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Range Managers

Under the title Range Managers, workers research or study range land management practices to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife. One core duty is to tailor conservation plans to landowners' goals, such as livestock support, wildlife, or recreation. Interest ratings put Realistic on top at 5.8 out of 7 and Investigative second, so the code is RIE and the day leans toward hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in speaking, reading comprehension, and active listening helps most here. People who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world usually fit better here than those who need creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Research or study range land management practices to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.

Main tasks

  • Tailor conservation plans to landowners' goals, such as livestock support, wildlife, or recreation.
  • Study grazing patterns to determine number and kind of livestock that can be most profitably grazed and to determine the best grazing seasons.
  • Maintain soil stability and vegetation for non-grazing uses, such as wildlife habitats and outdoor recreation.
  • Manage forage resources through fire, herbicide use, or revegetation to maintain a sustainable yield from the land.
  • Mediate agreements among rangeland users and preservationists as to appropriate land use and management.
  • Study rangeland management practices and research range problems to provide sustained production of forage, livestock, and wildlife.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking
  • Complex Problem Solving

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIE takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Conservationist
  • Forest Range Program Manager
  • Land Management Supervisor
  • Natural Resource Manager
  • Natural Resource Specialist

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.