Geologist

Bureau of Land Management • Lake Havasu City, AZ

20d • Onsite

About The Position

The Bureau of Land Management is hiring Geologists for field offices in Barstow, California; Battle Mountain, Butte, Carson City, Elko, Ely, Las Vegas, and Tonopah, Nevada; Lake Havasu City and Phoenix, Arizona; Meeker, Colorado; Rawlins, Wyoming; Ridgecrest, California; Vale, Oregon; and Winnemucca, Nevada. The work supports geology and minerals programs on public lands, including land-use planning, mineral development and permitting, environmental protection, compliance, inspections, and coordination with other agencies and stakeholders. Duties are developmental when the position is filled below the full performance level. The announcement lists GS-7 and GS-9 qualification levels. The duties are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Must meet the Geologist Series 1350 individual occupational requirement: a geology degree plus 20 additional semester hours in specified related subjects, or the required coursework combined with appropriate experience or additional education.
• Must meet the GS-7 or GS-9 minimum qualifications through qualifying specialized experience, education, a permitted combination, or (for GS-7) Superior Academic Achievement, as applicable.
• GS-7 specialized experience must be equivalent to GS-5 and include basic geological evaluation of mineral leases, mineral sales, and mining operations; surface protection and compliance work under close supervision; and participation in processing mining, prospecting, drilling, and mineral-material actions while preparing preliminary geological reports.
• GS-7 education qualification is one year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours) in geology or a related field; qualifying combinations of experience and graduate education may also be used.
• GS-7 Superior Academic Achievement requires a bachelor's degree in a directly related field and qualifying class standing, grade-point average, or national scholastic honor society membership.
• GS-9 specialized experience must be equivalent to GS-7 and include independently reviewing minerals-related plans and preparing technical geologic recommendations; developing and applying geologic requirements, mitigation, and compliance determinations; and processing and evaluating mineral applications while preparing geologic analyses and draft decision documents.
• GS-9 education qualification is two years of progressively higher-level graduate education (36 semester hours) leading to a master's degree, or a master's or equivalent graduate degree, in geology or a directly related field. A qualifying combination of experience and graduate education may also be used.
• Submit transcripts when relying on education to qualify; official transcripts are required before starting work if selected and education was used to qualify.
• Resume must state full-time or 40 hours a week, or part-time with hours worked per week, to receive credit for experience.
• Appointment is subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must participate in Direct Deposit and successfully pass E-Verify employment verification.
• Cannot hold an active real estate license or have an interest in, or hold stocks in, firms with interests in Federal lands.
• Must submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of appointment.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period; continued employment requires written agency certification.
• All qualifications must be met by the announcement closing date of November 2, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and update field-office geology and minerals planning inputs, including inventories, development opportunities, economic data, and conflicts; use the planning system to keep land-use plans current.
• Serve on interdisciplinary teams for minerals-related actions, including free-use permits, mineral material sales, oil and gas and geothermal leasing, exploration and development drilling, and mining plans of operation; participate in other Bureau environmental assessments and environmental impact statement projects.
• Provide written and oral assistance on laws, regulations, and policies governing mineral resources, and maintain cooperative relationships with BLM offices, user groups, and state and federal agencies.
• Coordinate with landowners, operators, and field- and district-office staff on minerals activities and related multiple-use programs.
• Review exploration, development, and operating plans for adequacy; recommend bond amounts; and prepare reports on salable and locatable mineral potential using field examinations and literature searches.
• Develop technical surface-protection stipulations, standards, and mitigation measures; verify compliance and prepare inspection, surface-use, and mineral-potential reports.
• Conduct inspections, enforcement, and production verification related to material-site rights-of-way; oil and gas applications for permits to drill; seismic notices; mineral material sales, free-use, and sampling/testing; mining-claim occupancy; and mining plans of operation.
• Investigate suspected trespass, document cases from discovery through prosecution or dismissal, and recommend corrective actions or suspension when operations do not comply with regulations or approved plans.
• Determine safe abandonment procedures for mine shafts, portals, and other features; inspect and investigate mineral operations and beneficiation facilities for compliance with acceptable practices.
• Review mining, prospecting, and drilling plans for adequacy under Bureau standards, including surface protection of public lands subject to mining and leasable mineral development.
• Process applications for mining law, mineral materials, oil and gas, and non-energy minerals; investigate lands and mineral deposits; prepare reports supporting permit and lease issuance; and prepare approval letters with provisions for environmental protection, prevention of mineral waste, and reclamation of disturbed lands.

Benefits

• A comprehensive federal employee benefits package is available; eligibility depends on position type and other factors.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be offered to eligible candidates on a case-by-case basis; they are not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level