Scariest jobs that aren’t dirty, dangerous, and demeaning

What job earns you the most money?

Is it the one with long working hours, or is it the one where you’d have to risk your health and safety?

Would you work in one of the scariest jobs in the world if it means raking in the big bucks?

While many students train for careers that are considered normal, others choose to do things most everyday people would never think of – jobs that may be considered dangerous or downright creepy.

The first category of these jobs are the dirty, dangerous, and demeaning ones, also known as 3D jobs. These occupations often involve unpleasant conditions, a significant risk to personal safety, or societal stigma.

Workers here deal with hazardous materials or equipment or in situations where accidents are more likely to occur. Although injuries on the job are a common yet unfortunate aspect of working, some professions can take lives.

Take loggers, for example.

With a rate of about 100 fatalities per 100,000 workers, loggers have one of the deadliest jobs in the world.

They deal with tools, equipment, and machines that pose hazards whenever used. Factor in handling massive weights, unpredictable weather, dangerous environmental conditions such as uneven, unstable, or rough terrain, and isolated work sites where healthcare facilities are not immediately accessible – you have a high chance of things going wrong at any time, making logging one of the scariest jobs in the world.

Then there are scary jobs in the literal sense.

People who deal with dead bodies, poisonous animals, and paranormal activities are jobs that require you to overcome a phobia to succeed.

Some of these jobs are not even that scary, yet the atmosphere surrounding them gives off a creepy vibe.

For example, crime scene cleaners.

If you simplify their job description, they are essentially professionals who clean. But knowing that something horrible happened just hours before where they are standing now makes it scarier than it should be.

Oil rig workers are one of the scariest jobs but rake in big money even at a beginner level. Source: AFP

However, with high risks come high rewards — these scariest jobs are some of the highest-paid occupations in the world, even at a beginner level.

Oil rig workers rake in somewhere between US$85,000 to US$157,000 per year and get long vacations that can go up to months.

Although that might sound attractive at first, these benefits come with a price.

Since oil rigs are only built in the middle of the ocean, expect to be away from your family for long periods. And if things go wrong, you and your colleagues are pretty much on your own.

But if you do not mind standing a chance of getting injured on the job or working in areas where you might actually encounter the paranormal, you can make some pretty good income.

Here is a list of jobs that nobody would ordinarily want but some brave souls might sign up for simply because of the challenge, good pay, and stories they can tell their kids.

Scariest jobs that are dirty, dangerous, and demeaning

Being closer to the earth’s crust makes mining one of the scariest jobs in the world. Source: AFP

Miners

Miners work deep underground extracting valuable minerals and resources needed above ground. They are responsible for building entryways and exits and installing transportation and drainage systems too.

Now, what makes mining scary is the fact that they are closer to the earth’s crust than any of us, with limited oxygen supply, dangerously exposed to toxic gases, and risk of cave-ins. Long-term exposure to dust can also lead to chronic respiratory conditions.

A mining engineering degree will come in useful if you’re looking to go down this career path. The programme will have elements of geology, physics, chemistry, environmental studies, mathematics and economics.

Alaskan crabbers

Ever wondered why Alaskan king crabs cost so much in a seafood restaurant? That is because crabbers risk their lives by navigating the dangerous Alaskan waters to get those crabs on your plate.

The common cause for fatalities is drowning because of rough seas and waves, as well as fishermen being thrown overboard. Also, it is not uncommon for crabbers to die of hypothermia.

A role in this occupation doesn’t often require any formal education credentials, but those interested in learning more about managing and understanding fisheries can check out a fisheries science degree.

Stunt performers

Ever notice how good an actor or actress looks in action movies? That’s because their stunt performers, also known as stunt double, are doing all the hard work. From jumping from great heights, setting themselves alight, and getting shot at; these are just some of the dangerous acts these stunt performers do while the star of the movie takes the credit.

Although it might sound fun, the risk of injury is very high.

David Holmes, famously known for being Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double in the first six “Harry Potter” film series, was seriously injured and left partially paralysed after an accident during the filming of a stunt test for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

That’s not even the worst of it all — Joi Harris, an American stuntwoman, was killed while attempting to complete a motorcycle sequence for the Marvel Studios movie “Deadpool 2.”

There’s no sure path for stunt performers, though you might pick up a skill or two in an acting school.

Smokejumpers are so much more than firefighters as they put out blazes that ordinary firefighters can’t reach like in forests. Source: AFP

Smokejumpers

If you think smokejumpers are just firefighters (which is also a dangerous occupation, by the way), you thought wrong.

Smokejumpers are people who specialise in fighting blazes that ordinary firefighters can’t reach. They are usually dropped off by plane or helicopter straight down into the fire as it is still burning. With the unpredictability of wildfires, this occupation is truly one of the most dangerous and scariest jobs out there.

According to the US Forest Service, applicants should have at least four years of study leading to a bachelor’s degree in a related field, plus at least three continuous months of wildland fire suppression work.

Bomb technician

It takes serious guts to be a bomb technician. Not only do they need to do a sweep to detect and identify any explosives present, but they also need to deactivate and dispose of the device carefully.

In some cases, these technicians may be required to work on cases involving terrorists or hostages wearing suicide vests, which is even scarier because of how unpredictable human behaviour can be.

Special agent bomb technicians in the US’s Federal Bureau of Investigation are certified through a rigorous six-week program and recertified every three years. If you’re hoping for a similar career, you could start looking into occupations that lead to law enforcement.

Scariest jobs that are creepy, eery, and spooky

As a crematory operator, you have to treat the body with respect and perform your tasks with sensitivity to the family. Source: AFP

Crematory operators

A crematory operator’s work is not as simple as just pushing a big red button and making sure the deceased is cremated to ashes. Their duties also involve treating the body with respect, correctly labelling which body goes into which crematory machine, and performing their task with sensitivity and deference to the family witnessing.

Believe it or not, you need a degree to become a crematory operator, and that degree is in mortuary science. Although this degree is uncommon, certain universities like Monash University do offer the programme and cover coursework in biology, anatomy, and chemistry.

Forensic entomologists

If creepy crawlies bug — pun intended — the crap out of you, then being an entomologist is certainly not a career you want to pursue.

Entomologists spend their day around insects to investigate dead bodies. They predict the life cycles of these pests to provide clues about crimes committed. From murders to human trafficking, a forensic entomologist’s expert opinion can contribute so much to solving a crime.

If you don’t find bugs disgusting and would like to work in this field, then a degree in entomology, biology, ecology, or zoology is your start. A basic understanding of statistics is also required if you want to jump into this field.

Funeral directors require a mortuary science degree and a license to work. Source: AFP

Funeral directors

Another occupation that requires a mortuary science degree is being a funeral director.

A funeral director is the highest job position you can reach in the business of dealing with dead bodies. They oversee all aspects of planning a funeral from managing services to embalming bodies to maintaining accurate records.

Some funeral directors even go as far as to work with gravediggers too, especially in smaller and more rural areas.

Police divers

Diving is a great recreational activity that allows us to get in touch with the nature below, but not for police divers.

Police divers go underwater not looking for exotic fish or plant life; instead, they spend their day looking for dead bodies of people who have been murdered, committed suicide, or drowned accidentally.

In some cases that are not too scary, police divers look for criminal evidence such as murder weapons, drugs, or anything related to them.

A job in this occupation often just calls for the right certifications, so anything in law enforcement could be a good option to check out.

One of the scariest jobs is being a taxidermist where they preserve and prepare dead animals to look as if they are alive. Source: AFP

Taxidermists

Working with animals can be emotionally rewarding. Their cuteness alone can put a smile on your face and make your day better, that is if they’re alive and kicking.

Taxidermists preserve and prepare dead animals including birds and insects and make them look as if they are alive. To do that, they need to tan, stuff, and retouch these animals until they meet customer expectations.

Taxidermy requires an acute sense of artistry too as these animals are displayed in poses that have to be and look as realistic as possible. This means a degree in biology, fine arts, wildlife science, or conservation ecology could do the trick to helping you get your foot in the door.