Geology in
the world of work
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http://geology.com/articles/geologist-salary.shtml
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Geology in
the world of work
Geology in
the world of work
To find out more click on this button
Volcanologist
Volcanologist
To see a volcano in action:
http://www.volcanogallery.com/volcano_videoclips.htm
Volcanologists study volcanoes, particularly
with a view to predicting how people may
be affected by volcanic activity.
Here the volcanologist, measuring the
temperature of the lava flow with an optical
pyrometer, is employed by the United
States Geological Survey.
A volcanologist’s job takes you to exciting
places like Hawaii, Java and the Andes.
At a senior level you can expect to earn up
to £40,000 a year.
www.usgs.gov/
Tourist guide
This tourist guide, working in
British Columbia in Canada is
leading a group of people on a tour
of geological sites that includes a
visit to Walcott’s Quarry near Banff.
Here the famous soft-bodied fossils
in the Burgess Shale were first
discovered.
Work as a specialist tour guide can
provide excellent opportunities for
travel to interesting places.
http://www.ggwinter.de/bs/bs_e.htm
http://www.stga.co.uk/
Jewellery design
Starting salaries for new graduates is approximately £15,000.
Salaries can rise to £25,000 or more for people with more
experience.
Many jewellery designers are self-employed or work
freelance because this provides opportunities to work on a
part-time basis.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/jewell
ery_designer_job_description.jsp
http://www.csm.arts.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/jewellery-design.htm
Forensic Scientist
Forensic Scientist
A forensic scientist in action
This is Professor Tony Brown of the University of
Exeter. Tony has used forensic analyses of
pollen samples to link mass graves in Bosnia
and made a contribution to the investigation of
war crimes in Bosnia.
Most forensic scientists work for
government agencies. This type of work is
available in various places around the world.
Salaries of trainee forensic scientists are in the
region of £16,000-£18,000, but senior forensic
scientists can expect to earn at least £45,000 a
year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3640788.stm
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/groups/specialist/forensic
Petroleum
Geologist
To find out more
about the work
of a petroleum
geologist:
http://www.geomore.com/Main_I
ndex.html
Working as a petroleum
geologist provides great
opportunities to travel.
The average annual salary
for petroleum geologists with
3 to 5 years experience rose
to £37,500 in 1995.
http://www.tips4jobs.co.uk/jobbank/geography/petroleumgeologist-job.php
Seismologist
Geophysicists/field
seismologists use complex
equipment to collect data on
earthquakes and seismic waves.
Their main responsibility is
controlling data quality. To do
this they monitor displays
and may do some initial
interpretation.
Here a scientist is using just a
single seismograph
for a smaller scale survey.
Starting salaries: £18,000 - £19,000 (with a first degree)
or around £22,000 - £23,000 (with a higher degree).
Typical salary at senior level (after about six years): £44,000
www.kgs.ku.edu/.../ Equip/Seismograph/Seis2.htm
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is about creating, improving and protecting
our built environment.
Civil engineers provide the facilities such as tunnels, bridges,
harbours, railways, hospitals, roads and buildings.
Starting salaries for civil engineering graduates compare well with
other professions. You can expect to be paid between £16,000 £21,000 when you start work, but civil engineering can provide
international and managerial opportunities with salaries in the
range from £33,000 to £63,000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_engineering
Hydrogeologist
Hydrogeologist
Hydrogeologist
Rosemary Carroll is a hydrogeologist whose work focuses on numeric
simulation of hydrologic systems.
Hydrogeologists are concerned with deep groundwater. Their work
involves studying the quality of groundwater and they try to understand
the complexities of groundwater flow. Hydrogeologists develop
hydrogeochemical models of water quality evolution and study how
contaminants move through the ground.
Starting salaries for hydrogeologists are in the range £20,000 - £25,000.
At a senior level/with experience (salaries are in the range: £26,500 £48,500.
www.dri.edu/ People/rcarroll/
www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/null/lang/en/pid/721
Landscape architect
This landscape
architect is staking trees out
having designed the garden
landscape so that it is takes
Into account the local Geology.
Landscape architects can
expect to find work almost
anywhere in the world and,
if they are self-employed, may
be able to earn up to £45.000
a year.
www.mogulmarketing.com
Quarrying
To see quarrying in action:
http://www.dykon-blasting.com/rock_index.htm
The roads, footpaths, bridges and buildings (houses, schools,
hospitals & shops) that make up our built environment are made
from raw materials extracted from the earth by the quarrying
industries.
Much of the stone extracted from the ground is crushed to
produce aggregate, which may then be separated into the
different sizes required for use, or for further processing, such
as coating with bitumen to make “tarmac”.
The starting salary for a quarry manager is £25,000/year.
Managers of large units may earn up to £50,000. Career paths
for senior roles in this industry can lead to annual earnings of
£100,000+.
http://www.ypte.org.uk/environmental/quarrying-and-mineral-extraction/79
http://www.virtualquarry.co.uk/
Archaeologist
Although most archaeologists
are employed in the private sector as
contractors, other forms of employment
are in museums, local government, as
academic archaeologists or with national
bodies such as English Heritage.
The starting salary for a digger as a site
assistant is £13,700 – £15,500 (salary
data July 07).
Salary at more senior levels with
experience (e.g. after 10-15 years in the
role) depends upon the post held and the
employer.
www.britarch.ac.uk/
www.arch.soton.ac.uk
Your pay depends on where you work;
university academics and archaeologists
working for national bodies tend to earn
more.
Natural
hazard risk
management
To see natural hazards in action:
www.ultimatechase.com/hurricane_video.htm
Natural hazards include landslides, flooding, earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, coastal erosion, storm surges and
tsunamis.
Natural hazard risk reduction includes modifying natural
events, determining the risks posed by the events and
assessing the possible outcomes of their impact.
Graduates working in this area as geo-hazards risk assessment
experts or consultants can expect to earn between £60,000 &
£100,000/year.
www.esa.int/esaLP/ SEM2GH0DU8E_LPgmes_3.html
Teaching
This is Professor Jim Marshall teaching and leading a university field
class in Pembrokeshire.
Science subjects are in demand in secondary schools. If you choose to
train to teach science you can get additional support and funding.
Teaching is a rewarding profession, offering a variety of career prospects
and development opportunities.
As a qualified teacher you will receive a salary comparable to many
other leading professions.
www.tda.gov.uk/
www.liv.ac.uk/earth/ugrad/fieldwork/FieldworkSites.htm
Research
worker
This is Professor Jane Francis carrying out research at the
Leeds Centre for Polar Research.
Research work is usually carried out by a graduate who has
already gained a higher degree and is keen to specialise in a
particular branch of geology and work on a longer term project.
As a research worker you will be involved in testing and
developing concepts contained within a research problem. You
may do this by collecting and analysing data, developing
experiments or conducting numerical studies. Eventually you will
develop your own conclusions on the research problem.
Research work is stimulating and challenging, but it can provide
opportunities to visit some unusual places on our planet.
http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/research/igs/seddies/francis/
Waste
disposal
We need waste disposal sites to dispose of rubbish that cannot
be reused or recycled.
Geoscientists working in waste disposal identify suitable landfill
sites - areas where rubbish can either be deposited directly on
the ground (landraising) or dumped to fill unwanted holes in the
ground (landfilling).
There are specialist postgraduate courses dealing with waste
management. The range of typical salaries after 10-15 years’
experience is £23,000 - £31,500 for graduates.
www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Sustainability/Older/Waste_Disposal.html
Geotechnical engineering
Geotechnical engineers work to
ensure slopes, embankments and
cuttings are stable. They design
and construct foundations for
buildings, roads and railways and
design safe retaining walls and
tunnels.
Work as a geotechnical engineer is
available in various places around
the world.
Salaries range from £25,000 to
£40,000 a year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geotechnical_engineering
Hazard
mapping
Topisdn.ram
Avalanches are
one type of
hazard mapped
by a scientist
working in this
field.
To see avalanche
hazards in action:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/aval
anche/capture.html
Landscape hazard mapping
projects may also include:
•identifying fault scarps reactivated by recent faulting or
earthquakes to work out where
to site a new road or railway
•producing maps of landslide
hazard and flood risk.
Average salaries in most
ranks of the profession are
probably in the £50,000 to
£60,000 range.
Salaries in senior positions
could go considerably higher.
http://online.selkirk.bc.ca/rrs/rfw/257/course_outline.htm
Stonemason
In Gloucester a team of
stonemasons is employed to
repair the fabric of the Cathedral
and to create new artwork.
Working as a stone mason you
could earn up to £30,000 a year.
www.connexionsdirect.com/jobs4u/jobfamily/buildingandconstruction/st
onemason.cfm?id=364
www.livinggloucester.co.uk/. ../the_stonemasons
Geology in
the world of work
Part 2
Mining
engineer
This is Hannah
Wenke who
graduated from
mining
engineering in
2005 and now
works as an
engineer in New
South Wales
Mining engineers deal with the safe, economic and environmentally
responsible recovery of mineral resources from the Earth.
No two days as a mining engineer are ever the same.
Work may involve:
•advanced computer aided design
•mine planning
•technical work setting off blasts with the shotfiring crew.
There are plenty of opportunities to travel and work around the world.
Salaries are in the £24,000 to £52,000 range.
http://www.uec.ac.uk/mined
http://www.iom3.org/
Expedition
leader
Expedition leaders take people
on trips to exotic places such as
Antarctica and the Galapagos
Islands, or more locally, around
the wilds of the UK.
People from many different
science backgrounds find
themselves in this career, but
one of the most common
degrees is geology.
Most work as an expedition
leader is contract based, but it
does provide an excellent
opportunity for travel to unusual
places.
http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/expedteam/index.shtml
www.polarstarexpeditions.com
Cartographer
A cartographer is involved with the scientific, technological and artistic
aspects of developing and producing maps and map information.
A cartographer’s job can vary widely. Work activities may involve:
•designing maps, graphics, illustrations and layouts,
•communicating information through the use of colour, symbols, & style,
•using computers to produce graphs for people.
In May 2006, annual earnings of cartographers ranged from
£19,500 to £50,000.
The middle 50 percent earned between £23,500 & £39,000.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/cartographer_job_description.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartography
Flood management
To see a flood in action:
http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=5770
About 5 million people live in flood-risk areas just in England & Wales.
Flood management involves protecting people and the environment.
can be a challenging and rewarding career.
It can be a challenging and rewarding career & work may involve:
• Investigating causes of flooding
• Assessing the risks associated with flooding
• Examining the impact of climate change on flooding patterns
• Modelling water resources systems
There are opportunities for work throughout the world.
Salaries for flood management project leaders are in the range £30,000
to £40,000.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood/floodwarning/
Museum worker
Trevor Price - a community learning officer at Dinosaur Isle.
He looks after the education side of things at the museum & maintains
the museum website, but does some of the engineering work!
http://www.dinosaurisle.com/default.aspx
Museums provide a bridge between science & public
education and specialise in developing exhibits designed to
stimulate the imagination.
Museum work could involve working in the museum
education service, working in conservation services or
working as a museum curator.
Curators in geology are trained in the care & organisation
of specimens in museum collections, but usually work as
part of a team developing public exhibition galleries.
Salaries in this sector are in the range £25,000 to £32,000.
http://www.earth.uwaterloo.ca/services/geoscience/miller.html
www.museumsassociation.org/
Media
Devin Dennie,
who trained as a
geologist and
Todd Kent, a film
maker, have
teamed up to
produce
GeoAmerica a travel show
that focuses on
“Earth science”.
David Attenborough
Studied studied geology
and zoology at university
and obtained a degree in
Natural Sciences
David’s TV documentary work as writer and presenter includes:
the "Life" series: Life on Earth (1979), The Living Planet (1984) & The
Trials of Life (1990).
They were followed by: Life in the Freezer (1993), The Private Life of
Plants (1995), The Life of Birds (1998), The Life of Mammals (2002), Life
in the Undergrowth (2005) & Life in Cold Blood (2008).
Work as a film maker or photographer, concentrating on
geological topics, is available in a wide range of places
around the world.
There are opportunities to use your images & skills in the
development of educational resources.
As a graduate you can expect to earn a starting salary in the
range £25,000 to £30,000.
http://www.open2.net/naturalhistory/toolkit.html
http://www.khake.com/page45.html
http://www.skillset.org/photo/index_1.asp
GIS mapping & modelling
Stuart Blankenship is a
GIS manager based in
Virginia.
Geographic Information
System (GIS) is a
computer based
information system used
to digitally represent and
analyse the geographic
features present on the
Earth' surface.
http://www.geospatialcareers.net/people/blankenship.html
Geoinformation science
includes surveying, spatial
analysis, geostatistics,
geographic information
systems, cartography and
visualisation.
This inter-disciplinary subject is
a developing science in an
expanding and changing
market.
GIS managers can expect
salaries in the range £20,000 to
£40,000.
http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/gis_poster/
Geothermal energy resources
Geologists explore volcanic regions to find the most areas, like
this steaming hillside in El Hoyo, Nicaragua, where there could
be a source of geothermal energy that could be developed.
To see how a geothermal power plant works:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/powerplants.html
Geologists explore volcanic regions to find the most likely areas for
further study, like this steaming hillside in El Hoyo, Nicaragua.
To develop hot water reservoirs the geothermal industry employs
geologists, geochemists, geophysicists, hydrologists, reservoir
engineers, mud loggers, hydraulic engineers and drillers.
Salaries for people working in this energy sector are in the range
£35,000 to 55,000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power
http://www.earthworks-jobs.com/renewable.html
Environmental
Impact
Assessment (EIA)
In EIA work you apply an understanding
of different aspects of the environment
based on firm scientific foundations.
Work is varied. Examples of the types of
project you could work on include:
•recycling schemes
•impacts of road building proposals
on wild life habitats
•impacts on migratory fish of dams on
rivers
Career prospects are excellent.
You can expect to earn £30,000 to
£45,000 a year.
http://www.iema.net/jobs
Astronaut
This is James Reilly.
He originally studied
for a degree in
geosciences and later
gained a Doctorate
in geosciences.
A career as an
astronaut provides
opportunities to travel
to places that are out
of this world.
Salaries for civilian
astronaut candidates
are in the range
£28,000 to £52,500.
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/reilly.html
http://www.nasajobs.nasa.gov/astronauts/
Science writer
http://www.agu.org/inside/awards/bios/witze_alexandra.htm
This is Alexandra Witze who gained
her first degree in geology and then
went on study for a further degree in
journalism.
Alexandra writes about the physical
sciences, including the Earth sciences.
In 2000 she was awarded the
Walter Sullivan Award for Excellence
in Science Journalism
http://www.geotimes.org/feb01/offbeatenpath.html
http://www.absw.org.uk/So_you_want_to_be_a_science_writer.htm
A training in geology can give you a
head start in:
•untangling the jargon of scientific
papers
•understanding the significance of
developments in different fields
Senior science writers can expect to
earn to £35,000 or more.
There are good opportunities to travel.
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/careers___guidance/care
er_profiles/view_career_profile.cfm?jcode=609
Geological surveying and mapping
This work is mapping where rocks on the Earth's surface are found.
It involves looking at how rocks are:
• folded & fractured
• altered by geological processes
• dated.
Geological maps and databases are basic tools underpinning the use
of Earth’s resources.
The work is both indoors (in laboratories and offices) and outdoors
(on land or at sea).
Working hours and conditions vary considerably and many geologists
spend time away from home.
Salaries range from around £17,500 to £50,000 a year.
http://www.connexionsdirect.com/jobs4u/index.cfm?pid=61&catalogueContentID=594
Hydrologist
Hydrologists study the quantity,
quality and movement of water
on or near the surface of the land.
Work may include:
•measuring, monitoring and analysing water data
•assessing water quality
•researching water usage.
Many hydrologists are office based,
although they spend some time out on site.
Salaries range from about £14,000 to £20,000 for
new entrants to around £45,000 for the most
senior hydrologists
http://www.hydrology.org.uk/
Environmental
Law
This area of work focuses on
the legal rules that regulate
pollution and otherwise
protect the environment.
Work also deals with public
international law in
regulating environmentally
harmful activities.
Average salaries for people
working in environmental law
are in the range £31,500.
Working in the public sector is
more profitable than in the
private sector.
http://www.geotimes.org/feb01/
Land remediation
People working on land remediation prevent chemically contaminated
land from harming the environment and help to restore property to a safe
and usable condition.
This type of work will become increasingly vital as:
•landfill costs increase;
•hazardous waste treatment and disposal costs increase;
•solutions to more difficult sites are needed.
Salaries in the range up to £45,000 for remediation consultants.
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file14980.pdf
Carbon sequestration
Carbon sequestration is
a geoengineering technique for
the long-term storage of carbon
dioxide or other forms of carbon,
to try to reduce global warming.
Forest ecosystems make an
important contribution to the
global carbon budget.
This is because of their
potential to sequester
carbon in wood and soil.
With correct management,
tree planting can result in
carbon sequestration.
Carbon sequestration is a new
technology being developed to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions
by:
•removing carbon dioxide from
power plants
•storing the carbon in geological
structures deep below the ground
or sea floor.
This industry is looking for selfmotivated people able to work
independently on research.
http://www.co2storage.org.uk/
There are job opportunities around
the world. Salaries are in the range
£25,000 to £50,000.
http://climatex.org/articles/climate-change-info/carbon-sequestration/
http://www.geotimes.org/mar03/feature_demonstrating.html
Sustainability
Sustainability is the ability to meet present needs without
compromising those of future generations.
Working in this field you may face the task of distinguishing which
activities are destructive and which are beneficial.
Starting salaries are in the range £18,000 to £23,000 and rise to
£38,000 for those working in charge of larger projects.
There is scope to work in different places around the world.
http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/audio_slideshows/mutter_030206/ind
ex.html
http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/
http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/sus_dev/
Conservation
Geological conservationists work to preserve the natural geological and
geomorphological features in our landscapes and liaise closely with
other conservationists to protect the diverse range of habitats and
natural resources produced in the different geological environments.
The spectacular scenery preserved along coastlines like the Dorset
heritage coast also attracts visitors and helps to sustain local tourist
industries.
You can expect to work in some interesting areas of the world. As a
conservation officer you are likely to earn a salary in the range £26,500
- £29,000.
www.jurassiccoast.com/321/category/conservation-190.html
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/
Soil scientist
Soil scientists collect, interpret and evaluate information about the
chemistry, biology and physics of soils.
Soil scientists work in:
• the public & private sectors,
• research for public and private sector institutions,
• consultancy,
• overseas development,
They also help with:
• forensics,
• archaeological excavations,
• conservation,
• site reclamation and remediation and
• landscape design.
The range of salaries with experience (e.g. after 10 to 15 years
in the role): £23,000 - £45,000 (salary data collected Oct 2007).
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/downloads/occ
profiles/profile_pdfs/S1_Soil_scientist.pdf