Working as an Hydrologist is a rewarding career, assisting to manage one of earth's most precious resources - water! This position can have you working in a wide range of fields from mining to oceanography.
As a hydrologist you may be responsible for enacting a range of activities to monitor manage and protect water resources. Hydrologists can be responsible for a variety of tasks such as:
- Monitoring and Field Sampling- river flows, water levels, water quality, climate parameters, groundwater, rainfall and chemical analyses.
- Modelling - predictive drought or flood models, hydrological processes, river flow processes, interactions between soil and water and biosphere interactions.
Skills
Skills required to be a Hydrologist:
- Analytical Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Computer Skills
- Field Survey Skills
- Moderate - High Fitness for Field Studies
- A passion for the outdoors and water conservation
Relevant Subject Areas
Physical sciences, biology, chemistry, soil sciences, geology, geophysics, oceanography, climatology, mathematics/statistics, engineering, marine biology, water conservation, water management and oceanography.
Career Pathways
To become a Hydrologist you will need at least a Bachelor of Science/Applied Science in a relevant scientific field. You may need further postgraduate qualifications such as Honours, Masters or PhD.
Some courses that may help you on your way to working as a Hydrologist include:
Earth Science
Environmental Studies
Certificate in Marine Studies
Pay
Pay scales for those working as Hydrologists can range greatly depending on the experience and position of the person. In Australia pay scales can range from around $45,000 (entry level) - $140,000.