Case studies: Trainee surveyor: Darren Murphy

Darren has an MSc Hydrographic Surveying from University College London and works as a trainee surveyor for an international consulting company.

After my degree I travelled for a year in Australia and then began an MSc Land Surveying at University College London . Whilst studying, however, I was made aware of the UCL hydrographic surveying course by a fellow student who had worked in the offshore industry for ten years. I began attending evening lectures with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) where I got a feel for the industry and the day-to-day life of a hydrographic surveyor.

An opportunity arose to change from land surveying to hydrographic surveying and I jumped at it. The course was both enjoyable and very challenging, and I use the majority of what I learned on a daily basis. Practical work with the Port of London Authority was particularly useful for getting hands-on experience. I had the opportunity to work with Sonardyne for my thesis, which was a unique experience as they play a big part in the offshore industry. Companies in the field gave lectures at UCL and it was from speaking to these companies that I got a job before graduating.

A typical working day is a 12-hour shift, either day or night. At present we are providing positioning support to a vessel in a large wind farm development in the North Sea. I am a trainee so have to try and soak up as much information as I can and learn on the job. I also received comprehensive specialised training when I first started. This included Helicopter Underwater Escape Training, which is mandatory for offshore workers - as is the requirement to pass various medicals. My current aim is to learn as much as possible so that I may progress from trainee to surveyor.

I have been working for six months and been on three trips so far. It works out at roughly 180 days offshore per year. I have found that it is useful to be a 'jack of all trades' and a good problem solver. We work with varying specialities onboard a vessel, such as geophysicists or divers. I work mainly with GPS and other instruments onboard, making sure they are all functioning and calibrated correctly. Depending on the job, you can be busy all day or have large gaps waiting on the tide or weather.

The most challenging part of the job is being away from home and missing family occasions. It can be difficult to plan ahead. That said, for the right sort of person, life at sea offers a varied and interesting career with excellent prospects. The time off allows me to do hobbies properly rather than squeezing them into a hectic schedule. Every day is the weekend! In the future, I will have the opportunity to travel to countries such as Africa that I would usually never get to see.

My advice for people thinking about working as a hydrographic surveyor is to talk to people who do or have done the job. They will let you know what it is about and you will know if it’s right for you. University open days and the annual Oceanology International conference are great opportunities to do this.