Earning a Living

General information for geoscience graduates

• Environmental issues are of growing importance and the demand for specialists in environmental assessment and management is another trend.

• The oil and gas industry is a major employer of geoscientists at all levels with opportunities for work in many places worldwide, principally for specialist service companies. 
  • This is a particularly good time to enter the hydrocarbons sector. Oil prices are high and oil and gas suppliers are short of workers. The following paragraph is a summary from an article published by the Sunday Times on 26 November 2006: 
  • There are currently more jobs available than people and salaries are rising as a result. The article stated that graduates can expect to start on a salary of around £15000 - £23000 which usually increases significantly after completing training. Salaries are largely determined by where you work: employees based offshore or in risky or remote locations will be compensated for the perceived danger of the work in their pay. This can put applicants off and is not so attractive to mature entrants with families; but the work is well paid.
    

• The extractive industries (bulk materials and minerals) are also important employers worldwide. Demand in both these sectors is cyclical due to changes in world economy and political stability

• Within the environmental sector, there are opportunities with private sector companies, consultancies and government bodies in hydrogeology and water supply; waste disposal; pollution control; and land quality/remediation.
  

• Engineering geology within the construction industry is also a growing sector, where major projects such as the London Olympics, urban railways and regeneration of former industrial areas provide many opportunities.You should be aware that the larger engineering firms will take on staff at four generally recognised levels, according to their needs: 
  • Technical staff (with or without degrees) who may be offered £12 - £15 000 on joining; 
  • Field engineers; 
  • Geologists; 
  • Managerial staff. 
  • A starting salary of £17 000 - £20 000 is the average range for a graduate with a good degree and suitable personal qualities for the vacancy in question.

• The British Geological Survey is responsible for the geological survey of British onshore and offshore areas; the provision of a national geosciences information service and related scientific activities including consultancy.

Results of the late 2004 salary survey of Fellows of the Geological Society (total number of respondents: 859)