I am currently 2 years in environmental consulting; however, I feel like I barely know anything. I’m not getting assigned work even when I ask. What are crucial skills one should know in consulting that I can continue to learn myself besides the basic fieldwork, report preparation, and drafting maps? Any certs I should look into besides a PG license?

So I've been trying to advance or change my career path. Graduated in 2020 and have been struggling with jobs since covid shut everything down and I wasn't able to go into the career field I wanted. I've done food service, warehouse, USPS, and now am working for CDFW as an environmental services intern. I need to find a more stable and higher paying job and would like it to be within the natural sciences. I have a B.S. in Anthropology and was working towards a Geology Minor, but didn't get it because Petrology was really hard for me and that was my last quarter at the school so I couldn't retake it. I've been applying to all sorts of jobs for the past 6-8 months with no luck, but I just got a recruitment offer today from a company I applied to and she said that they're only looking for applicants who have either a GIT or EIT and encouraged me to get one. I might as well get the cert since it's nice to have and might possibly help me find a geo-based job or other field tech jobs. However, I'm looking at the minimum requirements to apply for the exam and I don't fully meet them. I have 36 quarter hours in geology courses, 20 of them being upper division courses, including the Petrology course that I didn't pass (it was 5 credit hours, earned 6.5 quality points with a D+). It does say under 7841.2(b)(1) and (b)(2) that i just have to attest to the completion of the education requirements, and that the Board is not required to verify the applicant's eligibility for the cert. So I'm wondering, should I still apply to take the exam in March 2025 since I am very much interested in obtaining this cert, even without full completion of the education requirements? Unless I can apply for the exam as an underqualified applicant and see if the Board accepts or rejects me to take the exam? I really enjoyed learning geology while in college and can definitely study the material to prepare for the exam.

Hey everyone, I'm a geology student transferring Fall 2025 to complete my bachelors degree.
I really need some help deciding on what school I'd like to attend. I am interested in a career in mineral exploration and mining.

I've narrowed things down between University of Arizona and South Dakota School of Mines- I've been accepted to both and I know they are great schools, but they are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum in terms of size and I'd imagine the overall experience. (And local geology/weather of course.)

I know Arizona is a top program so I felt that was a no-brainer, but the smaller environment at South Dakota Mines seems promising for research and internship opportunities. However, on the flip side, I feel like the small campus (around 2500 students last I checked) would be super isolating, and id find my crowd at Arizona anyways, despite how large it is.

Given these circumstances, could anyone shed some light or offer advice on the differences in large vs. small schools and how I should approach my decision? (FYI - I plan on visiting both campuses in person next spring)

Thank you!

I got a Bachelor's of Science in Geology in 2017 and haven't done much with it since then and am trying to get into the field again. I took a ArcGis class during that time. What would you suggest I do/get to help my chances getting a job in this field?

American here, just curious what does the job market for geologists look like in Canada? What are the major sectors, what type of red tape/requirements are needed to get jobs in your sectors?

Worked in various industries in my 7 year tenure 3 now as a project manager and I am sick of it already. Currently working in consulting doing Geotech as a PM and just feel like I will be a PM until I retire and I don’t think that’s what I would want. Is the only other growth to be a department manager?

Probably will eventually leave this career altogether for less stressful and less time sheet driven opportunities.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently a PhD student in geology and working part-time as a mudlogger. Lately, I’ve been debating whether to stick with the PhD or commit to a full-time position in the industry.

If I went full-time, I’d earn about 20% more than I do now with my part-time role plus the PhD scholarship. However, even if I finish my PhD, I'm not sure I'd want to stay in academia or research long-term, as I’ve heard the salaries aren’t very competitive compared to industry roles.

One major reason I chose the PhD route is the lifestyle. My current field work requires a rotational schedule—7 days on at the site, working 12-hour shifts, then a week off. While that’s manageable now, it’s not ideal as I’m planning to start a family soon, and I’d prefer a position where I don’t have to be away from home for such long stretches.

With the PhD, I hoped to gain skills in geostatistics combined my field experience , could help me land a more stable, higher-level role. Plus working in both Indrusty and Academic enviroment would help me building a professional network. But I’m questioning if sticking with the PhD is the best way to advance my career or if going full-time now might open better opportunities.

Would love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation or has insights into whether a PhD truly helps secure better roles in the geoscience field. Thanks in advance for any advice!

I’m at the early-mid part of my career in environmental consulting and have been thinking about how to increase my salary. Obviously I need to job hop, which I haven’t been doing but looking for additional ways to do that. At my current company, I feel like my salary growth will start to stagnant, considering I know what a couple of the higher level people make compared to me.

I have around 6 years of experience and just got my PG. Pretty good at fieldwork and people are always wanting me to work on their projects. Decent understanding of my state’s regulatory programs. I manage easier Phase II projects that have pretty quick turnarounds, but don’t have much experience with managing projects in regulatory programs. Limited experience dealing with clients as well. Definitely not bringing in any work myself. Currently my salary is in the low $70k range. After bonuses, it’s in the upper $70k range.

What have you done to grow your career in environmental consulting? I’m feeling a little stuck. Getting a PG was the big milestone for me, and now that I’ve got it, I don’t know where to go from here. I’m definitely not opposed to stepping into adjacent related careers.

Hello! I graduated with my Bachelor's in Geology last May. I did great throughout my time in undergrad, and taking the advice one of my professors, I had pursued a Master's and am currently in graduate school working towards it. However, I've noticed a lot of issues that are making my reconsider this- and I would appreciate advice on my options and potential paths forward.

I am currently focusing on Hydrogeology in graduate school, but have also been open to a more environmental side of geology overall. Given this, I would assume consulting companies are a common option for careers after college. My current challenge is my position in graduate school and feeling that it is not benefitting me the way it is supposed to. While I know graduate school is more independent and self motivated, I feel my advisor has not given me any sort of starting point or direction to work towards for my thesis, and this has left me feeling clueless. I have only been here for three months, but I feel that my Hydrogeology class here- taught by a different professor- has benefitted me more than anything else already.

This has left me very worried about graduate school in general- and based off Rate my professors, this seems to be a common complaint regarding this professor- expecting the students to know more than they should and be on the same level as her, with very little experience. This has made me feel that it may be a better option to abandon this current path and look for a job to gain experience in the field, potentially testing the waters over the next several years with different parts of Environmental Geology and Hydrogeology related jobs and potentially pursuing a Master's at a later date if I see it is as a good option in any circumstance that arrives.

While I'm not reading to make a rash decision overnight, this is something I'm considering. This path forward would have its own challenges however, as in the immediate area I do not believe there are many openings, if any, for entry level jobs in this field, and currently being tied down by lease which would be another hurdle to overcome if I decide to sooner than next summer. Additionally, I have very little idea about networking and was not able to obtain an internship during my undergrad or even participate in undergrad research opportunities. I would likely be looking to obtain a job on the other side of the country, potentially living with friends in the area I wanna be. How viable of an option is this, and what potential benefits are there for doing this versus staying in my master's, and what are the potential costs of doing this? Generally speaking, I am just looking for opinions or advice for this situation. Thank you for any responses.

Hi there redditors. Looking for some grad school advice. Graduated with my BS in geology 2 years ago and have been working as a federal hydrologist since. I really enjoy the work I do, but know that for promotions down the line for where I want to go (5-10 years) I need more schooling.

I want to go back and get an MS with a thesis track but do it part time so I can keep the job. I’ve been chatting with local profs at the University I’m looking at for the past year and they’re keeping me in the loop for funding for Hydrology projects (Chem-based). They like me a lot considering my heavy research background from undergrad (ran a lot of geochem projects and did a few NSF internships). An opportunity has come up, but I am currently unsure if I were to go part time that they could fund tuition fully, considering it’s only for a MS and the original intent was for full time school.

Does anyone know if there are grants/scholarships out there to apply for to fund part time MS students? Know it’s a reach but am hoping someone knows something I can look into before I meet with the Profs this week.

I’m currently a Geologist in Training working at an environmental consulting company and recently got a job offer from the Provincial Government Energy Regulator.

I interviewed for the job this past Monday and sent the offer on Tuesday. I informed my manager about the situation and told him I was leaning towards leaving. He made an outline for a plan to work with me moving forward to address the reasons I wanted to leave and an increase in salary.

I want to make clear that money is not a factor in the choice) my main issue was a lack of mentorship and senior support, and work load.

I ended up turning down the Regulator offer yesterday but this morning they called me back and gave me till Tuesday to reconsider as I was too priority candidate and the geology team there was impressed by my interview and wanted me to be a part of the team.

I’m not sure what to do because these two different career paths, however both lead to a P.Geo designation. The job offer is a limited term but is full office based and they are committed to working to make it permanent.

As for my experience I’ve been working for almost 4 years (with the same company). Experience in hydrogeology and contaminated sites. Currently considered an intermediate on the team became a project manager at 1.5 years (clients included municipalities and private organizations both local and international) I have strong field, problem solving skills, technical and proposal writing skills. My technical knowledge I feel is lacking because due unprecedented circumstances I was thrown into the deep end and worked my ass off to help fill any hole there was on the team. So I’ve just been fighting fires and figuring out how to get the current project done and then moving to the next one. I’m just really good at figuring out a way to get the job done one way or another.

The main problem with this decision is someone asked me where do I see myself in 10 year and honestly I don’t know. I spent my whole time filling in wherever the team needed me (fieldwork, technical work, project manager….).

Does anyone have any advice on things to think about and consider?

Edit: Don’t know if it matters but my degrees are in geophysics and GIS

Hopefully this falls within this sub's scope

I work as a geo and travel for fieldwork, usually by plane. It's more urban work so I stay in hotels.

What suitcases/luggage do you guys use that can stand up to carrying rocks? I always bring back personal samples and it's kind of ruining my suitcase. Any advice on how to fly commercial with rocks?

Hi everyone! I’m hoping I can gather some advice based on my interest and experience on to pursue career wise after I graduate in the Spring of 2026.

Personal context: I am a 3rd year undergraduate in a geology. I first went to college for Environmental Science with a concentration in marine science. Fell in love with the first geology class I took, transferred to the only university in my state offering a geology major.

I’m currently in the position when asked “what are you interested in?” I cannot give them a straight answer. My freshman year, I did a pilot project digitizing wetlands and I’m currently trying to get research doing more archaeological based work. Next semester I will be dipping my toes into geophysics and stratigraphy with hopes that something will click. I can’t seem to figure out where my passions and what the world needs overlaps.

If you were in a similar situation in your education I would love to hear your story and where you ending up. What did you do that helped you figure out what you wanted to do? Was it an internship, graduate research, a childhood dream? Please help me brainstorm some ideas of what I can say instead of “I’m not sure what I’m interested in just yet”

Hi all, after a year and half of not getting any job offers, I recently got 2 offers. One is for a recent graduate/pathways physical scientist position with the USGS. The other is to be a lab manager at a university for a research field I feel passionate about.

I'm struggling with what to do. I am concerned that my likelihood of being converted from a Recent Graduate to Permanent with the USGS may be diminished if the incoming administration is successful in hampering federal environmental agencies. Does anyone (especially USGS/Department of the Interior folks) have thoughts on that? I feel passionate and fortunate for both job opportunities, and I've been trying to get a job with the USGS for a while now. I don't want to accept the USGS offer if the job gets cut after the first year. Thank you all for your thoughts.

Geoscience undergrad here! Right now I am exploring my career options while I’m still an undergraduate. Im I’ve been exploring this sub and I’m interested in this field but I don’t wanna travel too too much. I live in CT and I’m willing to go to NY or mass if so be it but I’d rather stay in my state if possible. Is this reasonable? Will this hurt my career and salary growth? What do you guys think?

Hi y’all, I’m at my 2.5 year mark with my and I’m now making a hair under 50k a year. I’m in central Ohio. As a geologist/geophysicist, with my amount of experience and now starting to move from strictly field work to project management what sort of salary should I expect?

Or if anyone would be willing to share what they make and their level of experience and kinda what they do it would be appreciated. Because I’m thinking of pushing for a raise but i’m not sure what’s a realistic goal since indeed and glassdoor salaries when you look them up are all over the place.

Currently perusing a BS in geology in western Alberta and from only one class Im intrigued by geophysics. My reason for not switching to the geophysics major is due to the fact this is my 4th total year in university but only my 2nd year in geo as I came into university not knowing what I wanted. And I hear geophysics as a BS has more limited job opportunities as well as some extent of pigeonholing which I’m all ears for if these “claims” have no merit. I’ll also not opposed to getting a geophys MS possibly after 2-3 yrs of working as a geo. I want to know if I’m able to break into geophysics specifically siesmo with a geo undergrad. How hard it is to do? And anyone working in geophysics to possibly share what compensation could look like.

I’ve been reading posts on here for a while and I’ve noticed that majority of people are in America or have jobs in America. Is there anyone who is from Australia who can give me some info about the availability and type of work here? Also would love to hear about how you got your job!

Got a call out of the blue but went to voicemail because I was away from my phone. I applied for this job 2-3 months ago. Another call the next day, different number (they’re legitimate). I’m very happy where I am now, I’m guessing this is one of those would have been nice if I were unemployed at the time instead, but I had just started my first month at a new firm startup. Time loves to play tricks on me.

Anyone work this type of role or was part of a crew that does this?

Thanks!

Recently, I learned that approximately 1 in 12 men are colorblind. The condition is more rare in women (1 in 200) but its prevalence was surprising. There are so many aspects of geology that are tied to accurate color identification: Munsell soil colors in borehole logging, reading colorful graphs and charts, distinguishing color symbology on field maps, igneous/metamorphic petrology, I’m sure there are many many more I haven’t thought of! Please help me learn about the challenges you (or your coworkers) face as colorblind geologists, and what the rest of us can do to help!

Hello! I (23f) am an environmental consultant with a recent Bachelor of Science, starting work at a pipeline site in Alberta with a 14-days-on, 14-days-off rotation. I’ll be staying in camp for two weeks at a time.

This is my first camp job, so I’m looking for any packing lists or suggestions on essentials to bring. I’d also appreciate any advice on adjusting to camp life, building good relationships, and handling long periods away from home. I appreciate any help or advice!

I’m struggling here. My field is fluvial geomorphology. I have a MS degree. Im interested in doing a PhD outside of the US, but I’m not aware of many abroad fluvial geomorphology programs. I’m also a bit worried about the lack of available public data overseas. For example, publicly available USGS gage data, publicly available 10m DEMs, and more. This is a benefit I have come to learn about the US.

Can anyone shed light on the fluvial geomorph world outside of the US? For what it’s worth I am interested in post-wildfire work. I’ve seen fluvial geomorph positions in the context of snow hydrology, permafrost, climate change, tectonics, etc. none of these are my background, I’m specifically interested in channel / watershed dynamics change in gravel bed rivers following disturbance.

Hey all, Currently in Australia, working as a senior geologist in the mineral resources industry. 8 years experience.

Looking to move to the US (I have a visa) and have my eyes and heart set on Florida. What are my career prospects like here? I’m more than happy to do environmental/soil work, which I understand seems to be the majority of geo work up there.

What kind of salary can I expect? I’m currently on the equivalent of 120kUSD but given cost of living and tax differences I’m happy to take a pay cut to live in the states.

Also are there any companies you recommend I apply to?

Ta!

Are there any Canadian mappers in this sub? I’m curious what your career path was to get there, and what your work looks like month to month, year to year. Do you mostly work in mining, or do you have an equivalent to the USGS that most aspire to? How competitive was it, and what are future job prospects like?

Hello! I have a job interview with a state DEQ for a hydrogeologist position.

I have a BS in geology and about 6mo. experience as a field mapper for another states survey. I sadly had to leave that job, which I loved, for a move to support my husband and his career.

I have only ever taken hydrogeology in undergrad. Any advice on what to brush up on specifically and programs and methods used by hydrogeologist who work in DEQ waste management?

I’m assuming tracking and monitoring contaminants will be a major role of this position. Unfortunately the job posting is no longer on line and I should have saved the posting in a personal document. I didn’t expect to receive an interview!

Thank you!

Hey ☺️👋 I am doing my Master's in Oil and Gas field studies. I need to work on a project where I have to present all the information on specific oil field in charts and graphs, etc. I am a student in Russia and wanted to choose an oil field outside of Russia to make it more interesting for my class. Is there anyone who would like to assist me through my project. There I would be really grateful if there is someone willing to help me out.

Hello! I am currently a senior in high school who is planning on going to A&M for a 5-year masters degree plan for geology. The work geologists do and the actual subject itself is really interesting to me but after doing some research I see a lot of geologist end up having a bad homelife due to all the traveling that is required. Personally in my early years I would be fine with that (23-early 30s) however I do want to eventually settle down and start a family so I was wondering if there are geology positions that fit the more "9-5" office lifestyle where I would be able to be home at least most nights. If there are please give me suggestions and what fields they are in! As of right now I do not know what specific field I am going to go into (im going to choose after attending classes and figuring out which field suits me best). Any help would be amazing.

I’m strongly considering geology as a major, as part of this I’m researching a lot into the different sectors of work you can do and job postings and necessary experience. Particularly I’m liking exploration geology. One requirement for a lot of job listings however is it says “experience is needed with conducting geological field work like rock or soil sampling, mapping and data collection.” Paraphrase of an actual posting. How do I find jobs/internships that gets me this experience to further progress my career? Any companies to look at particularly? (I’m in the US, and am willing to go anywhere in the US). I’m just worried I won’t be able to get the experience I need once I graduate.

Been job hunting for geo since August but no luck. Feeling restless tbh. Im 23. Applying to grad school again tho 🫡🫡🥶

My school offers an extended studies program for GIS. This interests me, and I've been thinking about it for a few months. Would it be better to wait until I'm more certain about my career goals? (I'm a second year geosciences major)