Geophysicist
What the work is
Studies the composition, structure and other physical attributes of the Earth or other planetary bodies, locates materials such as minerals, petroleum and ground water, and detects, monitors and forecasts seismic, magnetic, electrical, geothermal and oceanographic activity.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Studies, measures and analyses seismic, gravitational, electrical, thermal and magnetic forces, and other physical attributes of the Earth or other planetary bodies
- Designs and improves methods and procedures for geophysical measurement, data collection and data processing
- Plans, analyses and assesses geophysical surveys to assist in locating and understanding water, petroleum and other mineral-bearing sources
- Studies the internal structure of the Earth or other planetary bodies to understand their composition, and predict volcanic and tectonic activity and their associated risks
- Studies the physical conditions and processes of oceans, such as density, temperature, water currents, and the interactions of the atmosphere and the ocean
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a geoscience team: core sheds and drill sites in the field, and a water agency office in town. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A core sample comes out of the ground and tells a story that is millions of years old
- A pattern in the data finally explains why a bore keeps running dry
- A rock you identified in the field turns out to be the key to a whole map
Hard days
- Long days in the dust and heat, with a laptop full of data to check each night
- Pressure to say a result looks promising when the data says it is uncertain
- A drought, and a town that wants more certainty about its water than you can give
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 244532, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.