Geologist 3

The Edventure Group; Kentucky; On-site; USD 43,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12 paid holidays

Insurance

Flexible benefits

Annual leave

EAP

Wellness initiatives

457 retirement plan

Flexible work schedules

Defined contribution plan

Job summary

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection seeks a Geologist 3 to perform professional geologic services in the Division of Mining and Reclamation, Permitting Unit, Logan regional office. You will review mining permits’ geologic/hydrologic components and develop reports to support safe, compliant operations.

The role requires a geology degree and several years of experience; field work, data analysis, and occasional public speaking may be required.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in Geology.
• Four years of full-time or equivalent paid professional experience in geology, soil mechanics related field.
• Graduate study in Geology may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis; six semester hours or one year of specialized geologic experience may be required for certification areas.

Responsibilities

• Review and evaluate geologic and hydrologic portions of mining permit applications to ensure technical and legal accuracy and completeness.
• Interpret data, draw conclusions, and recommend approval or denial of permit applications; prepare cumulative hydrologic impact assessment statements.
• Conduct field investigations and collect data; prepare technical reports.
• Justify conclusions in public hearings or in court if required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

Geology degree (Bachelor’s)

Job description

SALARY: $43,357.00 – $75,789.00 Annually

LOCATION: Logan County, WV

JOB TYPE: Full-Time Permanent

JOB NUMBER: DEP2700036

DEPARTMENT: Environment – Environmental Protection

OPENING DATE: 09/04/2026

CLOSING DATE: 9/18/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

LOCATION OF VACANCY: MULTIPLE COUNTIES – LIST COUNTIES IN NATURE OF WORK

CIVIL SERVICE TYPE: Classified-Exempt – This Position is Not Covered Under the DOP Merit System

Nature of Work

DEP2700036 Geologist 3

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Mining and Reclamation; Operations/Permitting

Office Location: 1101 George Kostas Drive, Logan, WV 25601

Designated Area: Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, Putnam and Wayne counties

Also refer to DEP2700034 – Geologist 1, and DEP2700035 – Geologist 2. One position will be filled with one of these titles.

This job opportunity is not in the classified service and is not covered by the West Virginia Division of Personnel merit system.

We welcome you to join our team where we value work/life balance and diversity. We offer a great benefits package that includes 12 paid holidays, insurance and flexible benefits, ample annual and sick leave accrual, flexible work schedules, an Employee Assistance Program, Wellness Initiatives, an optional 457 defined contribution retirement savings plan and more.

Employee will be assigned to the Division of Mining and Reclamation (DMR), Permitting Unit in the Logan regional office. Under administrative direction, performs professional work providing geologic services.

Duties:

• Employee will be responsible for the review and evaluation of geologic and hydrologic portions of the mining permit applications to ensure technical and legal accuracy and completeness and for the purpose of ensuring that the mining operation is designed to prevent off-site environmental damage.
• Employee will be required to interpret data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations for approval or denial of permit applications, and prepare cumulative hydrologic impact assessment statements for proposed operations.
• Employee will conduct field investigations as required. Will collect data and prepare technical reports.
• May be required to justify his/her conclusions in public hearings or in courts.
• Employee will perform other duties as required and/or assigned.

Expectations:

• Must possess and be able to apply previously acquired knowledge of surface and underground mining techniques.
• Employee must be able to walk long distances in adverse weather conditions over rugged terrain.
• Must have good oral and written communication skills.

Notes:

• Qualifying applicants will be required to complete an internet based profile assessment to compare the applicant’s thinking and reasoning skills, behavioral traits and the occupational interests against the traits determined to be important to the posted position.
• Employees involved with specific DEP programs subject to the surface mining control and reclamation act(SMCRA) of 1977 must file prior to final appointment and annually thereafter, a statement of employment and financial interest (OSM23).

DOP purposes only: 0313P00283

Minimum Qualifications

Training: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in Geology.

Experience: Four years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid professional experience in geology, soil mechanics correlated field.

Substitution: Successfully completed graduate study in Geology from an accredited college or university may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the experience requirement. Select Certification-Areas of Assignment: Applicant must have completed six (6) semester hours or have one (1) year of professional geologic experience in the area of specialization to be eligible. Select certification may be requested in the following six (6) areas of specialization: (1) Coal Geology; (2) Environmental Geology; (3) Hydrology, Water Resources Geology, Hydrogeology/Groundwater Geology; (4) Petroleum Geology; (5)Land Reclamation and Soil Geology; (6) Structural Geology.

Other Information

PG: 16 $43,357 – $75,789

Market Rate: $67,395

Special hiring rates:

• $45,094.40 – Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and Department of Environmental Protection(DEP) (SPB 2984-1)