During World War II, Jones was transferred to the United States Army and later the Office of Strategic Services before returning to the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps.

[1][2] In 1933, Jones began his career in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey as a civilian employee.

In 1957, he was transferred to duty in the United States Department of State and was placed in charge of a geodetic control project in Ethiopia which established ground control for the mapping of water resources in the drainage basin of the Blue Nile River.

[1][2][3] Returning to the United States in 1961, Jones served as Chief of the Coast and Geodetic Survey's Division of Geodesy for two years.

[6] On 13 July 1965, while Jones was serving aboard Surveyor, a new United States Government scientific organization, the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) was created.

[2] On 3 October 1970, ESSA was abolished and replaced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Under the new organization, President Richard Nixon appointed Jones as Acting Director of the new National Ocean Service on 26 October 1970.

[7] The United States Senate confirmed him in this position on 19 February 1971, making him permanent Director of the National Ocean Service.

After Rear Admiral Jones retired, the couple moved back to Washington state, residing first in Lake Crescent – where Don Jones organized and served as the first president of the Friends of Lake Crescent – before settling in Shoreline.