Jessica Pink, Project officer at the Department of the Environment

I work in the Terrestrial Species Conservation Section within the Protected Species and Communities Branch of the Department of the Environment. My job involves listing species and making or adopting recovery plans for their conservation.

For my Honours year I spent one month on Lizard Island in the northern Great Barrier Reef. For this trip I learnt how to scuba dive as well as how to drive a boat. These are skills I never imagined possessing and they have opened up a whole new world to me.

Today I prepare briefs to the Minister on threatened species issues, liaise with State/Territory agencies regarding recovery plans, sit on national recovery teams, work on preparing listing and conservation advice, and present work at the regular meetings of the Threatened Species Scientific Committee.

My advice to prospective students is to remember that this is the time in your life when you have the most opportunity to explore your interests while receiving support from some of the best and brightest in the field. Make sure you make the most of it!