Paleontologist Job Description

Paleontology is the branch concerned with the study of prehistoric life, its environment, as well as evolution of life. So, a paleontologist is a person with expertise to study prehistoric life, fossils, evolution and relationship between the different life forms and their environment. In other words, he is a person concerned with unearthing the history of our plant by studying the fossils of extinct animals, plants and other forms of life. No doubt, to work in such a field, one needs special qualifications and skills.

Paleontologist Education Requirements

It is always better to groom yourself for the career that you want to pursue as early as possible. So, students who are interested in becoming a paleontologist in the future should take up subjects like science and mathematics quite seriously. Along with the curriculum, he can enhance knowledge about paleontology and fossils by reading various journals and also by visiting museums. In college, students interested in this subject should try to concentrate in biology and geology. Usually, a bachelor's degree in geology or earth science is required to get an entry-level job in this field. But, it is generally considered that a master's degree and doctoral degree or PhD are necessary to get better prospects in this field.

People interested in this job should have a good knowledge about sedimentation, sedimentary petrology, ecology, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, genetics, evolutionary biology, along with mineralogy and structural geology. In addition to educational qualifications, one needs to have some hands-on training regarding the usage of various sophisticated equipment that are used in this field. Such trainings are usually provided by certain research institutions, as well as employers. Lastly, an aspiring paleontologist should also acquire knowledge about statistical analysis, computer modeling, data analysis, digital mapping, as well as geographic information systems.

Career in Paleontology

The main job of a paleontologist is to recover, as well as study the fossils of animals and other organisms to find out their approximate age and the history of evolution, so that some key facts about the prehistoric earth can be unveiled. To locate such fossils, they have to excavate sedimentary rocks. Such field work often calls for frequent trips to fossil-rich areas. The tools that are commonly used in the excavation process are picks, drills, chisels, shovels, and brushes. Excavation is followed by examination of the various discoveries and then research.

Research is the major part of the job of a paleontologist. It involves studying and analyzing the discoveries and results obtained. He has to spend a lot of time in laboratories, analyzing and comparing the results that they have obtained with the existing scientific data. He also has to trace back the fossil period. This is usually done with the help of radiometric dating. DNA research along with biostratigraphy are also employed for this purpose.

There are several sub-branches in paleontology and accordingly, the work assigned may vary. Some major sub-branches of paleontology are, micropaleontology, vertebrate paleontology, invertebrate paleontology, paleoecology, paleobotany and evolutionary biology. As far as the salary is concerned, he can earn somewhere around $35,000 to $39000 per annum in the beginning. With further experience in this field, the figure can rise up to $1,35,000 per annum. On an average, a paleontologist can earn around $67,000 a year.