Chemical+Oceanographer



=** EDUCATION AND TRAINING **= It isn't that difficult to become a chemical oceanographer. The minimum requirement for beginning positions is a bachelors degree. Students can earn a defree in oceanography or take cources in oceanography and major in many different related science fields such as, biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering. Graduate training is usually required for advancement. A doctoral deree is requered for college teaching and for many research positions.

= JOB OUTLOOK AND DESCRIPTION =

Oceanographers are scientists who study the sea, many aspects of the sea, and chemical compostion of the water and floors of the ocean. Oceanography incorporates many different sciences, such as, biology, chemistry, geology, and meteorology. Oceanographers have different backgrounds, and they do many kinds of work. They work on ships or in laboratories on land. Some work for private companies. Some teach and research jobs in college and universities. But most work for research institutes or government agencies. What the oceanographers discover is used for indusrty and government. the fishing industry is an example of a company that benifits a lot from the oceanographers work. They are interested in there work because they need to know the life cycles and food chain of marine life. the federal government and the shipbuilding industrys uses the information about the sea to design new ships. Oil and mining are looking to the sea for new sources of fuel and minerals, so the oceanographers can help them with that. For medical reasons, they are always wanting to test new plants and animals found in the ocean for new cures. Also researchers are trying to find new sources of food made from marine animals and plants.

=** WORKING CONDITIONS **=

Teaching and research is what most oceanographers do. They can spend long periods of time at sea collecting samples and gathering information. Liveing and working spae on the ships can be very cramped. They generally endure some physical hardships. Oceanographers sometimes may use scuba diving equipment or specially designed submarines, depeneding on their specialties. Oceanography is very competitive, so sometimes they may spend long hours working to prepare papers for publication in scientific journals.

=** EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK **=

Oceanographers who have a doctoral degree may advance to top research and doministrative postitions. Advancing in the field usually takes a long time. Opportunities are expected to grow as fast as the average through the year 2012. Many job oppertunities wll result from workers in the field who retire. The funding is very limited for oceanography.

= **SALARIES and PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT** = Oceanographers salaries vary with education, experience, level of responsibility, and employer. If you have a Bachelors degree you would start out making $32,000 to $40,000. In 2005 oceanographers working in manager supervisory, and nonsupervisory positions for the federal government earned an average of $87,000 per year. Workers in private industry may eacn much more. Many oceanography jobs are located in Washington, DC and Saint Petersburg, FL.

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