Seismologist Career Path | Step-by-Step Career Guide

Are you want to become a Seismologist, but little bit confuse about your choice and want to get more details about Seismologist career path. (Or) Just want to know, Seismologist as a career option. You are most welcome at Find Career Info.

This post is packed with full of knowledge and provide you with the necessary information, which is required you to know before opting Seismologist career path. The path of seismologist is quite fascinating and exciting. Because you are going to learn the earth natural phenomena throughout your entire career.

In this post, you are going to know about these following details….

  • What is meant by Seismology?
  • Required education to become a Seismologist?
  • What are the Skills set you need?
  • Instruments used by Seismologist
  • Who hires Seismologist?
  • job responsibilities of a Seismologist
  • Seismologist Career Scope?

 

What is Seismology all about?


A Seismologist study Seismology

But what is Seismology?

Let’s first and foremost understand about the seismic waves

Seismic wave is the type of wave that contains a huge amount of energy, and it is produced and travels under the earth surface. Seismic wave generated due to these following reasons…

  • Land sliding
  • Volcanic Eruptions
  • Earthquakes
  • Tsunami
  • Magma flow
  • Mudflow
  • Man-made explosions (like land mining & nuclear bomb testing)
  • Volumetric holes in the sea for the sake of natural fuels.
  • Movement of Tectonic Plates

So you can say that seismic wave generated due to any volumetric movement (vibration) on the earth surface or beneath the earth surface.

Seismology is the subject of study which deals with the seismic waves and other dangerous vibration through the earth surface.  

Let’s come to our main object “what is seismologist”. A seismologist professionals study about seismic waves, elastic waves or any remarkable movements (Earthquakes) through the earth surface.

However, most of the time a seismologist is related to the earthquakes. Because most of the time, we all hear about this natural disaster and wherever it goes, people face a tremendous amount of damage. According to seismologist data, Earthquakes plays a vital role in the generation of a large number of seismic waves on alone.

In simple words we can define seismologist;

Seismologist study seismic waves and their causes

 

What you will go to learn in Seismology


Study of Seismology answered you about these following basic questions….

  • How the earth vibrates?
  • What causes ground shaking?
  • How and Why Earthquake happens?
  • How can we measure Earthquakes and earth shaking?
  • What are the consequences of Earthquakes?

 

Types of Seismic Waves (Earthquake waves)


Generally, seismic waves are two types

[1] Body Waves: It travels in the inner layer of earth surface and moves in all direction. Body waves further classified into types.

  • P (Primary) Wave
  • S (Secondary) Wave

Watch this video to understand P and S wave

[2] Surface waves: This wave moves on the upper surface of the earth (on the land, where we live). Body waves cause surface waves.  This seismic wave also classified into two categories

  • Rayleigh waves

via GIPHY

  • Love waves

via GIPHY

 I hope you get some basic overview of seismologist career path. And know what is the seismologist all about.

 

Education required to become Seismologist


Education 1 (Mandate): You must have completed your high school [Subject must have: Physics and Mathematics] to move further in Seismologist Career Path

Education 2 (Mandate): Bachelor’s Degree

You can do your bachelors in any of the following subjects….

  • Geology
  • Geophysics

Most of the student prefer these two subjects to continue seismologist career path. Seismology is an interdisciplinary field in geophysics.

  • Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Earth Science

After your Bachelors you can apply for the entry-level jobs.

Education 3 (Mandate): Master’s Degree

The best choice to make a career in Seismology. You can do your master’s degree in Geoscience or any related field (above mention subjects in Education 2). Most of the Seismologist job posting requires master’s degree. Therefore if you want to go into seismologist career path then it might be good choice to enrol for master’s degree.

Education 4 (Optional): PhD

Many Seismologists is scientist. Therefore many of the seismology aspirants preferred to go for the PhD programme, and then apply for the real world challenges (Job). However, during the PhD programme, you can apply for the internship or get a part time job to fulfil your daily needs.

 

Skills required in Seismologist Career Path


  • Analytics
  • Tectonic Plates
  • Cores of Earth
  • Seismic waves
  • Earth layer Mechanism
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Data processing
  • Seismic project designing
  • Management
  • Interpersonal & Communication skills

 

Tools and Instruments used by a Seismologist


  • Tiltmeter
  • Seismometers
  • Accelerometers
  • Seismograph and Seismic Sensors
  • Seismic survey design and planning software [MESA, ACTeQ]
  • GPS (Global Positioning System): For monitoring the surface displacement over the period of time

 

Where does a Seismologist work?


  • Oil and Natural gas extraction organisation
  • Construction Agencies
  • State and federal government
  • Defence
  • Research and Survey Agencies
  • Universities

The above are the places, where most of the seismologist preferred to go.

Most of the seismologist is work under the sun. So it might be possible you will get the field work in the starting. And this is not bad.

Seismic site: Where the Seismic sensor is placed to record the earth movement and vibrations

However, an experienced seismologist also has to visit seismic sites. That means most of the time you have to spend your day to visit multiple locations to analyse the on-site data.  And it is obvious you are working with Mother Nature.

 

Seismologist Job Description


  • Guide and provide the information to the construction engineers to build a consolidated structure, which can withstand the impact of the earthquake. So the structure can minimize the destructive energy wave.

 

  • As a seismologist, it will be your daily routine to analyse the seismic data received from the different places.

 

  • Educates and aware the societies about the earthquakes and its phenomenal aftermath. So the people can handle the situation at that moment and be safe.

 

  • Like every job, you also have to make reports of the analyse data of a month or a week or maybe a day. And submit the evaluation data to the government agencies or any private organisation or some responsible authorities.   

 

  • Prediction and research are always withstood by every seismology scientist. So you also have to do.

 

  • Calculate and interpret the Earthquake impact to predict the next upcoming shock and the after consequences like land sliding, mud flowing, mountain rock breaking, tsunamis etc.

 

  • Monitoring the multiple seismic locations, where many seismic sensors got to be placed under the earth surface. You also have to observe the impact of man-made explosion sites. These seismic wave caused by land mining, demolition of the building and nuclear testing.  

 

  • You have to visit sites for testing and maintaining the earthquakes measuring equipment. Detect the damage and faulty instruments for replacement.

 

  • Design and prepare the seismic analyse data into the graphical and statistical form to make them understandable for the clients.

 

Seismologist Career Scope


As we know Earthquakes is one of the dangerous natural disasters, which cause a tremendous amount of destruction. No one wants to be a victim of that catastrophic event. So we need someone who can predict the earthquakes to minimize the destruction.

Let’s see with other prospects. The oil and natural gas excavation agencies are the biggest employer of the seismologist scientist. And you know how much we love petroleum and natural gases to make life easy.

We all need fuels to run our vehicles and light up our houses. And the consumption is increasing every day. Accordingly, the petroleum companies hunger for searching the petrol also increasing. Therefore they need lots of seismologist scientist, which helps them to find the natural energy resources with precautions.

Using the above two prospects we can say that seismologist scientist is in demand. Therefore it would be a right choice to select seismologist career path.