Geochemist

Geochemists use their expertise in geology and chemistry to understand Earth’s elements, search for natural resources and develop solutions to environmental problems

As a geochemist, you'll use physical and inorganic chemistry to investigate the amount and distribution of chemical elements in rocks and minerals. You'll also study the movement of those elements into soil and water systems and will use organic chemistry to study the composition of fossil fuel deposits.

Your research may be used to guide oil exploration, improve water quality and develop plans to clean up toxic waste sites. Depending on your role you could be involved in regulatory compliance.

Opportunities exist with oil and gas companies, environmental consultancies, research facilities and education institutions.

Responsibilities

As a geochemist, you'll need to:

• collect and analyse rock, soil, water and sediment samples using a range of techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), gas or liquid chromatography, isotope analysis and spectrophotometry
• use specialist equipment including mass spectrometers, electron microprobes, scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and portable field instruments (e.g. handheld XRF, spectrometers, environmental probes)
• carry out fieldwork, sometimes in remote or challenging locations
• model geochemical processes using software such as PHREEQC, Geochemist’s Workbench and GIS tools
• map and interpret geochemical data, applying remote sensing, statistics and programming (e.g. R, Python, MATLAB)
• work with geologists, hydrogeologists, environmental scientists, engineers and commercial managers
• provide data, recommendations and reports for clients, regulators and project teams
• manage and maintain geochemical databases and large datasets
• undertake research in areas such as resource exploration, climate change, critical minerals and land remediation
• prepare technical reports, journal papers and environmental assessments, and present findings at conferences and stakeholder events
• keep up to date with new methods, regulation and sustainability issues.

Salary

• Graduate geochemists earn £28,000 to £35,000 in an entry-level geochemist role.
• With experience, your salary can rise to £40,000 to £55,000.
• Salaries for senior/consultancy or industry specialists are in the region of £60,000 to £70,000.

Salaries vary according to the type of employer, location and nature of the work. They're likely to be considerably higher if you work for a multinational organisation, particularly if you're prepared to live and work in more remote locations.

Larger companies usually provide additional benefits such as private healthcare, childcare allowance and a company pension scheme.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours often extend outside normal office hours, particularly when you're on a field trip.

Hybrid working is now common in consultancies and research organisations.

What to expect

• Although you may spend a lot of time in the lab, there are also opportunities to work in the field collecting samples. At senior levels, the work can involve more administration and operations management.
• Field work can be physically demanding.
• Self-employment or freelance work is an option for experienced geochemists.
• Demand is strong in the UK for geoscientists in environmental monitoring, sustainable resource use, decarbonisation and climate-related research. Also, the exploration and extraction industry is international and there are many opportunities to work abroad.

Qualifications

Relevant degrees include earth sciences, geosciences, physical, mathematical and applied sciences, and engineering. Typical subjects include:

• chemical engineering
• data science
• earth sciences
• environmental sciences
• geochemistry
• geology
• geophysics or geotechnology
• marine sciences or oceanography
• mineral or mining engineering.

Degrees containing subject elements of environmental data analysis and geoinformatics are also useful.

It's possible to work in research or at academic institutions as a laboratory-based technician with an HND or foundation degree in a science or engineering subject, combined with relevant work experience. However, to progress into professional geochemist roles you'll usually need to complete an undergraduate degree and, in many cases, further postgraduate study.

Experience in areas such as toxicology, hydrology, hydrogeology and sedimentology is useful for environmental geochemistry, while skills in data analysis, GIS and environmental monitoring are increasingly valued.

A relevant postgraduate qualification, such as an MSc, is preferred, and sometimes stated as a requirement by employers, particularly major companies recruiting internationally. If you're considering a postgraduate course, think about its relevance to your chosen specialist area. To work in a public research body or university, you'll usually need a PhD in geochemistry or a closely related discipline.

Search postgraduate courses in geochemistry.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• laboratory skills, such as general technical ability and safety awareness
• data handling and statistical analysis (Python, R, MATLAB, GIS)
• a methodical approach to work for analysing samples and collating data
• research skills and the ability to manage a project or study
• awareness of sustainability and environmental legislation
• report writing for regulatory and non-technical audiences
• strong communication and interpersonal skills
• the ability to work as part of a team
• networking skills
• good numeracy skills
• good IT and database skills, with the ability to use a range of technical equipment
• intellectual and personal flexibility.

Work experience

Strong competition for jobs means that relevant work experience is valuable. The number of jobs in this field is limited, so try to apply early in your penultimate year for work with environmental consultancies, critical minerals companies, renewable energy or geothermal operators, government agencies, as well as traditional oil and gas operators, service companies and small consultancies.

Advice on work experience and a list of companies that may offer placements is available from The Geological Society - Placements. You can also explore opportunities through NERC Doctoral Training Partnerships, UKRI summer internships and work placements.

It's also worth making targeted speculative applications for work experience. You can search The Geologist's Directory for a list of geoscience-related companies. The Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists also has a searchable directory of members.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Typical employers include:

• oil and gas companies
• consultancies
• mining and quarrying companies
• environmental consultancies
• universities and research institutes
• specialist environmental bodies, such as the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS)
• government and regulatory agencies, such as the Environment Agency, SEPA, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency
• renewable energy and geothermal companies.

Your choice of employer will be influenced by both your degree subject and your specialist area.

The job market is influenced by wider economic conditions, energy transition policies and sustainability demands, which affect opportunities across geoscience sectors.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Earthworks-jobs.com - international jobs.
• Jobs.ac.uk
• Oil and Gas Job Search
• Rigzone

Specialist recruitment agencies sometimes handle vacancies.

Building up a reputation, networking and making contacts are important parts of the job-hunting process.

Recruitment, training and job titles vary from company to company and jobs may not always be advertised as 'geochemist', so it will be necessary to read the descriptions to understand the job role.

Professional development

Geographical mobility and a flexible attitude to work are useful, particularly at the start of your career when you need to build up a strong portfolio and network of contacts and find opportunities.

There may be opportunities to attend in-house training or external courses, in areas such as business, personal development and safety training. Technical and IT training is also usually provided. For jobs that involve fieldwork, employers are likely to provide training in survival skills, such as crevasse rescue.

Membership of The Geological Society will provide further professional development opportunities and can enhance your career prospects. The society provides professional accreditation through chartered geologist (CGeol) and chartered scientist (CSci) status. Geochemists working in environmental roles may also consider Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status through a licensed body such as the Society for the Environment.

Geochemists usually specialise in a particular area such as mining or oil, so membership of a specialist professional body such as The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) or Geoscience Energy Society of Great Britain (GESGB) can provide opportunities to network and to attend seminars, conferences and short courses.

Those focusing on environmental geochemistry may also find value in joining global organisations such as the Society of Environmental Geochemistry and Health (SEGH) or the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).

Career prospects

Geographical mobility and a flexible attitude to work are useful, particularly at the start of your career. Gaining experience in different roles or projects will help you build up a strong portfolio, a network of contacts and lead to more opportunities.

Once you've gained experience, you're likely to specialise in a specific area such as oil and gas, mining, environmental consultancy, decarbonisation projects, water quality or critical minerals. Progress will depend on your interests and the opportunities available in your chosen sector.

For experienced geochemists, there are also opportunities to move into consultancy-based project work in the oil industry or in areas such as land remediation, environmental monitoring and sustainable resource use. Building up a network of contacts through contract or project work, and by attending events and conferences, is crucial to successful freelancing.

Career progress within the academic field depends on having an active research profile. Occasionally, individuals within academia move into consultancy work or employment with an environmental body, a renewable energy organisation or a critical minerals company, as well as oil and gas operators.