy, ecology, physiology, or genetics.
- • Maintaining and developing plant collections in botanical gardens or arboretums, ensuring their health and diversity.
- • Planning and leading fieldwork expeditions to study plants in their natural environments.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Science and engineering professionals — 274 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Ireland, Italy, Slovenia.
Longest-running shortage: Ireland, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Do you enjoy tasks that require Achievement?
Future Outlook for botanist
The outlook for botanist reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could botanist change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could botanist change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- follow company standards
- represent the organisation
- liaise with local authorities
Where AI may become a co-pilot
Limited AI co-pilot overlap right now.
Tasks most exposed to automation
- collect biological data
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as a botanist
09 09:00 · Morning manage recreational facility
10 10:30 · Mid-morning schedule recreation facilities
12 12:00 · Midday advise on acquisitions
14 14:00 · Afternoon develop recreation programmes
15 15:30 · Late afternoon monitor grounds maintenance
17 17:00 · Wrap-up promote recreation activities
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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botany
The taxonomy or classification of plant life, phylogeny and evolution, anatomy and morphology, and physiology.
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corporate social responsibility
The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.
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variety of botanicals
Principles of botanicals with a primary focus in herbaceous and annual plants in raw form.
- biology
- characteristics of plants
- ecology
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schedule recreation facilities
Schedule the use of recreational facilities.
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establish daily priorities
Establish daily priorities for staff personnel; effectively deal with multi-task workload.
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set organisational policies
Participate in setting organisational policies that cover issues such as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits for the service users.
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develop recreation programmes
Develop plans and policies which aim to provide the desired recreation activities to a target group or in a community.
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supervise daily information operations
Direct daily operations of different units. Coordinate program/project activities to assure the respect of costs and time.
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manage recreational facility
Manage the daily operations of a cultural facility. Organise all activities and coordinate the different departments functioning within a cultural facility. Develop a plan of action and arrange the necessary funds.
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manage supplies
Monitor and control the flow of supplies that includes the purchase, storage and movement of the required quality of raw materials, and also work-in-progress inventory. Manage supply chain activities and synchronise supply with demand of production and customer.
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advise on acquisitions
Provide advice based on existing and planned acquisitions and investigate acquisition options.
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represent the organisation
Act as representative of the institution, company or organisation to the outside world.
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manage budgets
Plan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.
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liaise with local authorities
Maintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does botanist fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of travel is typically involved in a botanist's role?
- Fieldwork is a significant aspect for many botanists, involving travel to diverse locations to study plants in their natural habitats. The frequency and distance of travel can vary greatly depending on the specific research project and employer.
- What skills are most important for a botanist to succeed?
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, alongside a deep understanding of plant biology. Effective communication, leadership abilities, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team are also highly valued.
- Are botanists typically employed or do they often work independently?
- Botanists are primarily employed by botanical gardens, universities, research institutions, government agencies, or conservation organizations. While independent consulting opportunities exist, the majority of botanists work as employees.
- Botanist — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 6 of the 9 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Greece and 2 more. 3 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Botanist — what does it pay in the United States?
- $93,330 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $63,290 to $121,680. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.