H-1B Visa Exploration Geologist Jobs
Exploration Geologist roles qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations because they require at minimum a bachelor's degree in geology, geoscience, or a directly related field. Most sponsoring employers are energy companies, mining firms, and environmental consultancies that file LCAs with the DOL before petitioning USCIS.
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Get Access To All JobsCoordinator, Inner Space Center (ISC) & Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute
Posting Number: SF02242
Position Type: Professional Staff
Union: PSA/NEA - Professional Staff Assoc
Pay Grade Level: Grade Level: 9
Pay Grade Range: Salary Hiring Range: $77,000 - $82,000
Department: GSO Research
Campus Location: Narragansett Bay Campus
Job Description Summary:
Search will be open until filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by 11/05/2026. Applications received after 11/05/2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.
About URI:
The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State's flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.
THE POSITION IS ELIGIBLE FOR A REMOTE/HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE.
Position Summary:
Assist the Inner Space Center and Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) with programmatic and administrative support. Develop and implement protocols to track spending across all ISC projects. Coordinate financial and administrative support for all ISC transactions and serve as a liaison with URI Office of Sponsored Projects, and the URI OECI administrative office. Assist with pre and post award requirements in coordination with URI OSP. Assist with managing the ISC calendar of meetings to include scheduling and keeping meeting minutes for routine meetings with funding agencies. Hire contractors and students working on projects and general administrative tasks. Assist with travel, procurement, and invoicing functions within the ISC. Track the ISC Service Center budget and provide regular reports.
Duties and Responsibilities:
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
-
Track and report financial and progress across ISC projects to include financial and operational milestones. Assist in invoicing and financial reporting for each project. Develop protocols to track operational milestones and spending across all ISC projects.
-
Manage the finances and administration of several multi-year government funded projects. This includes processing and managing sub awards (payments, budget, and close-out); developing annual budgets; processing and managing awards (including expense monitoring) through URI systems. Submit and track award actions through the URI system to ensure timely processing.
-
Process monthly invoices and clearing of advances.
-
Prepare monthly financial reports for multiple projects. Review, interpret and analyze monthly spending and compare against budgets. Prepare quarterly accruals, end of year and end of project financial reports to sponsors.
-
Assist in the preparation of budgets and supporting documents for proposals and related submission.
-
Manage travel for ISC. Prepare and assist in all phases of domestic and international travel as needed. Coordinate all related logistics, including, but not limited to: lodging, meals, ground transport and daily logistical schedules, etc. Initiate Travel Authorization Requests (pre-travel) and submit Expense Reports (post travel) for ISC staff, contractors, and students.
-
Assist in human resources actions including participation in ISC search committees (including required trainings) as requested; assisting in advertising, hiring of URI and non-URI project staff; mentoring/orienting administrative and finance staff; hiring and supervising students; processing Graduate Assistantships; processing faculty and internal payroll contracts; processing and managing personal service contract.
-
Assist with ISC interns.
-
Coordinate logistics for meetings and tours at URI and as necessary for ISC projects. This includes obtaining visas, pre-departure and arrival orientations, lodging, transport, health and accident insurance and ground transport.
-
Manage ISC'S Service Center and project purchasing and procurement of supplies and equipment.
-
Responsible for coordinating quotes, RFQ's, RFP's, working with suppliers, etc. Coordinate ISC space, building maintenance and repair.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
-
Travel one or two times a year to partner institutions or NOAA offices to review finances, standard operating procedures, administrative policy, and systems, and participate in work planning. Train URI and non-URI project staff on protocols, review of policy and procedures, etc.
-
Initiate and prepare personnel action forms.
-
Perform additional duties as required.
LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:
Personal computers, printers; Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Adobe Acrobat.
Posting Date: 10/23/2026
Coordinator, Inner Space Center (ISC) & Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute
Posting Number: SF02242
Position Type: Professional Staff
Union: PSA/NEA - Professional Staff Assoc
Pay Grade Level: Grade Level: 9
Pay Grade Range: Salary Hiring Range: $77,000 - $82,000
Department: GSO Research
Campus Location: Narragansett Bay Campus
Job Description Summary:
Search will be open until filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by 11/05/2026. Applications received after 11/05/2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.
About URI:
The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State's flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.
THE POSITION IS ELIGIBLE FOR A REMOTE/HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE.
Position Summary:
Assist the Inner Space Center and Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) with programmatic and administrative support. Develop and implement protocols to track spending across all ISC projects. Coordinate financial and administrative support for all ISC transactions and serve as a liaison with URI Office of Sponsored Projects, and the URI OECI administrative office. Assist with pre and post award requirements in coordination with URI OSP. Assist with managing the ISC calendar of meetings to include scheduling and keeping meeting minutes for routine meetings with funding agencies. Hire contractors and students working on projects and general administrative tasks. Assist with travel, procurement, and invoicing functions within the ISC. Track the ISC Service Center budget and provide regular reports.
Duties and Responsibilities:
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
-
Track and report financial and progress across ISC projects to include financial and operational milestones. Assist in invoicing and financial reporting for each project. Develop protocols to track operational milestones and spending across all ISC projects.
-
Manage the finances and administration of several multi-year government funded projects. This includes processing and managing sub awards (payments, budget, and close-out); developing annual budgets; processing and managing awards (including expense monitoring) through URI systems. Submit and track award actions through the URI system to ensure timely processing.
-
Process monthly invoices and clearing of advances.
-
Prepare monthly financial reports for multiple projects. Review, interpret and analyze monthly spending and compare against budgets. Prepare quarterly accruals, end of year and end of project financial reports to sponsors.
-
Assist in the preparation of budgets and supporting documents for proposals and related submission.
-
Manage travel for ISC. Prepare and assist in all phases of domestic and international travel as needed. Coordinate all related logistics, including, but not limited to: lodging, meals, ground transport and daily logistical schedules, etc. Initiate Travel Authorization Requests (pre-travel) and submit Expense Reports (post travel) for ISC staff, contractors, and students.
-
Assist in human resources actions including participation in ISC search committees (including required trainings) as requested; assisting in advertising, hiring of URI and non-URI project staff; mentoring/orienting administrative and finance staff; hiring and supervising students; processing Graduate Assistantships; processing faculty and internal payroll contracts; processing and managing personal service contract.
-
Assist with ISC interns.
-
Coordinate logistics for meetings and tours at URI and as necessary for ISC projects. This includes obtaining visas, pre-departure and arrival orientations, lodging, transport, health and accident insurance and ground transport.
-
Manage ISC'S Service Center and project purchasing and procurement of supplies and equipment.
-
Responsible for coordinating quotes, RFQ's, RFP's, working with suppliers, etc. Coordinate ISC space, building maintenance and repair.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
-
Travel one or two times a year to partner institutions or NOAA offices to review finances, standard operating procedures, administrative policy, and systems, and participate in work planning. Train URI and non-URI project staff on protocols, review of policy and procedures, etc.
-
Initiate and prepare personnel action forms.
-
Perform additional duties as required.
LICENSES, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT:
Personal computers, printers; Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Adobe Acrobat.
Posting Date: 10/23/2026
See all H-1B Visa Exploration Geologist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new H-1B Visa Exploration Geologist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding H-1B Visa Sponsorship in Exploration Geologist
Verify your degree field matches the role
USCIS scrutinizes degree-to-job alignment for geoscience roles. A geology or earth sciences degree maps cleanly, but an environmental science or geography degree may require a credential evaluation letter confirming equivalency to a U.S. specialty occupation.
Target employers with active LCA filings
Use the OFLC Wage Search to confirm a company has filed LCAs under SOC code 19-2042 (Geoscientists) before applying. Employers with no prior filings in that code face a steeper internal approval process and longer timelines.
Search verified H-1B sponsors on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters Exploration Geologist postings by employers with documented H-1B filing history, so you're not cold-applying to companies that have never sponsored the role. It saves weeks of screening.
Ask about fieldwork and visa status implications
Exploration Geologist roles often involve extended fieldwork in remote locations or international travel. Confirm with your prospective employer that they understand H-1B portability rules and will maintain your status during project-based travel outside the U.S.
Negotiate a cap-exempt or early filing timeline
If you're already on H-1B with a cap-exempt institution, a straight transfer is possible year-round. For cap-subject roles, your employer must file in April for an October 1 start, so time your offer acceptance and resignation accordingly.
Understand how prevailing wage level affects your offer
DOL assigns geoscience roles to wage levels I through IV based on experience and supervision. Your offered salary must meet the certified LCA wage level. Use the OFLC Wage Search to check the prevailing wage for your specific job location before negotiating.
H-1B Visa Exploration Geologist: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Exploration Geologist role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes. USCIS recognizes Exploration Geologist as a specialty occupation because the role normally requires at least a bachelor's degree in geology, geoscience, or a directly related field. Employers document this in the H-1B petition using the job description and the DOL-certified LCA. Degrees in closely related fields like geophysics or earth sciences generally qualify, but a general science degree may trigger a Request for Evidence.
Which types of employers sponsor H-1B visas for Exploration Geologists?
Oil and gas companies, mining firms, environmental consulting firms, and federal contractors are the most consistent sponsors for this role. Employers with active LCA filings under SOC code 19-2042 have already navigated the DOL process for geoscience positions. You can browse employers with verified H-1B filing history for Exploration Geologist roles on Migrate Mate without sorting through companies that have never sponsored the position.
How does fieldwork or remote project work affect my H-1B status?
H-1B status is tied to the worksite listed on your certified LCA. If your role involves regular fieldwork at locations not covered by the original LCA, your employer may need to file an amended petition or certify additional worksites. Extended international travel for project work doesn't jeopardize status as long as you maintain a valid H-1B visa stamp for re-entry and your employer keeps the petition active.
What happens if my geology degree is from outside the United States?
USCIS accepts foreign degrees if a credential evaluation confirms they're equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree in a relevant field. A National Association of Credential Evaluation Services member agency can provide this assessment. Three years of specialized work experience can substitute for one year of formal education under USCIS policy, which matters if your degree is shorter than a four-year U.S. program.
Can I transfer my H-1B to a new Exploration Geologist employer without losing status?
Yes. Under AC21 portability, you can start working for a new employer as soon as they file an H-1B transfer petition, without waiting for approval, provided your current petition has been approved and you've maintained valid status. Your new employer must file a new LCA with DOL and submit the I-129 to USCIS before your first day. The 60-day grace period after leaving a prior employer gives you time to arrange a transfer.