Senior Geologist
terraai · Redwood City Office · onsite
Terra AI is building a new category at the intersection of artificial intelligence, geoscience, and critical resource development.
As global demand for copper, lithium, nickel, rare earth elements, geothermal energy, and other strategic resources accelerates, the mining and subsurface industries face a growing challenge: traditional exploration methods remain slow, expensive, and highly uncertain. Terra AI was founded to help solve this problem by redefining how critical resources are discovered, evaluated, and developed.
By combining advanced machine learning, probabilistic modeling, and deep geoscience expertise, Terra AI helps exploration and mining companies make faster, more informed subsurface decisions with greater confidence and capital efficiency. The company’s platform integrates geological, geophysical, and drilling data into intelligent systems designed to improve targeting accuracy, accelerate discovery timelines, and reduce exploration risk.
Backed by Khosla Ventures, BHP, and Rio Tinto, Terra AI works with industry leaders to bring a more informed, data-driven approach to critical resource development.
Terra AI’s mission is to define the new global standard for data-driven critical resource development — breaking the cost and time curve required to support electrification, energy security, and the global energy transition.
The company operates with a strong partnership mentality, combining technical rigor, candid communication, continual learning, and environmental stewardship to help modern exploration teams solve some of the world’s most important resource challenges.
Who you are
You’re an experienced geologist who enjoys connecting the dots between complex datasets, geological processes, and real-world exploration decisions. You bring a strong foundation in economic geology and mineral systems, along with the curiosity to explore how modern computational methods can improve the way critical resources are discovered.
You’re equally comfortable interpreting field and historical exploration data, developing geological models, and collaborating with specialists across geophysics, geochemistry, and machine learning. You know that good exploration decisions depend on sound geological reasoning, careful attention to data quality, and an honest understanding of uncertainty.
Most importantly, you enjoy building. You’re excited to help shape evolving exploration workflows, contribute your geological judgment to new technical tools, and work with a team that values thoughtful debate and practical outcomes.
What you’ll do
As a Senior Geologist at Terra AI, you’ll help lead geological interpretation and mineral systems modeling across exploration projects focused on critical resources. Your work will connect established geological practice with probabilistic modeling and AI-enabled exploration workflows, helping teams make more informed decisions about where and how to explore.
You’ll work closely with geologists, geophysicists, and machine learning engineers to integrate geological, geochemical, and geophysical evidence across multiple scales. You’ll also help ensure that the data and geological assumptions informing our models are reliable, clearly documented, and fit for their intended purpose.
This is a hands-on technical role with opportunities to contribute to global projects, communicate findings to internal and external partners, and help improve the tools and processes that support our exploration work.
Core responsibilities
- Interpret and integrate geological, geochemical, and geophysical datasets across regional, district, and deposit scales
- Develop and refine mineral systems and exploration models that support probabilistic targeting and resource discovery workflows
- Provide geological input into feature engineering and computational exploration methods alongside technical colleagues
- Conduct QA/QC of historical and modern exploration datasets, identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and sources of uncertainty
- Collaborate with internal and external geologists, geophysicists, engineers, and machine learning specialists to strengthen geological interpretations
- Prepare clear technical reports, visualizations, geological interpretations, and exploration recommendations for projects around the world
- Contribute geological expertise to the development, automation, and continuous improvement of exploration workflows
Qualifications
- Substantial experience in economic geology, mineral exploration, mine development, or a closely related discipline
- Strong working knowledge of critical minerals and base metals geology, including relevant mineralization systems
- Proficiency with GIS tools and 3D geological modeling software
- Demonstrated ability to integrate diverse geological and exploration datasets into coherent, defensible exploration models
- Solid understanding of geochemistry, mineral systems, and the interpretation of geological uncertainty
- Ability to communicate technical findings clearly and collaborate across geological and computational disciplines
- Exposure to computational geology, geostatistics, remote sensing, or AI-enabled exploration workflows is beneficial, but not required
Candidates from both traditional exploration and emerging computational geology backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We recognize that exceptional people bring varied professional and technical experiences; if your background aligns with the spirit of the role, we’d welcome your application even if you don’t meet every qualification.
Compensation & Benefits
The annual base salary range for this position is $185,000–$250,000. Actual compensation will depend on experience, qualifications, skills, location, and other job-related factors. This role is eligible for equity and Terra AI’s benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, FSA, and a 401(k) with company match. Any additional incentive compensation, if offered, will be communicated separately. Applications may be submitted through the job posting; the application closing date will be provided when the role is published.
Terra AI is an equal opportunity employer. We make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex, gender, pregnancy or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, reproductive health decision-making, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
We’re committed to building a workplace where people with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can do their best work. Terra AI also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please let us know.