Job Description

Summary

This is a Geologist for Bureau of Land Management in the following area:

• Barstow, California
• Battle Mountain, Nevada
• Butte, Montana
• Carson City, Nevada
• Elko, Nevada
• Ely, Nevada
• Lake Havasu City, Arizona
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Meeker, Colorado
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Rawlins, Wyoming
• Ridgecrest, California
• Tonopah, Nevada
• Vale, Oregon
• Winnemucca, Nevada

Position is open under VIN CCCR-27-13092822-FUL-AWF. You must apply to each announcement for consideration under both recruitment methods.

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Duties

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The classified PD assigns the major duties collectively as 100% and does not provide separate duty percentages. The following duty areas organize the PD work for job-analysis and competency-linkage purposes; they do not change the official PD or assign new work.

1. Planning & Environmental Coordination
   • Develops, implements, and updates the field office's geology and minerals planning inputs (inventories, development opportunities, economic data, conflicts); uses the planning system to keep land-use plans current; serves on interdisciplinary teams for minerals-related actions (e.g., free-use permits, mineral material sales, oil and gas leasing, geothermal leasing, exploration and development drilling, and mining plans of operation under 43 CFR 3809, 3802, and 3814); participates on other Bureau EA and EIS projects.
2. Public Inquiries, Assistance & Inter - Office/Agency Coordination
   • Provides written and oral assistance on laws, regulations, and policy governing mineral resources; establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with BLM offices, user groups, and State/Federal agencies; conducts informal coordination and consultations with landowners, operators, and field/district office staff to carry out minerals activities and related multiple-use programs.
3. Mineral Reports & Appraisals
   • Reviews exploration or development/operating plans for adequacy; recommends bond amounts; prepares mineral reports on salable and locatable mineral potential based on field examinations and literature searches.
4. Surface Protection, Inspection & Enforcement; Trespass
   • Provides technical expertise in formulating surface protection stipulations, standards, and mitigation; ensures ground compliance and prepares inspection/surface-use/mineral-potential reports; emphasizes inspection, enforcement, and production verification under 43 CFR 23 & 2800 (material site rights-of-way), 3100 (oil & gas APDs), 3150 (seismic notices), 3600 (mineral material sales, free-use, sampling/testing), 3715 (mining claim occupancy), 3802 (mining plan of operation), and 3809 (notices and mining plan of operation). Investigates suspected trespass, documents cases from discovery through prosecution or dismissal, and recommends corrective actions or suspension when operations are not conducted per regulations and approved plans.
5. Abandoned Mine Lands (AML)
   • Determines safe abandonment procedures for mine shafts, portals, and other features; inspects and investigates mineral operations and beneficiation facilities to ensure operations are conducted in accordance with acceptable practices.
6. Processing Leases, Permits, Notices & Plans of Operation
   • Reviews mining, prospecting, and drilling plans for adequacy under Bureau standards, including surface protection of public lands subject to mining and leasable mineral development; processes applications for mining law, mineral materials, oil and gas, and non-energy minerals; investigates lands and mineral deposits; prepares reports leading to the issuance of permits and leases; prepares approval letters for plans and notices with provisions to protect the environment, prevent mineral waste, and reclaim disturbed lands.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit
• You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/02/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Minimum Qualification Requirements : To Qualify for this position, applicants must meet both the Individual Occupational Requirement (1) AND the Minimum Qualifications (2 or 3) :

1. Individual Occupational Requirement 1350 series:

A. Degree: Geology plus 20 additional semester hours in any combination of: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, engineering (structural/chemical/civil/mining/petroleum), computer science, planetary geology/comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography. (Unofficial transcripts are accepted. Official Transcripts will be required if selected.)

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: Course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (Your resume must include hours worked. You must provide transcripts to show how you meet the education requirements.)

AND

2. Minimum qualifications GS-1350-7:

A. Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level. Specialized experience is defined as performing all of the following: (1) Performing basic geological evaluation tasks for mineral leases, mineral sales, and mining operations under established procedures; (2) Carrying out surface protection and compliance activities in support of minerals program requirements under close supervision; (3) Participating in the review and processing of mining, prospecting, drilling, and mineral materials actions while preparing preliminary geological reports.

OR

B. Education: One year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours) in geology or a field related to the position being filled which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. (You must include transcripts. This education is clearly supported by my transcripts provided in my application packet.)

OR

C. Combination: A combination of specialized experience and graduate education described that when combined totals 100% of the requirements for this position. For positions in the professional Geologist series, one full year of graduate education is defined as 18 semester hours in geology or a directly related scientific field that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work. (You must include hours per week and transcripts.)

OR

D. Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.): Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing, (2) Grade-Point Average, or (3) Honor Society Membership. - (1) Class Standing: Upper one-third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses. (2) Grade-Point Average: A grade point average of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on the official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 0 (B+ or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum. (3) Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position. NOTE: Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. (See OPM's General Policies, Application of Qualification Standards Section 4.f.) To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education.

3. Minimum qualifications GS-1350-9:

A. Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Specialized experience is defined as performing all of the following: (1) Independently reviewing minerals-related exploration, development, drilling, and operating plans and preparing technical geologic recommendations; (2) Developing and applying geologic requirements, mitigation measures, and compliance determinations for minerals activities on public lands; (3) Processing and evaluating mining, mineral materials, oil and gas, and non-energy minerals applications while preparing geologic analyses and draft decision documents.

OR

B. Education: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (36 Semester Hours) leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in geology or a field directly related to the position being filled. (This education is clearly supported by my transcripts provided in my application packet.)

OR

C. Combination: A combination of qualifying education and experience. Only graduate level education that exceeds the amount required for the next lower grade level (18 credits) may be combined with experience. (This information must be supported by your resume and transcripts.)

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement.

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here,

The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Duty Station Information:

Las Vegas; Tonopah, NV; Lake Havasu City, AZ Salary Range:

GS-7: $51,542 - $67,006

GS-9: $63,046 - $81,964

Barstow; Ridgecrest, CA Salary Range:

GS-7: $58,827 - $76,476

GS-9: $71,957 - $93,549

Carson City, NV Salary Range:

GS-7: $55,934 - $72,716

GS-9: $68,419 - $88,949

Phoenix, AZ Salary Range:

GS-7: $52,783 - $68,620

GS-9: $64,564 - $83,938

All Other locations fall under the Rest of US Salary Range:

GS-7: $50,460 - $65,599

GS-9: $61,722 - $80,243

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Part time, Work at office, Remote work, Trial period, Relocation package

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