Geoscientist : Entry requirements

Relevant degree subject areas include the physical, mathematical and applied sciences. The following subjects in particular may increase your chances:

• geology;
• geophysics/geotechnology;
• geochemistry.

Since geoscience is a specialised career, it usually requires more than a good honours Bachelor degree. An MSc or an MGeol (these are four-year first degrees), and often a PhD, in a relevant area of geoscience (such as geophysics, petroleum geology or sedimentology) is usually essential for entry to this field, although there may be occasional opportunities for graduates with a Bachelors degree.

Pre-entry experience is desirable. Entry without previous experience is possible, but vacation work or placements are likely to improve your chances.

Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

• the capacity to work in multidisciplinary teams, especially with engineers in production, where it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about specialities outside geoscience;
• a strong technical grounding and an understanding or knowledge of industry-specific techniques (more often learnt on the job);
• a good understanding of earth science concepts and the ability to apply them to new situations;
• a deeper understanding of several specific fields, such as stratigraphy or seismic interpretation;
• a wider appreciation of general science, such as physics or engineering;
• the ability to learn quickly;
• good IT skills;
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Try to obtain vacation work or a placement with a seismic contractor or as a technical assistant with an oil company. Increasingly, there are opportunities to gain valuable operational experience on eight-week placements during the summer vacation of your penultimate year. Large energy companies such as BP and Shell offer geoscience summer internships to candidates studying relevant technical disciplines. These placements may also offer the chance to bypass initial parts of the recruitment process. Bear in mind that closing dates for such placements may be before Christmas. You should also take any opportunity to undertake relevant project work during your degree course.

The level of competition for entry into the oil and gas sector varies according to the state of the world oil market and the international situation, although this does not mean that entry requirement standards are likely to fall.

The pattern tends to be that jobs are either available through the graduate recruitment process or advertised as and when they arise. Many companies use recruitment agencies dedicated to the oil and gas sector to advertise their vacancies, although this tends to apply to more senior positions requiring a minimum of ten years’ experience.

Three to four years' experience with a seismic contractor can be a route into geoscience with an oil company. In some companies, it is possible to start as a technical assistant and progress through to a full geoscientist role.

For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.