In theory anyone can describe a new species as long as they follow the formal process in doing so (publishing a description in peer-reviewed literature, clarifying why it’s distinct from other species, matching it with a specimen in a museum, etc.). But it’s much easier to do all those things if you have some academic experience and credentials.
There are plenty of undescribed species out there, especially in the tropics. But doing the background research to verify that it’s a new species is still a lot of work. You may find this thread helpful for understanding the prerequisites and logistics involved in describing new species: Why does it sometimes take so long to describe a species?