Chemist to oceanographer
A chemist already meets 66% of what the oceanographer role asks for. The move turns on 10 required skills not yet in the profile.
46.5/ 100
1 How much of what an oceanographer is expected to do is already part of a chemist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the oceanographer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An oceanographer role treats 32 of its required skills as things a chemist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply for research funding
- apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities
- apply scientific methods
- communicate with a non-scientific audience
- conduct research across disciplines
- demonstrate disciplinary expertise
What stands in the way is 10 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 37 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An oceanographer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a chemist background worth leading with.
- already held develop scientific theories information skills
- already held assist scientific research communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held apply scientific methods information skills
- already held collect samples for analysis handling and moving
- already held physics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data information skills
All 37 carried skills, including the 32 the oceanographer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 31 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn geology required
- still to learn mathematics required
- still to learn oceanography required
- still to learn statistics required
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held aquatic ecology optional
- optional, not held biology optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held geophysics optional
- optional, not held meteorology optional
- optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
- still to learn apply statistical analysis techniques required
- still to learn execute analytical mathematical calculations required
- still to learn gather experimental data required
- optional, not held conduct underwater surveys optional
- optional, not held conduct field work optional
- optional, not held conduct research on climate processes optional
- still to learn operate scientific measuring equipment required
- still to learn use measurement instruments required
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
- optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
- still to learn scientific modelling required
- optional, not held design scientific equipment optional
- optional, not held write research proposals optional
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an oceanographer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 apply statistical analysis techniques practise this
- 02 execute analytical mathematical calculations practise this
- 03 gather experimental data practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 37 skills that carry over
- already held apply for research funding skill
- already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
- already held apply scientific methods skill
- already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
- already held conduct research across disciplines skill
- already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
- already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
- already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
- already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
- already held evaluate research activities skill
- already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
- already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
- already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
- already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
- already held manage intellectual property rights skill
- already held manage open publications skill
- already held manage personal professional development skill
- already held manage research data skill
- already held mentor individuals skill
- already held operate open source software skill
- already held perform project management skill
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held physics knowledge
- already held promote open innovation in research skill
- already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
- already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
- already held publish academic research skill
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held speak different languages skill
- already held synthesise information skill
- already held think abstractly skill
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held apply blended learning skill
- already held assist scientific research skill
- already held collect samples for analysis skill
- already held develop scientific theories skill
- already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held perform diving interventions optional
21 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- optional, not held conduct underwater surveys optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held aquatic ecology optional
- optional, not held biology optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held conduct field work optional
- optional, not held conduct research on climate processes optional
- optional, not held design scientific equipment optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held geophysics optional
- optional, not held meteorology optional
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
- optional, not held perform diving interventions optional
- optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
- optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
- optional, not held write research proposals optional
59 held skills the oceanographer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role CAE software knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise on chemical use reduction skill
- not needed by the target role alternative fuels knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse chemical substances skill
- not needed by the target role analytical chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role analytical methods in biomedical sciences knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply liquid chromatography skill
- not needed by the target role apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
- not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
- not needed by the target role biological chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role calibrate laboratory equipment skill
- not needed by the target role communicate with external laboratories skill
- not needed by the target role conduct quality control analysis skill
- not needed by the target role cosmetics industry knowledge
- not needed by the target role customer relationship management knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop chemical products skill
- not needed by the target role develop components separation processes skill
- not needed by the target role develop new food products skill
- not needed by the target role develop scientific research protocols skill
- not needed by the target role dispose of hazardous waste skill
- not needed by the target role document analysis results skill
- not needed by the target role execute feasibility study on hydrogen skill
- not needed by the target role follow nuclear plant safety precautions skill
- not needed by the target role follow procedures to control substances hazardous to health skill
- not needed by the target role formulate cosmetic products skill
- not needed by the target role good manufacturing practices knowledge
- not needed by the target role green chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role inorganic chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role laboratory techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage chemical testing procedures skill
- not needed by the target role materials engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role nuclear energy knowledge
- not needed by the target role nuclear medicine knowledge
- not needed by the target role nuclear physics knowledge
- not needed by the target role organic chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role oversee quality control skill
- not needed by the target role oxidation knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform physico-chemical analysis to food materials skill
- not needed by the target role pharmaceutical chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role pharmaceutical drug development knowledge
19 further entries not listed here
16 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn geology required
- still to learn mathematics required
- still to learn oceanography required
- still to learn scientific modelling required
- still to learn statistics required
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held aquatic ecology optional
- optional, not held biology optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held geophysics optional
- optional, not held meteorology optional
- optional, not held remote sensing techniques optional
Other moves recorded from chemist
- analytical chemist 76% covered · moderate
- religion scientific researcher 74% covered · moderate
- cosmetic chemist 74% covered · moderate
- thanatology researcher 71% covered · moderate
- philosopher 70% covered · moderate
- palaeontologist 70% covered · moderate
- astronomer 70% covered · moderate
- seismologist 70% covered · moderate
Common questions about this move
Can a chemist become an oceanographer?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A chemist already covers 66% of what an oceanographer is expected to do: 37 skills carry over, 32 of which the oceanographer role treats as required.
What skills does a chemist need to become an oceanographer?
10 required skills are missing, plus 21 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by natural sciences, mathematics and statistics. The single most important is apply statistical analysis techniques.
How hard is the move from chemist to oceanographer?
Its learning distance is 46.5 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.