In the midst of economic hard times, there are still some employment bright spots. Being that I am looking for a job in the Earth sciences, it is encouraging to me that there are openings out there in hydrology and environmental science:

HYDROLOGISTS

From the New York Times: Hiring in Hydrology Resists the Slump:

“Demand for hydrologists has been predicted to grow 24 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations.”

“Most hydrologists did not earn degrees in hydrology; in fact, only a handful of undergraduate and graduate hydrology programs exist across the country. It is far more common for hydrologists to come from a hard-science or engineering background.” [I have an M.S. in geology.]

“In fact, computers have revolutionized hydrology in ways beyond sampling. Data collected in the field is now plugged into complex mathematic models that allow hydrologists to make predictions — for example, about the effect of climate change on sea levels. The models also help them develop recommendations for solving problems, like how much water can be diverted from a river to combat a drought.” [I have extensive experience with GIS, and recent training in GIS spatial analysis and 3D analysis, both of which have hydrology applications.]

“People interested in hydrology often don’t understand you need to be very strong in math.” [GRE Quantitative: 94th percentile; A’s in calculus-based physics and graduate-level nuclear chemistry.]

“They also need to communicate well, because their research is often written in reports and presented to others — to policy makers, if they work in the public sector, or to clients in the private sector.” [Strong written and verbal communication skills gained through graduate school, employment as a cartographer, and teaching at various levels.]

HT: Geology News

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS

From Monster.com: The Top 10 Hardest Jobs to Fill includes environmental scientists in its list.

I am well qualified for work as an environmental scientist:

• M.S. and B.S. in geology
• Minor in biology
• 37 semester hours in chemistry and geochemistry
  
• Strong communication skills
• ArcGIS experience
• Love for the creation

HT: The Evangelical Ecologist

You can contact me by commenting below, or by emailing me at geochristianblog (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Thanks,

Kevin