Employment prospects for geologists are good, and continue to grow for the following reasons:

• Funding for research and development in New Zealand is on the rise. Since 2003, government investment in scientific research and development has risen by 33% to $658 million, which means more projects are being funded and more geologists are needed.
• The New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development has actively encouraged further exploration of oil and gas fields, and mining geologists are in high demand throughout New Zealand.
• Due to a major global shortage of mining geologists, New Zealand geologists are highly sought after worldwide, and particularly in Australia where there has been a shortage of geoscience graduates.
• Sustainability and the need for better environmental management is driving strong demand for geologists. Universities have brought in extra courses specialising in the effects of climate change, land degradation, emissions trading schemes and food security to produce more earth science and geology graduates that specialise in these areas.
• Many baby-boomer (people born between 1945 and 1965) geologists are beginning to retire and this is expected to create more opportunities for geology graduates.

More geologist jobs available

Overall, the number of geologists working in New Zealand since 1996 has increased, and this trend is expected to continue.

Number of geologists working in New Zealand
(1996, 2001, 2006

Census	Number of geologists
1996	390
2001	312
2006	444
Source: Department of Labour, Jobs and Tertiary Education Indicator Tool.

Most geologists in New Zealand work for Crown Research Institutes that specialise in geology, such as:

• GNS Science
• the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA)
• Landcare Research
• the Institute of Environmental Science & Research Ltd (ESR).

Geologists can also find work with:

• local authorities such as regional and city councils
• state-owned enterprises like MetService or Meridian Energy
• consultancies and private companies, including engineering firms like Opus International, and mining and drilling companies like Shell Petroleum Mining NZ
• universities.

Geologists work and conduct their research all over New Zealand, and where they work can depend on the type of geology they specialise in.

• The main geological Crown Research Institutes, such as NIWA and GNS Sciences, have regional offices located in many provincial centres throughout the country.
• Universities in Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago all have geology departments, where many geologists base their work and research.
• Geologists working in oil exploration can find work in Taranaki, Canterbury, Northland, Southland and the East Cape of the North Island.
• Geologists working in the mining industry are centred mainly on the West Coast of the South Island.