Suci would encourage anyone with an adventurous nature and a passion to learn and work hard to try field work

Suci speaks five languages and at just twenty-four, she’s a valued asset on the Dias team. Having been in the field in British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba and Peru, Suci was drawn to Dias field work for the adventure and challenge, and she says there is plenty of both. The work is hard and she loves it.

A field tech’s typical day in the field starts with a safety meeting, followed by a rundown of the day’s activities. For field technicians, tasks include laying out wire, repairing grid and placing the proprietary DIAS32 nodes that collect valuable data – the reason they are in the field. Dias conducts state-of-the-art geophysical surveys all over the world, acquiring the big data that mining companies need. The end of the day sees the crew repairing equipment, sending the day’s data back to head office and preparing for the next day.

“I wondered if I could do it,” Suci reminisces. The physically demanding job entails hiking up to 10 hours a day through rugged terrain with a backpack weighing up to 50 lbs. Fieldwork generally lasts up to thirty days on a project, with teams staying in camps or hotels. Food and lodging are provided as well as transportation to the jobsite.

With no background in geophysics, Suci’s language skills and passion for adventure made her an ideal candidate to work at Dias. Since joining the company a year ago, she has learned a lot about geophysics and is keen to learn more.

“The first couple of weeks are the hardest…it’s always a challenge, but you get fit pretty fast. I also enjoy the problem-solving aspect and the dynamics of the group.”

As one of the few women in the field, Suci was concerned about how things would go but soon learned that the teams she’s been a part of were respectful, dedicated professionals who became more like family than coworkers. For her, it’s all a matter of communication and respect.

“This job is for people who like adventure – it’s something new everyday. It never gets boring – you meet a lot of different people. The weather, the terrain – there’s always problem solving and trying to figure things out and for me that’s what I love about it. When I’m not in the field, I’m thinking – when is it time to go back?”

“My savings went up a lot because the pay is good and while you’re in the field, all of the meals and accommodations are taken care of and there’s no stores nearby so you don’t go shopping – for me personally, it was good.”

When asked if she feels safe while in the field, her answer is a confident “yes.”

“I think in general, the geophysics community is a very respectful and dedicated group.”

“On the first night of my first project, before we went to the site, I was sitting in a restaurant with six grownup, very tough men and I wondered, “what did I get myself into, what am I doing here?” They were ultimately so helpful and happy to teach me what I needed to know.”

“I enjoy the work and learning more about geophysics and studying so that I can understand the processes.”

Suci would encourage anyone with an adventurous nature and who has a passion to learn and work hard to try field work.