An earth science professional can be a faculty or a professor in any of the science departments, be it physics, chemistry, etc. of a university, or may work for an organization which deals with research around natural factors and calamities. Earth science professionals who work for government or private organizations involved in detecting natural disasters such as volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. are required to maintain a very high amount of precision in their analysis and work, as their research conclusions would be used to draw results which could save or endanger the lives of many.
Hence an earth science professional is required to have a thorough knowledge of probabilistic analysis techniques, good interpretation and communication skills, flexibility, and readiness and willingness in remote and natural calamity prone areas.
For becoming an earth science professional the minimum requirements are that the candidate must have obtained a bachelor’s degree in science along with specialization in one of the sub fields like seismology, geophysics, etc. Any graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the above mentioned fields and with a work experience of a few years in this domain is considered as a valuable candidate. Companies and organizations that do private research in these fields are constantly in search of such graduates and offer fantastic packages to them from the start.
Earth science professionals also have the option of becoming visiting professors in universities, which not only allows them to teach others the knowledge they have gained over the years, but also allows them in finding new talent and nurturing it to produce professionals who would one day join them in research.
It is also the duty of the earth science professional to check the dependability and accuracy of the IT infrastructure, equipments, laboratories, and software and suggest upgrades to them if and when required. As these entities are used in critical applications, failure of any of them or inaccurate and inefficient results from any of them could result in disastrous events. Thus an earth science professional not only has to be a knowledgeable individual, but also an alert and smart one.
The work of earth science professionals affects the lives of people. Due to the shortage of talent in this field the salaries of individuals in it have always been on the higher side. Institutions, universities, departments of government and other research organizations constantly seek out the best professionals in the industry and offer them with lucrative benefits to keep them in their arsenal.
The Earth science job market has always been a niche for individuals with high intellect and analytical skills and with an affinity for environment and its various resulting effects. It is a job which can give one satisfaction due to fact that his one correct timely decision can save millions of lives and still offer him with ample of opportunities to lead a more than satisfactory life. Anyone with a keen interest in the environment should definitely consider opting for the job of an earth science professional.
