Oceanographer Job Description

If geography is the subject that you are passionate about, then you can definitely think of a career as an oceanographer. Believe me, the more you learn about the aquatic and marine life, the more interested you will be interested to study the subjects related to marine life. A job in oceanography offers great career opportunities to students and professionals, who love knowing and working for aquatic life. Growing concerns of environmental pollution and global warming have made the job of oceanographers more challenging, as they need to be more vigilant in highlighting the impact of such environmental issues on the marine animals.

Job Description
An oceanographer is a professional who studies and analyzes the interactions of freshwater lakes, polar ice caps, melting glaciers, sea water, oceans and the atmosphere. By using the scientific and mathematical tools, an oceanographer is able to establish relation between all the factors that lead to environmental problems and water pollution. Besides these, the oceanographers also study cases related to mineral exploitation, shipping, fisheries, weather prediction, climate change, tidal currents and renewable energy sources. Interesting, isn't it? The job of an oceanographer, in strictest sense is diversified into various parts like studying the geological, physical and chemical aspects of the ocean and lakes. So, all the three branches of scientists work together in teams, on issues related to environment. The ecological conditions of the marine life and various ocean phenomena are analyzed and reported by the oceanographers.

The geological oceanographers deal with topography issues of the ocean floor. The formation of canyons and underwater volcanoes is also studied by the geological oceanographers. One of the important duties of an oceanographer in this field is to collect sediments and rocks from deep inside the ocean and study them, to predict about the geological activity that may occur in the future. The fossils found in the oceans are also studied by them, to understand the geological activities and the climate history that prevailed thousands of years ago.

The physical oceanographers are the scientists who have become very important in predicting the movements in the ocean, for instance the tides, waves and winds. By studying the ocean movements, temperature and concentration of salinity, the physical oceanographers are able to understand the cause of natural disasters like the tsunamis. The satellite technology has made the job of physical oceanographers quite easier and better, as they are able to get an overall view of the images of the ocean and seas.

The chemical oceanographers are concerned with the interaction of chemicals in the water, along with the effects on the marine life. These are the scientists who study the effects of global warming, inside the ocean. The important information that these scientists collect about the inside temperature of the ocean, makes it possible to understand the dangerous consequences of global warming. Even small changes in the ocean temperature can adversely affect the life inside the ocean.

Educational Requirements
Now, let's discuss the educational requirements for the job of an oceanographer. Since, the job of an oceanographer is all about sciences, the aspirant must have had science and maths as compulsory subjects in the high school and college degree. In graduation years, a degree in earth sciences and physical sciences is mandatory. Attending seminars and internships with scientists in the related field, helps to gain entry-level knowledge about the oceanographer job. To become professional scientists, a postgraduate degree or doctoral research in related subjects is often mandatory, as the knowledge and skill levels for the job is very high.

An oceanographer has various options to work with. With the investment in environmental research rising, many science and technology institutes are hiring young aspirants who can assist the senior scientists. Besides these, teaching jobs in reputable institutes, are a good option for the many people with postgraduate degrees in oceanography related subjects. The average salary of an oceanographer with bachelor's degree is between USD 25,000 to USD 40,000, annually. For the scientists with postgraduate and doctoral degree, the salaries can go as high as USD 130, 000, annually. Seeing the prospects of career development and job satisfaction, an oceanographer has lot to achieve.