Chief Geologist
Salary
$63,273.60 - $97,468.80 Annually
Location
Ames - 50010 - Story County, IA
Job Type
Full-time
Job Number
26-02570
Agency
645 Iowa Department of Transportation
Opening Date
03/23/2026
Closing Date
4/6/2026 11:59 PM Central
LinkedIn Tag
#LI-POST
Point of Contact
Jeff De Vries, jeff.devries@iowadot.us
Job Description
Iowa Department of Transportation’s Mission is Making Lives Better Through Transportation. To accomplish our Mission, the person selected for this position will demonstrate actions and behaviors guided by the Iowa Department of Transportation’s five CORE values: Safety First, People Matter, Customer Focused, Servant Leadership, and Integrity Without Exception.
Location: Ames, Iowa
Shift Requirements: Mondays - Fridays, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Some overnight travel required.
As the Chief Geologist, you will serve as a key team leader within the Construction and Materials Bureau, overseeing Iowa’s statewide aggregate quality assurance program for highway and bridge construction. In this role, you will guide the development, evaluation, and approval of aggregate sources across the state, ensuring they meet the Iowa DOT’s specifications and performance standards.
As a Chief Geologist, your duties will include, but are not limited to:
Technical Responsibilities
• Support aggregate producers in developing or expanding new aggregate sources.
• Compile and interpret chemical and physical test data to evaluate source approvals and address geologic challenges.
• Prepare stratigraphic sections and conduct logging, analysis, and sampling of rock cores to guide quarry and mine development.
• Produce clear, detailed technical reports for individual aggregate sources.
• Manage the Physical and Chemical Aggregate Testing Program, Iowa’s primary system for aggregate approval and performance monitoring.
• Ensure aggregate sources align with construction needs and long-term pavement performance expectations.
Leadership Responsibilities
• Lead and direct the Geology Team and Central Materials Laboratory work areas, fostering technical excellence and collaboration.
• Establish priorities, schedule investigations, and assign projects based on staff expertise and workload needs.
• Review project progress, validate technical approaches, and approve final reports and recommendations.
• Provide expert guidance on complex, sensitive, or high-impact geologic issues.
• Coordinate with partner agencies to support collaborative research and adapt project plans as new findings emerge.
• Develop projects, set division goals, and guide staff to ensure timely, successful completion of all work.
What We’re Looking For:
• A strong commitment to excellence and high-quality work.
• Collaborative team members who contribute positively to shared goals.
• Proactive problem solvers with exceptional attention to detail.
• Motivated, friendly with a get-it-done mindset.
• Team members who embrace innovation and support a culture of continuous improvement.
• A consistently professional and positive attitude.
Special Requirements:
- Maintains a Valid Driver's license.
- Occasionally (1-33% of the time) walks on uneven surfaces for an extended distance, up to 2 miles.
- Occasionally (1-33% of the time) lifts/lowers, carries and pushes/pulls various amounts of force within the “heavy work” as defined by the US Department of Labor; team lift or mechanical assist recommended for weights over 75 pounds. Related work examples: 70 pound bag of aggregate, 60 pound asphalt hot box, 118 pound beam breaker, and 80 pound concrete beam in mold, etc. Lifts 65 pound bags or boxes and stands for up to 6 hours per day to perform tests.
As a State of Iowa employee, you will be eligible for the following benefits:
- Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance
- Insurance benefits start the first month following 30 days of employment and costs can be reviewed here.
- Opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Paid time off effective immediately - biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year.
- Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
- Optional 401A plan with employer contributions.
- Employee Discount Programs from a variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).
We encourage you to view more about the State of Iowa Employee benefits and costs at the State of Iowa Employee Benefits Website!
You have the freedom to flourish in Iowa – Apply now!
The Iowa Department of Transportation is an equal-opportunity employer. If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing any screening, interviewing, pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please direct your request to the Affirmative Action & Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) Officer at: aa-eeo@iowadot.us
Reasonable accommodation such as interpreter, translator, written materials, modified equipment/devices, ADA access, etc. This does not include scheduling needs.
The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov
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)