Job Details

Geologist 1

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, is recruiting for a Geologist 1 in Anchorage, Alaska.

What You Will Be Doing:

The Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys (DGGS) Coastal Hazards Program (CHP) conducts monitoring and scientific investigations along Alaska's 40,000+ miles of shoreline. Alaska's shoreline is geologically diverse and dynamic, requiring our team to work with a broad group of collaborators and stakeholders to understand how the coastline has evolved and how it will respond to hazardous events and long-term changes. DGGS is seeking a motivated geologist to join the CHP to work on a wide range of coastal research projects to support resilient communities and infrastructure in Alaska. The successful applicant will work under the direction of the CHP manager and use knowledge of coastal geomorphology, geology, field data collection for coastal hazards, surveying, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), geospatial data analysis and processing, and airborne/satellite remote sensing to make meaningful contributions to the program.

Mission and Values/Culture:

The DGGS mission is to determine the potential of Alaskan land for the production of metals, minerals, fuels, and geothermal resources, the locations and supplies of groundwater and construction material, and the potential geologic hazards to buildings, roads, bridges, and other installations and structures (AS 41.08.020). The Coastal Hazards Program conducts mapping, monitoring, and modeling to evaluate vulnerabilities to coastal flooding and erosion. This program is dedicated to fostering scientific partnerships that will improve the quality and quantity of the critical baseline data necessary to fuel informed decision-making throughout the state. Program priorities are motivated by the needs of over 144 communities in Alaska facing threats to infrastructure from severe weather events and environmental changes.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:

DGGS offers ample opportunity for on-the-job training, a flexible work schedule, and partnership with dedicated colleagues who are passionate about their work and the mission of the division. Staff are encouraged to learn and grow through work activities, from each other's experiences, and via structured training in technical/science topics (e.g., ArcGIS, geospatial processing techniques, modeling software). The Coastal Hazards Program includes dedicated staff who work together as a team to meet program goals. This position is important to the functioning of the survey, as ongoing investigations, partnerships, and collection and distribution of baseline data will expand our understanding of how the coastline has evolved and how it will respond to hazardous events and long-term changes, leading to decreased risk and increasingly resilient and empowered communities.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:

This Geologist 1 position is located at the Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys' Geologic Materials Center in Anchorage.

The Coastal Hazards Program is composed of a team of 3-5 staff and supported by other sections and programs located in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The Coastal Hazards Program works with a diverse range of collaborators and stakeholders across sectors. The daily work environment consists of research-focused desk work and summer field investigations conducted in remote Alaska communities. Program activities also include regular interaction with Alaska Native community members. DGGS staff effectively use telecommunications resources to work across geographic boundaries.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies:

• Geospatial Science: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the collection, storage, analysis, visualization, and distribution of geographic-based data and maps.
• Geology: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of the origins and structure of the earth, including the physical forces that have shaped it and its physical and organic history.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
• Accountability: Holds self and others accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for own actions and decisions. Complies with established control systems and rules.
• Oral and Written Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Minimum Qualifications:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geological engineering, engineering geology, or any of their subdivisions, including mining engineering. Substitution: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college in any science major, which includes the completion of 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in the above geoscience fields and 24 additional semester hours (36 quarter hours) of course work in natural sciences, may substitute for the education requirement.

Additional Required Information:

Please read the information below carefully. At the time of the interview, please ensure that you provide the following materials. Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration. Required documents include:

• Driver's license
• Three professional references
• Transcripts
• Firearms certification form

Special Notices:

• This position will require travel within the state (typically 3-8 trips of 10 days or less per year, usually occurring in spring, summer, and fall). Travel may include short-notice trips for equipment replacement or emergency response to major coastal storm events within the state.
• Requires occasional lifting and carrying a pack up to 50 lbs.
• This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition in support of remote field investigations and associated travel.

Application Notice:

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions on how to apply can be found on the Workplace Alaska How to Apply webpage. Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date. Your cover letter should be no longer than one page in length.

In addition to the standard Minimum Job Qualifications for a Geologist 1, the following knowledge and skills are required for this position and should be mentioned in the cover letter, if provided:

• Experience using GIS to analyze and manage data.
• Experience processing field data and aerial imagery (e.g., UAV surveys) and interpreting the data to quantify geospatial change.
• Experience in surveying and collecting detailed, accurate field observations, samples, and spatial data (e.g., GNSS-GPS, Trimble Business Center, NOAA-NGS Online Positioning User Service) in remote locations and/or rugged conditions.
• Experience creating digital maps and other geospatial tools for internal use and publications.
• Competency with teamwork and willingness to encourage and facilitate cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity to achieve goals.

Supplemental Questions:

For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions. The State of Alaska (SOA) utilizes four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant's level of competence in applying certain behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Education:

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education:

Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S. education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula. It is your responsibility to provide this evidence when applying.

Work Experience:

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer's name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.

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