Career Opportunities

What do Geoscientists do?

• help our communities and governments understand the impacts of climate change
• help communities have a sustained supply of clean water
• guide the understanding of risks and improving of resilience to natural hazards such as earthquakes, flooding, extreme weather, and landslides 
• select safe locations for development & construction projects
• ensure that soils and streams are safe for people & wildlife
• help inform the sustainable use of natural resources 
• conduct fundamental research on the Earth and its history, its processes, and its future 

A wide variety of employment opportunities are open to geologists, with a growing national and international workforce in most geology-related career paths. Many geologists are employed in private industry by firms involved in environmental services, engineering geology, and water resources.  Other careers include information services, K-12 education, science communication, resource extraction & sustainability, and non-profit/NGO outreach & advocacy. A number of geology graduates obtain employment with federal or state agencies involved with the environment, natural resources, sustainability, or energy, as well as municipal and regional planning departments.  Careers involving more technical skills typically demand a B.S. degree, and advanced degrees such as M.S. allow even broader opportunities.