Anthropologists work in universities, museums, government departments, offices, libraries and their own homes. They work outside in all weather conditions when they are doing fieldwork, often in isolated areas under difficult conditions.

Anthropologists may travel to study different cultures, and to attend meetings and conferences in New Zealand and overseas.

Equipment anthropologists use includes:

• computers and specialist software (such as genealogy or data analysis programs)
   
• tape recorders, cameras and/or video cameras
   
• books and journals on anthropology
   
• stationery (especially notebooks and logbooks)
   
• archaeological excavation and surveying equipment.
   

Anthropologists usually work regular hours. However, they may also work long hours and weekends. They usually work irregular hours when carrying out fieldwork.

Anthropologists usually interact with a wide variety of people, including people from different cultures, other anthropologists and scholars, students of anthropology, and other social scientists such as archaeologists, sociolinguists and sociologists. They often work in teams with these people, and may also supervise groups of students.