Senior Mineral Geologist

Overview

Senior Mineral Geologist role at Flatwater Group. The Senior Mineral Geologist leads full life cycle evaluation of solid mineral resources in support of Tribal economic development and responsible land use. The role plans and guides field programs, interprets geologic, geochemical, geophysical, and drilling data, and produces defensible resource and reserve estimates across metals, coal, industrial minerals, and aggregates. The geologist coordinates with engineering, environmental, and GIS teams to inform mine planning inputs, reclamation concepts, and permitting strategies.

The position prepares clear technical reports, maps, and decision briefs for Tribal leadership, federal partners, and industry stakeholders. The senior geologist mentors junior staff, upholds rigorous QA and safety standards, and helps convert geologic insight into practical project recommendations aligned with cultural, environmental, and economic goals.

• Serve as a leadership position within the Mineral Geologist labor category and act as a primary technical representative for Tribes in dealings with mining companies, contractors, and government agencies.
• Provide supervisory direction of technical work as required by work orders and report to the On-Site Lead and Project Manager.
• Oversee mineral evaluation and marketing projects, directing project development, technical analysis, and resource assessment from inception to completion.
• Assist Indian mineral owners with mineral lease contract negotiations, reviewing proposed agreements to maximize Tribal benefit and ensure robust royalty terms and environmental protections.
• Prepare, review, and report on resource estimates for industrial minerals and construction aggregate deposits; develop mine and reclamation plans for undeveloped properties.
• Travel to Indian Reservations across the continental U.S. and Alaska to conduct fieldwork, collaborate with Tribal leaders and members, oversee contractors, and perform geologic mapping and resource sampling.
• Develop and manage GIS data; use GIS software for mineral resource and market evaluations; convert field data and analyses into integrated digital formats for mapping and interpretation.
• Communicate with Tribal members, leaders, and BIA officials to promote the Energy and Mineral Development Program (EMDP); assist Tribes with grant applications.
• Evaluate grant entries from Tribal organizations; provide technical assistance and monitor grants throughout their lifecycle.
• Make formal and informal presentations on geology, mining fundamentals, environmental regulations (NEPA), and mineral agreements to Tribes, federal agencies, and the public.

• Technical Capacity: Deep applied geology expertise in solid mineral deposits; full-cycle exploration experience (sampling, mapping, resource estimation); proficient with GIS for resource evaluation and market assessments.
• Complex Problem Solving: Ability to evaluate multi-variable exploration and development scenarios integrating data, constraints, and market demand to assess feasibility and risk.
• Critical Thinking & Initiative: Plan and execute geologic assignments, prioritize work streams, perform QA/QC, and identify data gaps.
• Communication: Translate technical geology into guidance for diverse audiences and deliver defensible technical deliverables and project budgets.
• Leadership and Direction: Provide technical direction, mentor junior staff, coordinate with regulatory teams, and ensure deliverables meet scope and safety standards.
• Toolset: Leapfrog/Seequent, Vulcan/Surpac/Datamine, ArcGIS/QGIS, geostatistical packages;
  Excel/Power BI; familiarity with geotech tools a plus.
• Field readiness & safety: Comfortable with remote fieldwork, contractor coordination, MSHA/OSHA safety, and travel to project sites and Tribal communities.

• Must meet one of the following minimum requirements:
  • B.S. in Geology with three years of experience in solid mineral exploration and evaluation; OR
  • B.S. in Mining or Civil Engineering with at least 20 hours of geology classes and three years of experience; OR
  • B.S. in Mining or Civil Engineering with at least five years of experience in solid mineral exploration and evaluation; OR
  • Undergraduate degree plus M.S. degree in Geology is preferred.
• Professional Geologist (PG) licensure preferred or ability to obtain within 12 months.
• 6-8 years of progressively responsible experience in solid-mineral exploration and evaluation across surface and/or underground contexts.
• Experience in resource and reserve estimation across metals, coal, industrial minerals, and aggregates; familiarity with NI 43-101/S-K 1300/JORC style frameworks.
• Experience leading the exploration lifecycle: target generation, mapping, drill program design, sampling protocols, QA/QC, geophysics/geochemistry integration, and block modeling.
• Mine planning interface and geometallurgy experience; provide geologic inputs to design, scheduling, and risk…