A geophysicist is a highly skilled individual who uses a mixture of physics and a geology to document the material properties, and create images, of matter beneath the earth’s surface. This image is called a subsurface and can also be applied to medical technologies, enabling doctors to see beneath the skin of their patients.
Some geophysicists spend most of their time performing field work with a variety of specialised instruments, while others have office jobs and spend their days processing this collected data or making decisions based on the results of experiments. Engineering, archaeology, and the study of earthquakes, minerals and other natural resources, are just some of areas of focus for geophysics.
A science-related university degree is essential to enter this field, but those with physics degrees may find graduate work easier than those with geology degrees. Masters degrees are necessary for most entry-level geophysicist positions.
Most people in this field work for government organisations, oil companies, consulting firms, or academic institutions. Academic and government jobs are among this field’s most prestigious and highly-paid. Average geophysicist salaries range between C
$48,700 and C
$138,400.