A professional who studies fossilized remains of plants and animals found in geological formations to trace evolution and development of past life and identify geological formations according to nature and chronology. Responsibilities include:

• Recovers and assembles fossilized specimens, notes their positions, and classifies them according to their botanical or zoological family and probable age.
• Prepares treatises on findings for furtherance of scientific study, or as in aid to location of natural resources, such as petroleum-bearing formations.
• May organize scientific expeditions and supervise removal of fossils from deposits and matrix rock formations.
• May specialize in study of plant fossils and be designated Paleobotanist.
• May specialize in study of fossilized micro-organisms and be designated Micropaleontologist.