Your guide to become an Geologist in Malaysia

Average Salary
3,000 - 3,500

Job Demand

Who is an Geologist

A Geologist is a scientist skilled in the study of earth sciences and how they affect the environment.

A career in Geology is ideal for students who have an inherent interest to explore the earth and seabed. A Geologist understands the processes that influence the way earth changes over time and how certain land formations are created. There are many types of Geologists and each specialise in a specific field. These include Petroleum Geologist, Mineralogist, Geophysicist and so forth. The role of Geologists varies – they can help predict volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, find gold, silver and other precious minerals, and even help engineers decide whether a certain type of soil is good for laying a building’s foundations. The job market for Geology graduates is far and wide. They can find employment in the oil and gas, construction, academic, mining, and many other industries. According to Hays, a global recruitment agency, Exploration Geologists, Development Geologists, and Reservoir and Petroleum Geologists are in demand.

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The pros and cons of being an Geologist

Pros

Spend lots of time exploring nature and natural resources
Be the first few to detect and warn others of underground reactions, monitor earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and other natural disasters
An exciting career that allows you to discover new things everyday

Cons

A dangerous job that involves exposure to the earth’s core
Have to endure the scorching hot sun or rain to carry out your duties. Most of a Geologist’s job involves working outdoors

What are all the responsibilities of an Geologist ?

Collect information
Ensure the information collected is viable
Interpret scientific and numerical data
Develop models of the earth in order to estimate locations of resources below the surface
Interpret results of experiments with other Geologists
Assess potential quality of resources
Produce geological maps and reports
Perform risk analysis of proposed locations

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What skills do you need to become an Geologist?

Be Accurate

You need to be precise in whatever you do, be it in measuring, collecting samples, charting compositions, calculating, reporting, drawing or analysing. A tiny error will cause a miscalculation, leading to misinformation and wrong data. You must have a keen sense of observation and be able to identify even slight changes.

Analytical

To conduct an effective analysis on the earth’s surface, Geologists need to develop deep insights on their findings. As such, they need to have a lot of knowledge on scientific research methods to conduct meaningful experiments and investigations that will add value to statistics and bodies or organisations needing its expertise.

Ability to operate equipment

Since Geologists will be working mostly in laboratories than outdoors, they must be able to operate and maintain machinery, tools and advanced computer programmes that will greatly help in their findings and analysis such as identifying minerals. Splitters, drills, crushers, rock hammers, analysers, microscopes and spectroscopes are just some of the equipment you’ll have to use.

What field(s) of study should you choose to become an Geologist?

Geology

What are the requirements to be an Geologist?

To become a Geologist, you will need to complete a four-year degree with a major in Geology or Geophysics. To prepare for this, core subject areas like physics, chemistry and biology should be taken in SPM. In university, it is expected that internships and research projects would be a large part of becoming a Geologist. Fresh graduates will usually start their career in entry-level positions, such as a Research Assistant.

What are the working hours of an Geologist

The working hours of a Geologist depend on the location. If you work in a lab, expect regular office hours (i.e. 9am to 5pm). Working on-site, however, would require you to work long hours and in different conditions, depending on the project at hand.

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