Hydrologist to oceanographer
A hydrologist already meets 78% of what the oceanographer role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.
33.5/ 100
1 How much of what an oceanographer is expected to do is already part of a hydrologist’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 37 of its required skills as things a hydrologist 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
- apply statistical analysis techniques
- communicate with a non-scientific audience
- conduct research across disciplines
What stands in the way is 5 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 45 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 hydrologist background worth leading with.
- already held coastal management natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held oceanography natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held scientific modelling information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held design scientific equipment communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held conduct field work information skills
- already held operate scientific measuring equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
All 45 carried skills, including the 37 the oceanographer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 23 missing skills fall into 8 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 mathematics required
- still to learn physics required
- 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 execute analytical mathematical calculations required
- still to learn gather experimental data required
- optional, not held conduct underwater surveys optional
- optional, not held develop scientific theories optional
- optional, not held conduct research on climate processes optional
- still to learn use measurement instruments required
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held environmental engineering optional
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
2 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 execute analytical mathematical calculations practise this
- 02 gather experimental data practise this
- 03 mathematics 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 45 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 apply statistical analysis techniques 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 geology knowledge
- 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 oceanography knowledge
- already held operate open source software skill
- already held operate scientific measuring equipment skill
- already held perform project management skill
- already held perform scientific research skill
- 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 modelling knowledge
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held speak different languages skill
- already held statistics knowledge
- already held synthesise information skill
- already held think abstractly skill
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held apply blended learning skill
- already held coastal management knowledge
- already held collect samples for analysis skill
- already held conduct field work skill
- already held design scientific equipment skill
- already held perform laboratory tests skill
- already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
- already held write research proposals skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held assist scientific research optional
- optional, not held perform diving interventions optional
18 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held cartography optional
- optional, not held conduct underwater surveys optional
- optional, not held develop scientific theories 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 assist scientific research optional
- optional, not held biology optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held conduct research on climate processes 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 remote sensing techniques optional
34 held skills the oceanographer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise on environmental remediation skill
- not needed by the target role advise on pollution prevention skill
- not needed by the target role advise on soil and water protection skill
- not needed by the target role analyse environmental data skill
- not needed by the target role botany knowledge
- not needed by the target role carry out waste water treatment 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 environmental policy skill
- not needed by the target role develop environmental remediation strategies skill
- not needed by the target role develop flood remediation strategies skill
- not needed by the target role develop scientific research protocols skill
- not needed by the target role develop water purification methods skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
- not needed by the target role environmental design knowledge
- not needed by the target role environmental policy knowledge
- not needed by the target role fish identification and classification knowledge
- not needed by the target role geography knowledge
- not needed by the target role habitat restoration knowledge
- not needed by the target role hydrology knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify risk of flooding skill
- not needed by the target role manage land resources permits skill
- not needed by the target role manage water quality testing skill
- not needed by the target role microbiology-bacteriology knowledge
- not needed by the target role monitor water quality skill
- not needed by the target role plan water resource development skill
- not needed by the target role promote environmental awareness skill
- not needed by the target role report on environmental issues skill
- not needed by the target role report test findings skill
- not needed by the target role scientific literature knowledge
- not needed by the target role soil science knowledge
- not needed by the target role test samples for pollutants skill
- not needed by the target role water policies knowledge
- not needed by the target role watershed development knowledge
12 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 mathematics required
- still to learn physics required
- optional, not held cartography 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
Common questions about this move
Can a hydrologist become an oceanographer?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A hydrologist already covers 78% of what an oceanographer is expected to do: 45 skills carry over, 37 of which the oceanographer role treats as required.
What skills does a hydrologist need to become an oceanographer?
5 required skills are missing, plus 18 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by natural sciences, mathematics and statistics. The single most important is execute analytical mathematical calculations.
How hard is the move from hydrologist to oceanographer?
Its learning distance is 33.5 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.