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Apr 19, 2026

Geologist 2

Job Description

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land & Water, is recruiting for a Geologist 2 in Fairbanks.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.
Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing:
As a journey-level Geologist 2, you will apply your professional geoscience and mining engineering expertise to permit, monitor, and inspect suction dredging, placer mining, and hard rock exploration operations across Alaska while administering applicable state mining laws. You will review Applications for Permits to Mine in Alaska (APMA) using your knowledge of state regulations, geology, and mining practices, establish permit stipulations relative to individual mines, and carry out duties related to the issuance of permits. You will assist operators in developing complete mine plan of operations applications for submission, reclaiming disturbed lands, and interpreting geological, geochemical, and geophysical data. You will independently plan and conduct field inspections, map mine sites using GPS and GIS tools, ensure regulatory compliance, and prepare inspection reports. You will also provide technical information to the public and agencies on mining laws, land status, reclamation standards, and mineral resources.

Mission and Values/Culture:
Our team helps carry out the Department of Natural Resources' mission to manage Alaska's lands, waters, and minerals for the benefit of current and future Alaskans, while supporting a strong, sustainable economy. We value responsible resource development that balances economic opportunity with environmental stewardship and respect for Alaska's communities. Our culture emphasizes collaboration, technical excellence, and public service, reflected in sound, transparent decision-making and efficient permitting processes.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:
This position is housed within the Mining Section, which offers an extremely supportive, positive, and collaborative work environment. The successful applicant will have access to training and travel opportunities, as well as advancement opportunities within the Division/Department. The work is both intellectually challenging and professionally rewarding, with frequent opportunities to solve complex, real-world problems. Employees work extensively with the mining industry, the public, and other agencies to support the responsible development of Alaska's mineral resources, contributing directly to the state's long-term economic health.

The Working Environment You Can Expect:
This position is based at the DNR Northern Regional Office (NRO) in Fairbanks, a beautiful Interior Alaska city, that serves as the economic and transportation hub of the region, with an international airport and the University of Alaska Fairbanks nearby. The NRO campus offers a charming, wooded setting with convenient access to shopping and restaurants, and Fairbanks provides extensive year-round outdoor recreation opportunities- including hiking, wildlife viewing, river trips, winter sports, and world-class aurora viewing- amid striking natural scenery and a rich mining history. This role provides a strong balance between office-based work and fieldwork/travel for inspections, site visits, and studies, with remote fieldwork travel expected across the state.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.
  • 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.
  • Mining Engineering: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to rock mechanics; the exploration, excavation, extraction, processing, and transporting of mineral resources; and the conservation and development of mineral lands, materials, and deposits.
  • Compliance Inspection: Knowledge of the guidelines, regulations, and procedures associated with compliance inquiries, including application of compliance rules and criteria, and the ability to make appropriate decisions and issue citations, fines, or orders.
  • 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.
  • Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Mining, Land & Water.

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.
AND
One year of entry professional level experience in geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geological engineering, engineering geology, or any of their subdivisions, including mining engineering. This experience is met by service as a Geologist 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent with another employer.

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.

Equivalent combinations of professional experience and graduate level education in the geoscience fields described above are acceptable and will be considered as follows: 24 graduate semester hours=one full year of graduate education=one full year of professional experience.

Additional Required Information

** Please read the information below carefully. **

At the time of application, the applicant must attach the following items as individual documents; failure to provide the requested documentation may result in non-consideration. If you are unable to attach documents, please fax or email the contact listed below. Required documents include:
  • Cover letter.

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:
  • A copy of your last two performance evaluations or two letters of recommendation may be used in lieu of performance evaluations (if you are a current or former State of Alaska employee).
  • A copy of any documents necessary to show proof of meeting this position’s minimum qualifications. This includes a copy of your college transcripts.
  • Alaska Driver’s License.

SPECIAL NOTICES
  • Ability to walk over steep, uneven, rocky, and/or heavily vegetated terrain in highly variable weather conditions as required. Must be comfortable traveling in small fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, riverboats, and operating off-road vehicles.
  • This position will require travel within the state and may include short-notice response to complaints of non-compliance or other incidents/issues at permitted mine sites.

Application Notice
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions for applying are available 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.

Cover Letter
A cover letter is required for this position. The letter should be two to three paragraphs (no longer than one page) and address your knowledge and experience related to the desired position-specific competencies listed above. Your cover letter will serve as a writing sample and will help determine which applicants advance to the interview phase of the recruitment process.

Please attach the cover letter to your application before submitting it online; if you cannot attach it, fax or email it to the contact number below.

Supplemental Questions
For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions. The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s competence in applying specific 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.

Note: Attaching a resume does not substitute for completing the application in full. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

Bargaining Unit
If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee.

Driver’s License Requirement
Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.

Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Contact Information

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the governmentjobs.com domain.

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to recruitment.services@alaska.gov.

For assistance with your password, please visit the password reset page.

For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

David Charron
Geologist 5
FAX: 907-451-2703
Phone: 907-451-2827
Email: david.charron@alaska.gov


Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits
  • Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
    • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
      • AVTEC
      • Confidential
      • Correctional Officers
      • Marine Engineers
      • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
      • Supervisory
      • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
      • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
    • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
      • General Government
      • Labor, Trades and Crafts
      • Public Safety Employees Association
      • Masters, Mates & Pilots
  • Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)
Optional Insurance Benefits
  • Group-based insurance premiums for
    • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
    • Long-term and short-term disability
    • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
    • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
    • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
  • Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits
  • Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
  • Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
  • Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
  • Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
  • Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
  • Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options
See https://drb.alaska.gov/retiree/ for additional information
Paid Leave & Other Benefits
  • Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
  • Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

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