Hydrogeologist to geochemist
A hydrogeologist already meets 42% of what the geochemist role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.
56/ 100
1 How much of what a geochemist is expected to do is already part of a hydrogeologist’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 geochemist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A geochemist role treats 7 of its required skills as things a hydrogeologist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- address problems critically
- create GIS reports
- create thematic maps
- ensure compliance with environmental legislation
- geographic information systems
- geology
What stands in the way is 9 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 9 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A geochemist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a hydrogeologist background worth leading with.
- already held liaise with industrial professionals communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held create GIS reports information skills
- already held create thematic maps working with computers
- already held prepare scientific reports communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held geographic information systems natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held geology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 9 carried skills, including the 7 the geochemist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 14 missing skills fall into 6 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 examine geochemical samples required
- still to learn conduct environmental site assessments required
- still to learn perform sample testing required
- optional, not held test samples for pollutants optional
- still to learn communicate on minerals issues required
- still to learn deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances required
- optional, not held troubleshoot optional
- still to learn manipulate metal required
- still to learn prepare samples for testing required
- optional, not held collect samples optional
- still to learn conduct laboratory chemical research on metals required
- optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional
- still to learn types of metal required
- optional, not held supervise staff optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a geochemist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 communicate on minerals issues practise this
- 02 conduct laboratory chemical research on metals practise this
- 03 deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances 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 9 skills that carry over
- already held address problems critically skill
- already held create GIS reports skill
- already held create thematic maps skill
- already held ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
- already held geographic information systems knowledge
- already held geology knowledge
- already held prepare scientific reports skill
- already held chemistry knowledge
- already held liaise with industrial professionals skill
5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held collect samples optional
- optional, not held test samples for pollutants optional
- optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional
- optional, not held supervise staff optional
- optional, not held troubleshoot optional
14 held skills the geochemist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role assess groundwater environmental impact skill
- not needed by the target role assess impact of industrial activities skill
- not needed by the target role coastal management knowledge
- not needed by the target role geography knowledge
- not needed by the target role hydrology knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify GIS issues skill
- not needed by the target role manage land resources permits skill
- not needed by the target role model groundwater skill
- not needed by the target role negotiate land access skill
- not needed by the target role perform water analysis skill
- not needed by the target role perform water testing procedures skill
- not needed by the target role study groundwater skill
- not needed by the target role treat contaminated water skill
- not needed by the target role watershed development knowledge
1 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 types of metal required
Common questions about this move
Can a hydrogeologist become a geochemist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A hydrogeologist already covers 42% of what a geochemist is expected to do: 9 skills carry over, 7 of which the geochemist role treats as required.
What skills does a hydrogeologist need to become a geochemist?
9 required skills are missing, plus 5 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is communicate on minerals issues.
How hard is the move from hydrogeologist to geochemist?
Its learning distance is 56 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.