Associate Geophysicist Staff Member

Requisition Id 14012 

Overview:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

We are seeking a Geophysicist Associate Staff Member who will focus on application of seismo-acoustic phenomenology to support domestic and international security applications. This position resides in the Collection Science and Engineering Group in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, National Security Sciences Directorate at ORNL.

As part of our team, you will contribute to a wide range of nuclear security initiatives, from research and development to technology deployment and technical assessments. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to identify, develop, and implement innovative solutions to nuclear security challenges. Your work will involve advancing seismo-acoustic techniques and methodologies, both novel and traditional, to enhance the detection and characterization of nuclear processes, as well as broader national security and threat reduction applications. Responsibilities for this position include collaborating with division staff across various groups, contributing to and leading R&D projects, and working both independently and within team settings. The successful candidate will interface effectively with project sponsors, contribute to the development of research proposals, and publish the outcomes of their work.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Conduct research and development in the following areas:
  • Seismo-acoustic monitoring of industrial facilities
  • Advanced detection and location techniques for microseismic events
  • New sensor development and experiment design
  • Application and advancement of seismo-acoustic wavefield technqiues for characterizing nuclear processes
• Apply data science methodologies to large seismo-acoustic datasets.
• Engage with staff across the division, directorate, and laboratory to enhance ORNL’s contributions to nuclear nonproliferation and security missions. 
• Support senior staff in the development and execution of projects, ensuring timely and impactful results that align with the NSSD and nonproliferation objectives.
• Some domestic and international travel required.
• All team members deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in geophysics or a related field and 0-2 years of relevant experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Experience in seismo-acoustic monitoring of industrial facilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the nuclear fuel cycle and its impact on seismo-acoustic signals and their interpretation.
• Proficiency in programming and scripting languages, including C, C++, Fortran, Python, Matlab, Julia, and others.
• Experience in seismo-acoustic signal processing.
• Expertise in applying machine learning algorithms to seismic data.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Effective problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to tackle diverse challenges and contextualize research within broader applications.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs.

Special Requirements:

• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• This position requires access to technology that is subject to export control requirements. Successful candidates must be qualified for such access without an export control license.

Benefits at ORNL: 

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain dedicated people! The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

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This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.