Detlev Paulsch studied Applied Physical Geography in Trier, focusing on soil sciences and geobotany. His special interest lay on soil zoology. For his diploma thesis he studied the effects of the application of organic waste materials for the recultivation of open cast mining sites on earthworms (Lumbricidae). At University of Bayreuth (Department Biogeography) he compiled his PhD-thesis about bird communities in south Ecuadorian mountain rainforests of different structure, studying functional relationships between bird species distribution and structural vegetation parameters and comparing composition and diversity of the bird communities of primary and anthropogenic influenced structural forest types.
At the State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe Detlev Paulsch worked from 2008 to 2010 on the conception and coordination of an interdisciplinary project focusing on sustainable land use in the Mata Atlântica of Brazil.
From 2012 to 2014 at ifeu – Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg, GmbH his main focus lay on scientific and technical support for the elaboration of Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) in national and international research projects.
Since 2014 Detlev Paulsch works at GefaÖ – Gesellschaft für angewandte Ökologie und Umweltplanung mbH Walldorf (Company for Applied Ecology and Landscape Planning Ltd.) as Senior Project Manager and Team Leader in performing international Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) for different infrastructure projects funded by international donors. These projects cover also health and safety aspects (HSE) and questions related to land acquisition and resettlement activities including preparation of Stakeholder Engagement Plans (SEP). His assignments include also the development of specific Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring plans (ESMP) in order to ensure the compliance of the projects with national and international regulations and standards. Furthermore he is working as an ornithologist performing avifaunistic surveys and expert reports.
For ibn he was involved in the workshop series of BfN on topics relating to the implementation of Natura 2000. He already was in charge for the documentation of several workshops having extensive experience in text processing and compiling barrier-free documents.