Prepare Your Application Materials – Professional Ecologist Certification

Here are the requirements for the ESA certification levels. Please choose the level that is appropriate to your level of education and experience.

Required Documents and Information	All New Certifications	Upgrade to a Higher Level	Recertification as EiT, AE, CE	Recertification as Senior Ecologist
Cover letter	X	X	X	X
Curriculum vitae or resume	X	X	X	X
2 letters of recommendation	X	X	X

Transcript(s)	X	(only if a new degree was earned since last certification)	(only if a new degree was earned since last certification)
Graduation and Degree Name(s) with Date(s)	X	(only if a new degree was earned since last certification)	(only if a new degree was earned since last certification)

To upgrade to the status of Certified Ecologist Emeritus/ta or Senior Ecologist Emeritus/ta, please contact cert@nullesa.org. Only a current CV and cover letter are required to apply, as long as other requirements are met. You must have been certified at the adjoining level for 10 consecutive years and no longer be working full-time.

Cover Letter

All applications for certification, including at the highest levels, require a cover letter. Use this document to introduce yourself and your work, and specifically why your credentials are appropriate for the level applied for. To emphasize: Be specific. Cite individual courses that you feel meet the requirements, and activities appropriate for the level. Explain grades below the minimum level, or why you are submitting an unofficial transcript. Use this opportunity to convince the people reviewing your application that you are qualified for the level you’re applying for.

If you intend to seek an upgrade before your current certification expires, please include an explanatory paragraph in your cover letter. For those pursuing an upgrade, it’s important to note that Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be pro-rated. The CEU requirement entails a minimum of 44 CEUs over a 5-year period, equivalent to 0.73 CEUs per month. Please contact cert@nullesa.org for more information.

CV or Resume

A full CV that lists all of your academic and professional credentials is a fine document to submit for consideration, but a simpler resume will serve just as well. Regardless of format, the document should include dates associated with all activities (start and end).

Letters of Recommendation

A letter of recommendation should speak to the recommenders’ direct experience with the applicant’s academic, research, or work history. It should be a first-hand confirmation that the applicant has demonstrated academic, research, or work expertise in the field of ecology. Recommenders should be colleagues, supervisors, advisors, or other individuals capable of evaluating your credentials in an informed and objective manner. Do not request a reference or letter of recommendation from a subordinate or a family member.

In other words, all letters of recommendation (for all certification levels) must have language that attests to the applicant’s background and career as a professional ecologist. Specifically, letters should vouch for your professional involvement as a practicing ecologist, or for Ecologists in Training (EiT) comment on your education and training as well as any professional experience if applicable.

Letters of recommendation must be on company letterhead, signed by the recommender, and uploaded in .pdf format via the form the recommenders will receive by email. If a recommender’s agency/company prohibits the use of letterhead for such instances, the letter of recommendation may be provided with no letterhead but must contain an explanation describing the policy.

If one or both letters of recommendation are missing, the application is considered incomplete until all the letters are submitted. If both letters are not received within 6 months since the application was submitted, the application will be rejected.

Transcripts

Transcripts that you submit in your application may be either official or unofficial, but an unofficial transcript must appear on institutional letterhead. Please block out your birthdate or Social Security Number if either is included on the transcript. If the transcript does not include the date the degree was awarded, you must provide a scanned copy of your diploma.

Your transcript/s will be checked to validate that you meet the minimum educational requirements and to measure your length of professional experience. If there may be concerns about the content of a particular course or a grade for it, the cover letter is the appropriate place to provide an explanation.

If you’re applying for a Recertification or an Upgrade, you only need to upload your transcripts if you earned a new academic degree since your last certification.

Please note that letters or any other missing documentation must be sent within 6 months since the application was submitted or the application will be rejected. If extenuating circumstances arise, please send an email to cert@nullesa.org

Now that you have your materials together, you’re ready to apply!