Environmental Geologist (Geologist 3)

Competition # : 50321

Department: Natural Resources

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: ​23-Nov-26 ​ (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

The Geological Survey Division of the Geoscience and Mines Branch, Department of Natural Resources, is responsible for acquiring, evaluating, managing, and disseminating information about the province’s geology and hydrogeology. This geoscientific information is used for a wide variety of applications, including geological and water resource management, environmental protection, and land use planning. The Geological Survey Division provides geoscience information to support Government decision-making and policy formulation to manage geological resources and protect public health, safety, and infrastructure from geological hazards.

About Our Opportunity

Reporting to the Manager of Coastal and Environmental Geoscience, Nova Scotia Geological Survey, the Environmental Geologist works as a risk and decision support geoscientist. The Environmental Geologist works on a wide range of environmental geoscience projects involving the assessment of bedrock, surficial geology and geochemistry, and contributes to the slope stability and geohazard dimensions of the coastal and surficial geology programs. The Environmental Geologist is responsible for leading the department’s characterization of geological hazards including radon, karst and sinkhole systems, acid rock drainage, contaminant dispersal, slope stability, and contributes to understanding contaminant dispersal in marine and watershed settings. The Environmental Geologist will normally be responsible for coordinating geoscience responses to land use inquiries including Environmental Assessments and Parks and Protected Areas reviews.

The Environmental Geologist collaborates with senior geoscientists and works with stakeholders to design and deliver environmental geoscience field studies to collect data, interpret and advise on analytical results, and serve as the lead departmental contact for environmental geoscience inquiries. The environmental geologist collects and interprets geoscience data using various methods which include but are not limited to reviewing current and historical scientific datasets, maps and reports, and designing field projects that could include mapping of bedrock and surficial geological features and processes, assessing subsurface data including geophysical surveys, rock and sediment core, and designing and implementing soil, silt and water sampling programs. The role requires maintaining products such as radon and karst risk maps, and requires the application of photogrammetry, lidar and GIS tools to create and interpret, as necessary, geospatial decision-support products. It requires characterizing geological features including karst terrain and sinkholes, acid rock drainage, contaminant plumes in sedimentary systems and other environmental geoscience issues that may present a risk to Nova Scotians.

Primary Accountabilities

The primary accountabilities of the successful candidate are to characterize geological and geochemical related health and identify naturally occurring hazards that could negatively impact human health and safety, the environment or the economy, and generate scientific products that support the dissemination of relevant, timely and accessible information and advice required for sound risk assessment and support for management of the province’s environmental geohazards.

Qualifications and Experience

To be successful in the role, you must have at a minimum a B.Sc. in geology, earth sciences or environmental geosciences plus a minimum of 5 years of experience in a geoscience related field or equivalent, or an M.Sc. with 4 years of related experience or equivalent. You must be eligible for registration as a Professional Geoscientist within the Province of Nova Scotia.

Experience working on geochemical, water resource, geotechnical or other geohazard projects is required. You must have experience designing and implementing field surveys to collect representative datasets, building and maintaining databases, and you must have experience with GIS applications to build geological and geospatial models that characterize the relationship between geology and risks to public health, the environment or the economy.

To be successful in this role, you must have the ability to exercise independent judgement of the highest quality as the incumbent designs and implements self-directed initiatives. You must have a proven ability to build positive and productive relationships within the department, across government, and with a broad range of external stakeholders and partners. You must have a strong ability to contribute to diverse working groups from multiple sectors and be able to represent the branch professionally while building strong working relationships.

You must have strong analytical, organizational, and interpersonal skills reflected in written and oral communication. You must have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Additional Information

This is a permanent position based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A valid driver’s license is required for traveling throughout the province to complete field work which may require overnight travel and you may be required to undertake helicopter supported field activities.

You must be eligible for registration as a Professional Geoscientist within the Province of Nova Scotia.

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies
• Countless career paths
• A dynamic, client-focused office environment where service excellence and teamwork are our focus.

Pay Grade: PR 15

Salary Range: $3,029.89 - $3,693.39 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement: Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians, Persons of African Descent, Racialized Persons, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ Persons and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Accommodation Statement: We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected].

This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link:

Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.

External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

If you are receiving a pension from the Nova Scotia Public Service Superannuation Plan (PSSP) or any related plans, you cannot receive pension payments while contributing to the same plan. If you accept a position that requires PSSP contributions, your pension payments must be stopped. Please contact the Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation for more information.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. Where required, candidates must provide proof that they are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to [email protected].