- Salary: $62,025.60 – $95,555.20 Annually
- Location: Des Moines – 50321 – Polk County, IA
- Job Type: Full-time
- Job Number: 25-01439
- Agency: 542 Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Opening Date: 11/26/2024
- Closing Date: 12/10/2024 11:59 PM Central
- LinkedIn Tag: #LI-POST
- Point of Contact: Carmily Stone, Carmily.Stone@dnr.iowa.gov
- To Apply: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources encourages all applicants to upload a resume and cover letter to the online application.
Job Description
Only applicants who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and meet all selective requirements (listed below) will be placed on the eligible list.
The Department of Natural Resources is seeking a highly motivated Geologist 3 in our Water Quality Bureau. Do you want to make an impact on Iowa life and it’s drinking water? We have an incredible opportunity for you! This position is vital to protecting our aquifers by being a SME in water well placement, using their expertise to avoid spreading plumes of contamination, working one-on-one with well drillers and contractors, and building a groundwater program. The successful candidate will ensure the safety of drinking water and protection of groundwater quality through the correct design and construction of private wells, well pump installation and geothermal heat transfer installation.
Job duties for this position will include:
- Geologic and hydrogeologic well siting reviews for proposed private well projects (geothermal and water wells).
- Environmental well siting reviews for proposed private well projects (geothermal and water wells) that may be impacted by, or whose drilling may impact, contamination.
- Reviewing and interpreting DNR documentation for environmental contamination (contaminated sites, LUST sites, etc.), documenting findings, relaying this information to all relevant parties (applicant, permitting authority, consultant, engineer, other DNR programs, etc), setting up and leading meetings as necessary, and making recommendations and decisions regarding the approval to move forward with a project.
- Conduct geothermal well project reviews by reviewing applications and technical documents for various geothermal projects to assess for feasibility based on adherence to Iowa Administrative Code, geological setting, and physical location relative to other wells and environmental sites.
- Conduct well project site visits – meeting well drillers, permitting authority (county), and other necessary parties at project sites to discuss future projects, issues, provide technical assistance, address well contractor complaints or compliance issues, or as random site visits to assess for compliance with Iowa Administrative Code rules.
This position also provides coordination between the Private Well and Water Allocation and Use Programs. This will include providing assistance and project reviews for private wells that are also classified as water use wells (25,000 gpd or greater). The Geologist will collaborate with Water Use Program staff to determine if a pumping test will be required as part of the water use permit, registrations, or private well construction permit and then ensure that wells are not permitted within protected water sources.
Essential Functions
- Conducts reviews of well sites to ensure proper location
- Provides rule interpretation and enforces the rules related to the private well and water use programs
- Creates models of Iowa’s aquifers using modeling software
- Provides technical assistance, outreach, and education on Iowa’s hydrology and geology to well owners, contractors, drillers, and county sanitarians
- Writes reports and provides input on proper well drilling and well permits
- Provides coordination between the Private Well Program and the Water Allocation and Use Program to ensure communication and efficiencies are met
Critical Job Competencies
Highly productive, Computer Skills, Communication, Intrapersonal Skills, Integrity, Problem Solving, Team Player
What You Get From Us:
- A competitive pay plan and rewarding work.
- Insurance benefits that start the first of the month following 30 days of employment.
(Premiums can start as low as $64/month for single and $210/month for family coverage).
- Separate vacation and sick leave accruals that start on the first day and can roll over annually.
- Nine paid holidays/year.
- Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) retirement package with employer match.
- Optional deferred compensation (457/401A) plan with employer match.
- Professional training opportunities.
- Flexible work schedules (as approved by the supervisor)
- Opportunities for hybrid telework (as approved by the supervisor)
- Family friendly and professional work environment.
- Employee Discount Programs (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling)
- The State’s total compensation package features benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. For a list of additional benefits, please visit the DAS website for more information.
- Workout/Gym facilities available onsite at 6200 Park Ave.
Comments
1. Preference will be given to those candidates with related work experience in the private well industry, hydrology, and modeling aquifers.
2. Valid drivers license to drive a state vehicle for travel for job duties.
Competency Requirements: High productivity to keep up with work load across two programs and travel necessary to complete job duties; Computer skills including software modeling packages; Communication and interpersonal skills to work with stakeholders and outside customers, especially during contentious situations; High integrity by being able to enforce the rules equitably across all stakeholders and programs; Problem solving skills for revising the desired well siting plan; and Team-player working professionally with all team members across the Department.
The starting salary for new state (Executive Branch) employees is expected to be at the base of the pay range. Additional salary increases may occur after the first six months, and then annually (if applicable). The State’s total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits that are worth about 30% of your total compensation. Visit the DAS website for more benefit information.
Ensure you are kept up-to-date of this position by checking your email regularly for emails from info@govermentjobs.com. This is a system generated email from the DAS application system and it may be sent directly to your Junk/Spam folder.
DNR Application Tips
For more information about DNR Employment Opportunities and position specific notices, please visit the DNR Employment website.
The State of Iowa is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.
Iowa DNR Mission
To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations.
Selectives
242 Geology For use by the Department of Natural Resources, the following shall apply: 12 months of experience, 24 semester hours of education, or a combination of both, practicing geosciences in areas which can include identification, interpretation, and logging of geologic materials, hydrogeology, geologic field work, or geologic mapping.
AND
231 Environmental Geology 6 months’ experience or at least one course in the application of geologic principles (including hydrogeology) to problem solving in the areas of safe disposal of solid and liquid wastes, management and protection of water resources and in evaluating the impacts of various land-use practices.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in geology, physical geography, or a closely related geological science, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in geology.
2) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in a natural science, computer science, math, or engineering field, and experience equal to four years of full-time work in ground water, soils, environmental geology, geographic information systems, or other related earth science specialty.
3) All of the following (a, b, and c): a. One year of full-time work experience in geology; and b. A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in geology, physical geography, or a closely related geological science equals one year of full-time experience; and c. A total of two years of graduate-level education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in in geology, physical geography, or a closely related geological science equals one year of full-time experience.
4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Geologist 2.
For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description. (Download PDF reader)
Agency: State of Iowa
Agency: 542 Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Address: 6200 Park Ave STE 200 Des Moines, Iowa, 50321
Website: http://www.iowadnr.gov/
