"Robert Gau" <robertgau@ev1.net> wrote in message news:<vk594bphcnm4b9@corp.supernews.com>...

What are the typical degrees/ qualifications scientists with Seti have?

Perhaps this link to a profile of Peter Backus of the SETI Institute
is start?

http://www.seti-inst.edu/general/voices/peter_backus.html

Many (if not infinite) other paths are possible, and even though
SETI's been around for awhile, I think it's safe to say the the field
is so small that the criteria for hiring from human resources
management point of view hasn't been established, other than most of
the lead scientists seem to have PHD's in Astronomy, Physics or
Engineering; any other qualifications (I'm guessing) are highly
dependent on which sub-specialty one is pursuing and the skills
required for these sub-specialties (such as Computer Science,
Radio-Engineering Science, Optical Engineering Science, and even
perhaps some philosophical understanding/appreciation/affinity for the
possibility of finding extra-terrestrials which of course would
require a resolve of steel and PATIENCE, because some would argue that
finding them will perhaps take many generations of SETI scientists. 
Also, the techniques and equipment used in SETI can at times be
cutting-edge often resulting from new or previously undeveloped
concepts, so I guess one could argue that a certain degree of
innovativeness and ability to develop new concepts and carry them
through to completion would be valuable.  Probably the best part of
this is, nobody knows the exact methods, if any, used by ET
civilizations to communicate (and I have a hunch that we'll find some
civilizations (or machines) using different methods/mediums of
communication based more on the conditions of their environment than
on efficiency) so anything reasonable is possible, and any odd
qualification or concept not previously had by others could lead to
the greatest breakthrough of all time!  (Consider for example
Einstein's career path.)  Probably another thing to consider is a
career in Astrobiology, a sister science to SETI, although a relative
newcomer as a science, this field seems have a good transferrability
to the business-world in the sense that these biologists could
probably easily transition to a bio-tech firm conducting R&D or
pharmacology, medicine, academia etc., if one should decide or be
forced to make a career change.

It's getting long, so I'll cut it short.

Regards, Jason H.