Varied assignments, widely sought skills, being involved in a variety of fields, some mobility… only positive points for the profession of geological engineer. Very little known by the general public, there has been interest in this profession for some years due to the multitude of environmental challenges and very encouraging employment prospects.
The three major areas of involvement
A geological engineer, with his skills in multiple disciplines (chemistry, physics, biology, computers and mathematics) can work firstly in remediation of environments affected by waste, fertilizers, oil, pesticides, acid rain or processing of metals, pulp and paper. He will work on characterization of contaminated sites, identify the risks of contamination spreading and deploy a system to monitor the effectiveness of solutions implemented. For these geological engineers, often with a specialization in hydrology, there is a considerable task: 100 billion dollars to decontaminate soils in North America. A geological engineer can also use his expertise to work on major development projects (stabilization of mines and slopes, construction of dams and tunnels, management of waterways and reservoirs). His expertise in geotechnics (mechanics of rocks and soil, hydrogeology) will be highly valued for identifying the geological conditions that could affect development of the territory and to work on the stability of the environment. Finally, the geological engineer will be able to invest in the discovery and exploitation of natural resources such as metals (nickel, zinc, gold, copper, iron), groundwater, fuels (petroleum, coal), industrial minerals (gypsum, asbestos, graphite), or construction materials (sand, aggregates, gravel, cement). He will identify the quantity of natural resources that can be exploited and will advise partners and experts on the best way to extract them.
Some data to know
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Aptitudes sought
Practising the profession of geological engineer requires having an excellent sense of judgement (a lot of information is contradictory), liking teamwork with professionals in different fields (financiers, managers, economists, civil servants, engineers…), oral and written communication skills (writing reports and recommendations) and providing leadership for supervision – after a number of years of experience – of engineers, technicians, technologists and scientists.
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Degree and membership
To become a geological engineer, it is recommended to hold a bachelor’s degree in geological engineering and, in some cases, a master’s or doctorate degree in a related discipline. In addition, belonging to a provincial professional association of professional engineers will allow the geological engineer to approve drawings and technical reports.
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Workplace
Between the possibility of working outdoors or in an office – whether for the government, a civil engineering office, a private company, a university or a research centre – the geological engineer will have plenty of choices, along with the current trend of joining major international organizations in cooperation programs with developing countries.
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Salary
The hourly wage varies between $24.98 and $55.50, with the median being $38.94. The highest wage, $90.73, is offered in British Colombia, while the lowest is in Quebec ($22.12).
Current interest in the environment is such that the geological engineer has many good years ahead of him or her. This is especially true for women, who are underrepresented in the field (16% are women, unlike 48% for all professions), although they have highly valued advantages and qualities (strong interest in quality of the environment, communication skills).