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What is a project geologist and how to become one
Project geologists assess sites and gather geological data. These professionals work on specific projects for private organizations or the government. They mostly gather information for mining, drilling, or excavation operations. Project geologists also work closely with project managers to make recommendations on the best way to proceed with the current task.
As a project geologist, you may also supervise junior geologists, create work plans, and perform exploration and mapping for new project sites. Project geologists may often spend time indoors collating and processing the gathered data. They may also meet with clients to discuss their findings.
Project geologists can either specialize in a specific area or remain general geologists. Typical areas of specialization include environmental geology, petroleum geology, and paleontology.
To become a project geologist, you need an advanced degree in geology. You'll also need to be proficient with MS Office, 3D modeling, and other software.
What general advice would you give to a Project Geologist?
Nelson Ham Ph.D.
Professor of Geology and Environmental Science, St. Norbert College
Avg. Salary $94,932
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.61%
Asian 3.91%
Black or African American 1.02%
Hispanic or Latino 6.66%
Unknown 4.75%
White 83.05%
Genderfemale 20.39%
male 79.61%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Project Geologist career paths
Key steps to become a project geologist
Explore project geologist education requirements
Start to develop specific project geologist skills
Skills Percentages OSHA 6.41% Data Collection 6.28% Technical Reports 4.79% Geotechnical 4.32% Data Management 3.53% Complete relevant project geologist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New project geologists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a project geologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real project geologist resumes.Research project geologist duties and responsibilities
- Manage and direct soil excavation projects at UST sites, pipeline leaks, and abandon oil fields.
- Manage numerous UST closures and site restorations
- Used GIS software such as ArcView and AutoCad to prepare maps and figures for reports.
- Perform various tests and procedures to ASTM standards.
Prepare your project geologist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your project geologist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a project geologist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable project geologist resume templates
Build a professional project geologist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your project geologist resume.
Apply for project geologist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a project geologist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first project geologist job
Are you a project geologist?
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Average project geologist salary
The average project geologist salary in the United States is $94,932 per year or $46 per hour. Project geologist salaries range between $57,000 and $156,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do project geologists rate their job?
Project Geologist reviews
Hard to find a job.
not much.
Inconsistent working schedule, have to fight for billable work against other geologists within my company, insanely long hours, travel to mostly unsafe areas.
Combination of field and office work, be able to complete the project from start to end
Low paying job if you work for a small company
Updated January 8, 2025
