GEOLOGIST 3, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Code: 03054C State Competitive Range: R25 (FY 2027) Work week NL: FLSA exemptOvertime table (4A:3, Appx. A)

Salary: $79,843.57 - $117,227.97/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the general supervision of a Geologist 4, Environmental Protection, or other supervisory official in the Department of Environmental Protection, supervises professional staff who perform the collection/analysis of geological, hydrogeological, or geophysical data pertaining to environmental problems including groundwater resources, geological hazards pollution, and subsurface migration of pollutants; provides technical expertise, instruction, assistance, and consultation; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinates; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• Organizes and participates in the efforts of clean-up contractors or other State personnel in the control or removal of pollutants from groundwater or subsurface environments.
• Provides technical expertise, assistance, and consultation pertaining to groundwater hydrogeology, geology, and geophysics and the issuance of permits for the discharge of pollutants onto the land or into the groundwater, or for conducting geological or geophysical investigations.
• Supervises the collection of geological information and data for permitting activities or special studies, and upon completion of such studies, incorporates the essential information in reports or permits designed for management review, reproduction, or public distribution.
• Supervises geological/geophysical studies and investigations to determine actual or potential groundwater contamination sources and traces the controls needed to prevent or remediate subsurface migration of pollutants.
• Plans, conducts, and/or supervises the preparation of reports and maps showing or describing the extent and distribution of aquifers and other geological formations to evaluate the groundwater resources of an area or predict the migration of actual or potential pollutants.
• Supervises the maintenance, operation, and repair of various types of sampling equipment used to evaluate the geology or groundwater quality of an area.
• Supervises geological, geophysical, or hydrogeologic studies or permitting activities to locate, evaluate, or characterize aquifers and aquicludes, groundwater contamination, geological formations, and potentially valuable deposits of minerals and geological materials; supervises the preparation of reports, maps, or cross-sections which present raw, calculated, or interpreted data.
• Maintains liaison with mineral producers in the State to keep current with their problems and to provide effective assistance.
• Supervises and/or conducts the review of environmental impact statements, reports, proposals, and permit applications pertaining to hydrogeology, geophysical investigations, underground storage, and landfills.
• Provides technical expertise and assistance, including court testimony to the Attorney General's Office when litigation involves geology, groundwater contamination, or supply, and assists in the preparation of Departmental Orders and Notices of Prosecution.
• Plans, conducts, and participates in training programs for federal, State, or local government employees and other interested personnel regarding hydrogeology, geophysics, geological mapping, geochemical studies, and/or aquifer evaluation and restoration.
• Prepares and interprets computer data related for individual geological projects; may develop in-house geological oriented programming and utilize computer applications in geological problem solving.
• In accordance with department protocol, plans, conducts, and participates in public information activities including public speaking, news media interviews, meetings, hearings, conferences, press releases, and publications pertaining to program activities of the unit.
• Develops rules, regulations, policies, and guidelines, and other formal documents pertaining to geological programs.
• Supervises activities of an unanticipated nature, resulting from a disaster which impacts or threatens groundwater supplies or quality, or involves other geological hazards.
• Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
• Prepares and/or supervises the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative geological, hydrogeological, geophysical, and other related reports on environmental problems containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Prepares detailed correspondence.
• Maintains and/or supervises the maintenance of essential records, reports, and files.
• Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in geology, natural science, or engineering to include or be supplemented by thirty-six (36) semester hour credits in geology, hydrogeology, geohydrology, and/or geophysics, and also supplemented by nine (9) additional semester hour credits in any combination of the following courses: hydrogeology, geophysics, chemistry, computer science/modeling, water resources management, environmental science, soil science, or engineering.

Experience

Three (3) years of professional work experience in geology, geophysics, and/or hydrogeology.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the procedures, tools, instruments, materials, and supplies used in geological and geophysical studies and investigations.
• Knowledge of geology, hydrogeology, geophysics, and groundwater theory.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques used in the evaluation, remediation, and control of groundwater pollution and prevention, the development of groundwater supplies, and of mineral resource exploration.
• Knowledge of the geological equipment and the methods used in compiling, interpreting, presenting, and mapping subsurface geology, and the extent of pollutants and/or contaminated groundwater.
• Knowledge of the basic principles of organizing and supervising a work unit.
• Knowledge of the pollutants and the methods used to control their spread, prevent their entry into, and/or facilitate their recovery from the subsurface environment.
• Knowledge of the natural resources, geography, geological setting, history, and groundwater resources of the State.
• Knowledge of the laws, rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to groundwater protection, and investigations, studies, and related activities, including regulatory standards.
• Knowledge of groundwater instruments and their uses in groundwater hydrogeology.
• Knowledge of the techniques used in designing and supervising field and/or laboratory studies in geology, hydrogeology, and geophysics.
• Ability to read, understand, and apply information pertaining to the geology, groundwater resources, natural resources, geography, geological settings, history, and hydrogeologic systems of the State of New Jersey.
• Ability to read, understand, and apply the New Jersey laws, rules, standards, regulations, and procedures pertaining to groundwater protection, and hydrogeological and geophysical investigations, studies, and related activities.
• Ability to evaluate, analyze, and resolve environmental problems pertaining to geology, groundwater contamination, pollutant migration, and hydrogeology.
• Ability to collect, interpret, and evaluate geological, geophysical, and hydrogeological data and incorporate it into technical or scientific reports.
• Ability to supervise field/office investigations pertaining to environmental problems.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative work relationships with mineral producers within the State to understand their needs and provide effective assistance.
• Ability to explain and apply new or routine technical procedures and provide advice, assistance, and training to personnel regarding geological and hydrogeologic problems.
• Ability to understand and interpret geological and geophysical data to locate and trace boundaries of geological formations and structures.
• Ability to plan, conduct, and participate in public information activities including public speaking, news media interviews, meetings, public hearings, conferences, press releases, and publications pertaining to program activities of the unit.
• Ability to deal with the public in a diplomatic manner.
• Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit.
• Ability to prepare and/or supervise the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative geological, hydrogeological, geophysical, and other related reports on environmental problems containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Ability to prepare detailed correspondence.
• Ability to maintain and/or supervise the maintenance of essential records, reports, and files.
• Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic, manual recording or information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of their position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

A Master's degree in one of the above listed disciplines may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.