Scientist notes old record first (9)
I believe the answer is:
ecologist
'scientist' is the definition.
(I know that ecologist is a type of scientist)
'notes old record first' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'notes' could be 'ec' and 'ec' is found in the answer.
'old' could be 'o' (common abbreviation eg in OE for Old English) and 'o' is present in the answer.
'record' could be 'log' (log is a kind of record) and 'log' is found in the answer.
'first' could be 'ist' (ist resembles 1st) and 'ist' is found in the answer.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ecologist that I've seen before include "Company's possessions" , "One studying the relation between organisms and their environment" , "One concerned with the environment" , "Studier of organisms and the environment" , "Student of living things and their environment" .)