Environmental geologist to hydrogeologist
An environmental geologist already meets 19% of what the hydrogeologist role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
74.2/ 100
1 How much of what a hydrogeologist is expected to do is already part of an environmental geologist’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 hydrogeologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A hydrogeologist role treats 2 of its required skills as things an environmental geologist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- address problems critically
- study groundwater
What stands in the way is 13 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 6 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A hydrogeologist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an environmental geologist background worth leading with.
- already held study groundwater information skills
- already held negotiate land access communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held hydrology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held geography natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held chemistry natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held address problems critically communication, collaboration and creativity
All 6 carried skills, including the 2 the hydrogeologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 17 missing skills fall into 7 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 model groundwater required
- still to learn assess groundwater environmental impact required
- still to learn manage land resources permits required
- still to learn perform water analysis required
- still to learn assess impact of industrial activities required
- still to learn create GIS reports required
- optional, not held perform water testing procedures optional
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn geology required
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- still to learn liaise with industrial professionals required
- still to learn prepare scientific reports required
- still to learn create thematic maps required
- still to learn identify GIS issues required
- still to learn ensure compliance with environmental legislation required
- optional, not held watershed development optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a hydrogeologist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 model groundwater practise this
- 02 assess groundwater environmental impact practise this
- 03 geographic information systems study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 6 skills that carry over
- already held address problems critically skill
- already held study groundwater skill
- already held chemistry knowledge
- already held geography knowledge
- already held hydrology knowledge
- already held negotiate land access skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held treat contaminated water optional
4 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- optional, not held treat contaminated water optional
- optional, not held watershed development optional
- optional, not held perform water testing procedures optional
13 held skills the hydrogeologist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise on mining environmental issues skill
- not needed by the target role archaeology knowledge
- not needed by the target role biology knowledge
- not needed by the target role communicate on minerals issues skill
- not needed by the target role communicate on the environmental impact of mining skill
- not needed by the target role conduct environmental site assessments skill
- not needed by the target role conduct erosion control skill
- not needed by the target role conduct sediment control skill
- not needed by the target role develop site remediation strategies skill
- not needed by the target role environmental legislation knowledge
- not needed by the target role examine geochemical samples skill
- not needed by the target role manage environmental impact skill
- not needed by the target role use technical drawing software skill
4 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 geographic information systems required
- still to learn geology required
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- optional, not held watershed development optional
Common questions about this move
Can an environmental geologist become a hydrogeologist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. An environmental geologist already covers 19% of what a hydrogeologist is expected to do: 6 skills carry over, 2 of which the hydrogeologist role treats as required.
What skills does an environmental geologist need to become a hydrogeologist?
13 required skills are missing, plus 4 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is model groundwater.
How hard is the move from environmental geologist to hydrogeologist?
Its learning distance is 74.2 out of 100, which is the substantial 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.