Career change as a geologist

Career change paths

• Geotechnical engineer at a ground investigation office

  Also: Ground investigation expert

  With on-the-job training

  In a ground investigation or engineering office, you investigate the subsurface for construction projects, prepare ground reports and advise planners on foundations, excavations and groundwater.

  What you bring:

  You know rock, soils, groundwater and investigation methods and can interpret drilling profiles confidently.

  How to get there:

  Ground investigation offices hire geologists and train them on the job in soil mechanics, standards and design. Courses in geotechnics take a few days to a few weeks. With growing experience, you take over project management for ground investigations.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hours
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• Officer at a soil protection or water authority

  Also: Environmental consultant

  With on-the-job training

  In a local water or soil protection authority, you process permits, review reports on contaminated sites and wells, and monitor remediation.

  What you bring:

  You know groundwater, soils and pollutants and can review expert reports professionally.

  How to get there:

  Districts, cities and state offices hire geologists and train them on the job in environmental law and administrative procedures. The switch usually brings regular working hours and less fieldwork.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightIn an office

  €4,984gross per monthMedian salary

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• Project manager for contaminated site remediation

  Also: Contaminated site and demolition expert

  With on-the-job training

  In an environmental or remediation office, you plan and supervise the investigation and remediation of contaminated areas, support demolition projects and coordinate with authorities.

  What you bring:

  You can investigate the subsurface and groundwater, assess samples and estimate how pollutants spread.

  How to get there:

  Engineering and remediation offices train geoscientists on the job in waste and soil protection law, tendering and construction supervision. For work on contaminated sites, you also need a course on occupational safety in contaminated areas, which usually takes a few days.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €5,595gross per monthMedian salary

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• GIS specialist

  Also: Geographic information systems expert

  With on-the-job training

  As a GIS specialist, you build geodatabases, create maps and analyses and look after specialist applications for authorities, utilities or planning offices.

  What you bring:

  For years you have worked with maps, geodata and spatial models, and you know geographic information systems from your studies and practice.

  How to get there:

  Authorities, energy suppliers and engineering offices hire geoscientists with GIS skills. Courses on common GIS software and databases take a few days to a few weeks. Programming skills help for jobs focused on data preparation.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €4,939gross per monthMedian salary

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• Geothermal project manager

  Also: Project developer for renewable energy

  With on-the-job training

  In geothermal energy or at renewable energy developers, you plan ground-source heat or deep geothermal projects, assess sites and support permitting and construction.

  What you bring:

  You know the subsurface, drilling and the thermal properties of rock, and you can assess locations geologically.

  How to get there:

  Municipal utilities, geothermal firms and project developers train geoscientists on the job in plant technology, permit procedures and project control. The number of positions varies by region.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contact

  €6,115gross per monthMedian salary

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• Data analyst

  Also: Data scientist

  With on-the-job training

  As a data analyst or data scientist, you analyze data for companies, insurers or authorities, build models and present results clearly.

  What you bring:

  You process large amounts of measurement and model data, work statistically and often already program in Python or similar languages.

  How to get there:

  Employers also hire natural scientists with programming and statistics skills. If you lack basics in databases or machine learning, courses lasting a few weeks to a few months help. A project of your own with real data often convinces more in a job interview than a certificate.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €6,500gross per monthMedian salary

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• Geography teacher

  Also: Natural sciences teacher

  With a degree

  At a secondary school, you teach geography and a natural science subject and guide classes over several years.

  What you bring:

  You can explain Earth history, climate, raw materials and natural hazards clearly and often bring knowledge of chemistry, physics or biology.

  How to get there:

  Depending on the state, the alternative route into teaching (Seiteneinstieg) is possible with a master's degree if two teaching subjects can be derived from it. After that comes a preparatory service (Vorbereitungsdienst) or a qualification alongside work, usually lasting one to two years. Each state decides which subjects are recognized and where there is demand.*Regulated by law (State law: teacher education acts and alternative-route regulations of the German states).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €5,466gross per monthMedian salary

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• Technical writer

  Also: Specialist author

  With further training

  As a technical writer, you create instructions, manuals and online help for measurement, drilling or environmental technology and other technical products.

  What you bring:

  You can write down complex matters in a structured way and are used to formulating reports and expert opinions precisely.

  How to get there:

  Part-time further training in technical writing with a certificate, for example to the standard of the professional association tekom, usually takes a few months. Some companies also hire natural scientists directly and train them in-house. Good English skills are almost always expected.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €4,728gross per monthMedian salary

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Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.