Page Content
Job profiles
Geotechnician
Hours
30-40 per week
Starting salary
£12,500 + per year
WorkDesc
The work
Geotechnicians support the work of professional geoscientists by collecting and analysing information from rock samples.
Much of your work as a geotechnician would involve routine laboratory duties such as:
- preparing rock, soil and water samples for testing
- analysing the chemical make up and physical properties of samples.
You would use a range of specialised instruments and computer programs in your work, and you may be responsible for servicing and maintaining laboratory equipment. Depending on the type of research you are carrying out, your other duties could include:
- obtaining and processing geophysical data
- logging well and borehole drilling activity
- interpreting data from seismic surveys
- preparing geological maps sections
- supporting teaching staff in university.
As a senior technician, you may also be responsible for training and supervising staff, scheduling work, maintaining quality standards and producing reports for engineers and scientists.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would be based in a laboratory, working 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. However, you may occasionally have some evening and weekend work to meet deadlines. If you are involved in equipment maintenance, you could work on an out-of-hours rota system.
In the lab, you would wear protective clothing and use safety equipment when carrying out certain tests.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Starting salaries for geotechnicians can be between £12,500 and £15,000 a year.
- With experience, this can rise to between £20,000 and £32,000.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You may be able to start as a junior technician if you have around five GCSEs grades A-C, including English, a science subject and maths. However, many employers will prefer you to have relevant A levels or a BTEC Diploma in Applied Science, a BTEC HNC/HND, or possibly a degree. You will need a genuine interest in chemistry, physics, maths and computing.
Many course providers offer science-based BTEC HND courses, but only a small number specialise in geology. Geology is more widely available at degree level. You can search for colleges and universities offering these courses on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website.
You may have an advantage when applying for a course or a job, if you have some experience in the field. For example, you could join your local geological group or use The Geologists' Directory to find details of companies working in the area of geology you are interested in. The Geological Society also has details of some formal work experience schemes.
The Mineral Products Qualifications Council (MPQC, previously the EMP Awarding Body) offers the levels 2 and 3 Certificates in the Extraction and Mineral Processing Industries, which may also help you prepare for work in this area.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once working, you will usually receive on-the-job training from your employer, which will often include short in-service training courses on the use of particular techniques or equipment.
You may also be encouraged to take further qualifications such as a geology degree, which may be available on a part-time or day-release basis.
You could also work towards an NVQ in Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities, available at levels 2 to 4.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
- good scientific and technical skills
- the ability to pay close attention to detail
- good maths skills
- patience
- good observational skills
- a methodical approach to problem solving
- good IT skills
- practical skills, to use instruments and technical equipment
- the ability to work without direct supervision.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Mineral Products Qualifications Council 
7 Regent Street
Nottingham
NG1 5BS
www.epicltd.com
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Polaris House
North Star Avenue
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411500
www.nerc.ac.uk
Geological Society
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London
W1J 0BG
Tel: 020 7434 9944
www.geolsoc.org.uk
British Geological Survey
Kingsley Dunham Centre
Keyworth
Nottingham
NG12 5GG
Tel: 0115 936 3143
www.bgs.ac.uk
Energy Institute
61 New Cavendish Street
London
W1G 7AR
www.energyinst.org.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could work within the oil and gas sector, in engineering and water companies and with universities and colleges offering geology courses.
Two of the largest employers of geoscientists and technical staff in the UK are the British Geological Survey (part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)), and the Environment Agency. Working with a large organisation is likely to give you greater opportunities for career progression and the chance to train and qualify as a geoscientist.
If you work within a smaller company you may need to relocate in order to progress your career. It is possible to move into a managerial post or into another sector, for example, as a laboratory technician in a school.
For general reading and job vacancy information, you could check journals like Geology Today and Nature, and websites such as: (links open in new window)
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The oil and gas industry is part of the broader science‐based sector represented by Cogent Sector Skills Council, which also includes chemicals, polymers, nuclear, petroleum and pharmaceuticals industries. Most goods used by people in their homes, at work and in their everyday activities are products derived from the chemical, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. The combined industries represent nearly half a million people in the UK and are of huge economic and strategic importance to the UK.
The UK oil and gas industry operates as one part of a global business and its product is traded internationally.
There has been a decline in UK oil and gas output since 2000 and this is not forecast to change significantly to 2017. Industry needs are determined by high energy prices, the volatility of the oil price, the uncertainty over reserves and poor reservoir performance. These all undermine investment in discovery and extraction. The UK offshore industry will continue to make a contribution to the UK’s energy supply for many years to come. Over the longer term, oil and gas production in the North Sea will fall as reserves become depleted and it becomes increasingly difficult to find new wells.
New discoveries, on-going operations, planned lifetime extensions for existing operations, decommissioning activities and retirement of the incumbent workforce, are all factors that mean the industry has a sustained recruitment demand with a requirement for skills training and up‐skilling of the incumbent workforce.
Keeping the UK Continental Shelf competitive will require exploration and production activities to be carried out, requiring a diversity of people from geoscientist to engineers and from environmental scientists to electricians.
Key facts:
- The skills developed in the UK workforce are in demand globally.
- In 2007/08, there were 40 new fields on‐stream in the UK Continental Shelf.
- The industry is highly capital intensive with capital expenditure of £5.6 billion.
- It is one of the UK’s strongest industry investors in research and development.
- Sustainability of the UK Continental Shelf is highly dependent upon the development and realisation of new technologies.
- Oil and gas together met 75% of UK primary energy demand in 2005.
Jobs in the oil and gas industry are divided into:
- Discipline engineers – graduate engineer, engineer, senior/lead engineer, specialist/principal engineer, engineering/operations management
- Offshore technicians – maintenance technician, production technician, senior/lead production technician, shift supervisor, operations management
National and regional data
Across Great Britain, there are an estimated 28,000 people working in the oil and gas industry. The largest number of employees is located in:
- Scotland
- East of England
- North West
73% of the oil and gas industry workforce are employed in Scotland; 38% are in Aberdeen. There are also clusters of activity in Orkney, Shetland and Cromarty. In the East of England, 21,000 people are directly employed in the industry and a further 10,000 are indirectly working in the industry. The region is a significant centre for the industry focused on Norfolk, with offshore support in Lowestoft and Norfolk.
Career paths
Careers in the industry are usually well‐paid and long‐term, with opportunities throughout the UK and often worldwide too. For further information:
Further sources
View full Job market information
Other sectors and industries relevant to this job
News
