LIFE AT A STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: THE VIRGINIA PERSPECTIVE

A state geological survey is an ideal place to begin your career as a geoscientist by exposing you to a wide variety of potential career paths and research questions. At a state survey, you will have the opportunity to meet and work with scientists from government, academia, industry, and consulting. This networking will establish long-term contacts and help you explore future opportunities. Also, you will be exposed to myriad research projects and gain training and experience with different software, hardware, equipment.

As a recent graduate from a masters program, I have been employed with the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Division of Geology and Mineral Resources, which functions as the state geological survey of Virginia, for about six years. The survey is headed by a State Geologist and currently employs 2 Geologist Managers, 3 Geologist Specialists, 3 Geologic Technicians (grant-supported), 1 full-time contractor (grant supported), and 3 part-time contractors (grant-supported). All technicians and contractors are in hourly-wage positions without benefits. All full-time, salaried positions are currently filled with geologists that hold at least a Master’s degree.

The survey is organized into two main groups, the economic geology and geologic mapping sections; each is headed by a Geologist Manager. Staff geologists work on a variety of projects, most of which are grant-funded. Current projects include STATEMAP geologic mapping, USGS Data Preservation, USGS Earth MRI, BOEM heavy mineral sands, and FEMA landslide mapping in Nelson and Albemarle Counties. Many grant-funded projects include field work (geologic and hazard mapping), sample preparation, data analysis, spatial analysis (using ArcGIS), database construction and management, and the writing of reports and publications.

Non-grant funded activities include; responding to customers (walk-in sample identification, sales of hard-copy products, phone/site visits), on-demand outreach, maintenance of field and lab equipment, improving accessibility of internal datasets to the general public, and an updated 1:500,000-scale geologic map of Virginia.