Opportunity to Research Induced and Triggered Earthquakes at the USGS

The U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Science Center (ESC) in Menlo Park, California is interested in hiring a Research Geophysicist to perform research on induced and triggered earthquakes. This will be a permanent position at the GS-13 level, with promotion potential to GS-15. The mission of the ESC is to reduce seismic hazard by conducting basic and applied research on earthquakes. The person hired will primarily investigate earthquakes induced or triggered by human activities, including geothermal exploitation, oil and gas production, carbon dioxide sequestration, underground and surface mining operations, deep fluid injection, and reservoir impoundment. Lessons learned from the research and analyses of case histories will contribute to the goals of improved understanding of earthquake source processes, their causes, and damaging effects. The results from this research will be used to mitigate seismic hazard, whether from natural earthquakes or those caused by human activities.

The goal of the work is to mitigate hazards from earthquakes through an improved understanding of the physics and phenomenology of earthquakes, especially those caused by human activities. The researcher will plan, organize and conduct geophysical research, requiring the knowledge, application and integration of the principles, techniques, and data of several specialized aspects of seismology and geomechanics. The research will be aimed at the development and advancement of fundamental concepts in the behavior of a faulted rock mass, including the production of earthquakes in response to human activities. Investigations include analyses of earthquakes induced or triggered by various operations that perturb the crust and developing the capability to relate a particular activity to the seismic outcome through an improved understanding of fluid pressure and stress perturbations resulting from fluid injection, energy production, mining operations and reservoir impoundment. One purpose of these investigations is to enhance probabilistic forecasts of the distribution of earthquakes resulting from a given project.

Applications (resume and responses to application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS before midnight Eastern Time on February 17, 2012. A description of the opening and instructions on how to apply can be found at: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/305209200

The Job Announcement Number is PAC-2012-0089 (for current or former Federal employees it is: PAC-2012-0074). The salary range is $96,867.00 to $125,926.00 Per Year.

Contact Beverly Ledbetter with questions about the application process (phone: 916-278-9399, email: pacsac2@usgs.gov), or Art McGarr with questions about the anticipated research role (phone: 650-329-5645, email: mcgarr@usgs.gov).