Find Your Career Path - Cool Jobs in Geology
types of careers that you can have
with a degree in geology. We receive many questions through our Ask-a-Geologist
feature about how you can become a geologist. Many people want to know if being
a geologist is fun, what types of classes you need to earn a degree, what type
of degree you need and what types of jobs are available once you get out of
school. I will try to answer you here, but if you have more questions, just ask!
Is
Being a Geologist Fun?
Yes! That is an easy question. There is always something new to learn and discover in geology. If you love rocks and minerals give geology a try.
Yes! That is an easy question. There is always something new to learn and discover in geology. If you love rocks and minerals give geology a try.
How
to Become a Geologist
If you are lucky enough to know that you want to be a geologist when you are in high school, take as many science and math courses as you can. You will be better off if you have a solid foundation in these subjects. As you search for a college, look for universities that have strong geology and sciences programs. The type of career that you hope to have will help you decide what school to choose. A good question to ask the geology professors as you visit different schools is "What types of jobs do your recent graduates hold?" If many of their graduates are working in your field of interest then that school may be a good choice for you. For example, if you are interested in the environment, look for schools that have many alumni who are environmental consultants. If you are interested in petroleum geology and searching for oil, find a college that has alumni in the oil industry.
The College and Graduate School Years
Your university geology department will map out the classes you need to obtain your Bachelor of Science degree. During college, it is a good idea to work during the summer months at a company that specializes in your field of interest. Even if you work as an unpaid intern, it will give you valuable insight to the types of projects and disciplines that you may enjoy. While you are in college, take as many science and math classes as you can, even if they are not required. Organic chemistry and high-level math can be very helpful in a scientific career. Also, spend one summer attending a Field Camp for geologists to learn field-mapping skills.
If you are lucky enough to know that you want to be a geologist when you are in high school, take as many science and math courses as you can. You will be better off if you have a solid foundation in these subjects. As you search for a college, look for universities that have strong geology and sciences programs. The type of career that you hope to have will help you decide what school to choose. A good question to ask the geology professors as you visit different schools is "What types of jobs do your recent graduates hold?" If many of their graduates are working in your field of interest then that school may be a good choice for you. For example, if you are interested in the environment, look for schools that have many alumni who are environmental consultants. If you are interested in petroleum geology and searching for oil, find a college that has alumni in the oil industry.
Your university geology department will map out the classes you need to obtain your Bachelor of Science degree. During college, it is a good idea to work during the summer months at a company that specializes in your field of interest. Even if you work as an unpaid intern, it will give you valuable insight to the types of projects and disciplines that you may enjoy. While you are in college, take as many science and math classes as you can, even if they are not required. Organic chemistry and high-level math can be very helpful in a scientific career. Also, spend one summer attending a Field Camp for geologists to learn field-mapping skills.
Once you graduate with a Bachelor
of Science in geology, you can choose to begin your working career or you can
continue in school to earn a Master’s Degree and/or a PhD. While advanced
degrees are not necessary for all positions, you can typically specialize in
your field of interest and increase your chances of obtaining job in your
chosen field after you graduate with extra schooling.
For those of you who dream of
running your own company, I recommend that you take some businesses courses in college
or earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in graduate school. A
solid background in both geology and business can boost your career.
Professional Geologist License
Once you have completed school and
begun to work, contact the licensing board for geologists in your state. Each
state is slightly different, but there is usually a professional license
available to you. Typically, you are required to have a specified number of
years of experience in a geology field before you can take the test to earn
your professional license. It is always worth trying to obtain your
professional license as a geologist.
Profession: Environmental Consulting
Environmental consulting is a popular
career these days. Many people do not truly understand what it
means to be an environmental consultant. There is a difference between a
consultant and an activist. A consultant’s job
is to help their client meet the requirements of the environmental laws. If you want to help make our environment safe for its
inhabitants, this job may be for you. An environmental consultant is not the
same as an environmental activist who encourages state and federal governments
to tighten and enforce environmental laws. Environmental consultants often work
for individuals and industries that can be the targets of environmental
activists.
Regardless of your degree, a new
consultant is often asked to perform field work. Environmental field work
involves collecting soil and water samples, researching the history of a
property, installing groundwater monitoring wells, evaluating site data,
overseeing the installation of remediation systems or underground storage tank
removals. Entry-level geologists work under the direction of another geologist.
As you gain more experience, you may have your own projects to work on and
manage. The best way to move to larger projects is to perform very well at your
entry-level job. Do not be afraid to ask questions and to ask a new employer to
allow you to work on a variety of projects. Follow this work ethic with any jobs
discussed here and you will have a long and prosperous career in geology.
Petroleum
geology is a very exciting field because it involves identifying the unknown.
Petroleum geologists are involved with finding and recovering underground oil
and natural gas. This exciting field incorporates both office work such as
mapping and analyzing data from lithologic logs and seismic data and field work
such as visiting on-shore and off-shore drill rigs.
Each
state and the federal government have geologists on staff who review the
information submitted by residents and companies that concern the environment
and our natural resources. These geologist help to determine laws and
guidelines for groundwater use, remediation of spills, pollution limits and
conservation activities. Some geologists, such as those at the United States
Geological Survey, also perform research similar to university professors to
find new ways to conserve our resources and help our environment.
Are
you a geologist? Do you have a cool job that we did not mention here? Email us!
We would love to hear from you and add to our list of Cool Geology Jobs!
Profession: Petroleum Geologist
Profession: Paleontologist
Paleontology is one of the most exciting specialty fields in the geological sciences. The Earth is constantly changing and forming the environment around us and with that is the challenge of finding the clues to life before humans. With a degree in geology / paleontology, there are many types of jobs that you can form into a career. For example, many paleontologists today work as researchers, teachers and consultants looking for clues to the location of new fossils and using the fossils they find to help tell the story of our world.
Paleontology is one of the most exciting specialty fields in the geological sciences. The Earth is constantly changing and forming the environment around us and with that is the challenge of finding the clues to life before humans. With a degree in geology / paleontology, there are many types of jobs that you can form into a career. For example, many paleontologists today work as researchers, teachers and consultants looking for clues to the location of new fossils and using the fossils they find to help tell the story of our world.
Profession: Hydrogeologist
Hydrogeology is a very exciting field because is deals with groundwater and its dynamic movement beneath the surface of the Earth. With a degree in geology, you can work as a hydrogeologist in many fields. Hydrogeologists work as environmental consultants, in the oil and gas industry, as regulators and as researchers. Hydrogeology is the study of the water below ground that flows through the sediments and rocks until it reaches a lake, stream, spring, river or ocean. Hydrogeologists collect data from underground and extrapolate the information to fit a reasonable model of a larger subsurface area. Hydrogeologists study groundwater to develop methods to conserve our natural resources as well as protect soil and groundwater from contamination. When the soil or groundwater is contaminated from a chemical release, hydrogeologists work with engineers to design and implement a cleanup method.
Hydrogeology is a very exciting field because is deals with groundwater and its dynamic movement beneath the surface of the Earth. With a degree in geology, you can work as a hydrogeologist in many fields. Hydrogeologists work as environmental consultants, in the oil and gas industry, as regulators and as researchers. Hydrogeology is the study of the water below ground that flows through the sediments and rocks until it reaches a lake, stream, spring, river or ocean. Hydrogeologists collect data from underground and extrapolate the information to fit a reasonable model of a larger subsurface area. Hydrogeologists study groundwater to develop methods to conserve our natural resources as well as protect soil and groundwater from contamination. When the soil or groundwater is contaminated from a chemical release, hydrogeologists work with engineers to design and implement a cleanup method.
Profession: Geology Professor
Being a Geology Professor is an
exciting career. Professors teach classes and perform research studies. There
are opportunities for Geology Professors to travel on research trips and to
conferences. As a professor, you are able to specialize in many different areas
of geology so you are sure to find a specialty that fits your interests and
personality. If you want to teach but are not interested in a PhD program, you
can teach elementary, middle school or high school science as well. Once you
graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Geology, you will need to attend
graduate school to earn a PhD. While you are in graduate school, you can narrow
your field of study and focus on a particular area of geology. Once you have
earned your PhD you will be eligible to apply for teaching positions at
colleges and universities. University professors often lead the research that
discovers new ideas about how our Earth formed, the best ways to care for land
and new methods to clean up pollution.
Profession: Regulatory Geologist
Got Questions?
If
you are unsure if geology is right for you, ask questions. Geologists are
typically very nice and love to talk about their work so do not be afraid to
ask. You can start by asking us! Send us an email and we will get back with
you. If we can, we will try to get you in touch with other geologists who may
be able to answer your questions.