Geological Technician

Salary
School leaver: £12,000
Graduate: £16,000
Employee with experience: £20,000 - £28,000

Main Employers
• British Geological Survey
• Oil industry
• Service companies
• Universities and research organisations

Job Profile
Geological technicians support the work of professional geologists by collecting and analysing information from rock samples. Much of the work involves routine laboratory duties - preparing rock and soil samples for testing and carrying out tests on the chemical composition and physical properties of samples.

Role and Responsibilities
Jobs will vary according to each employer; however you could expect to be involved in:

• Collecting and analysing rock and soil samples and information, including physical properties of materials
• Preparation of geological maps
• Interpreting data from seismic surveys
• Training and supervising juniors
• Maintaining quality standards
• Servicing and maintaining laboratory equipment
• Data entry and processing

Qualifications
Relevant further education subjects include: Chemistry; Computing; Geology; Mathematics; Physics

The level at which you start as a geological technician will depend upon your qualifications, with most school leavers starting as a junior technician. You will need to have a minimum of four GCSEs (A-C) grades or equivalent. Some posts require A levels and in a few cases, you might need a degree. Although there are many colleges and universities that offer science-based HND courses, there are only a few that offer HND courses in Geology.

Career Opportunities
Most geological technicians are employed in the oil sector. The largest single employer of geologists and technical staff in the UK is the British Geological Survey, which is part of the Natural Environment Research Council. There are also opportunities at the 50 universities and other institutions in the UK that offer geology degree courses, as technicians are needed to support the training of student geologists. Some technicians go on to work as geologists and the option to move into consultancy work is also open to candidates.

With the increasing use of sophisticated technology, professional geologists are expected to be less reliant on technicians. Additionally, in a drive to lower costs, many of the large oil companies outsource a lot of work to service companies.

Larger organisations usually have more formal career structures and greater career opportunities, with greater chances of promotion. Technicians employed in smaller companies may have less opportunity for promotion and are likely to have to move employer in order to progress.

Overseas work may be possible with some employers.