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Multiple Announcements: PhD and Postdoctoral Positions, Job Openings with Los Alamos National Laboratory and USGS

Date: 06/03/2020

Dear SCEC Community,

Please see below for the following announcements:

1. PhD positions for the South-East Asia Sea-Level (SEA2) program
2. PhD and Postdoctoral Positions in Earthquake Geology and Sea-Level Research (in Singapore)
3. Job Opening: Deputy Group Leader, Computational Earth Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory
4. Job Opportunity in the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program Office
5. Postdoc position in seismology at Caltech

Regards,

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1. PhD positions for the South-East Asia Sea-Level (SEA2) program:
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PhD positions for the South-East Asia Sea-Level (SEA2) program

The Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) and the Asian School of the Environment (ASE) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore are seeking PhD students to join the Singapore Government funded South-East Asia SEA-Level (SEA2) program. This is an international, multi-institutional and trans-disciplinary program that will push scientific frontiers to observe, reconstruct and model the regional processes of sea level from instrumental and proxy data.

SEA2 has identified five specific objectives to meet the challenge of understanding global and regional sea-level rise, extreme sea levels and their potential impacts:

1. Solid Earth contributions to sea-level change, in particular modeling of tectonic effects and/or observation of groundwater related subsidence, using geodetic data (PI: Associate Prof Emma Hill)

2. Paleo sea-level change, in particular reconstructing changes in sea level and land level at multiple time scales over the Holocene, using geological proxy data (PI: Assistant Prof Aron Meltzner)

3. Extreme sea levels, in particular hydrodynamic modeling of tides, storm surges and river flooding in coastal environments and geospatial analysis in coastal areas (PI: Associate Prof Adam Switzer)

4. Projections of future sea-level rise, in particular probabilistic sea-level projections and local to regional components that drive sea-level rise (PI: Professor Ben Horton)

5. Risk-based flood impact projection, in particular the multi-scale modeling of exposure, vulnerability and resilience of coastal cities and regions (PI: Assistant Prof David Lallemant)

There are two intakes of PhD students, in January 2021 and in August 2021. The deadline for the submission of applications is 31st July for the January intake, and 31st January for the August intake. We strongly encourage those interested to contact potential faculty advisors prior to applying.

Graduate Scholarships include a competitive stipend, tuition, and benefits, and are 4 years in duration. Interested students should apply by following the instructions at ASE website (https://ase.ntu.edu.sg/programmes/phd/prospective-students/admissions) and indicate your interest in working with one or more of the PIs in your application.

Post-doctoral positions for the South-East Asia Sea-Level (SEA2) program will be advertised shortly.

2. PhD and Postdoctoral Positions in Earthquake Geology and Sea-Level Research (in Singapore):
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Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce a fully-funded PhD and a postdoctoral scholar position in the Asian School of the Environment and the Earth Observatory of Singapore, at Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore, under the research program entitled Sea-level and land-level change in Southeast Asia: A geological approach to quantifying hazard from rising seas and earthquakes.

Potential topics of focus include (but are not limited to):
• paleoseismology and paleogeodesy of the Sunda megathrust (in Sumatra, Indonesia)
• paleoseismology and paleogeodesy of the Manila trench (in Luzon, Philippines)
• sea-level and land-level change over the Holocene in Southeast Asia

For the PhD position, there are two intakes of PhD students annually, in January and in August. The deadline for the submission of applications is 31st January for the August intake, and 31st July for the following January intake. I will consider candidates for either intake in 2021, but preference will be given to candidates who contact me sooner rather than later. The PhD program lasts 4 years and is fully funded with a competitive stipend for the duration.

For the postdoctoral position, interested candidates should contact me as early as possible. The appointment will initially be for 2 years, and a competitive salary will be offered. Extension of the appointment may be possible pending satisfactory progress.

Prior to the formal application procedure, interested candidates are encouraged to send me their CV and a brief cover letter (roughly 200-300 words) describing how their research interests will tie in with those of my research group. I can be contacted at meltzner@ntu.edu.sg.

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For more information:

https://ase.ntu.edu.sg

https://ase.ntu.edu.sg/programmes/phd/prospective-students/admissions

https://earthobservatory.sg
https://www.earthobservatory.sg/research-group/geology-earthquakes-and-s...

3. Job Opening: Deputy Group Leader, Computational Earth Science Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory:
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Job IRC79253: Deputy Group Leader Computational Earth Science
What You Will Do
The Deputy Group Leader (DGL) will report to the Computational Earth Science (EES-16) Group Leader and will be responsible for supporting the Group Leader in scientific leadership and management as well as operation and administration of EES-16. The Computational Earth Science Group (EES-16) includes two teams, Subsurface Flow and Transport (SFT) and Applied Terrestrial Energy and Atmospheric Modeling (ATEAM). These teams combine basic and applied research to develop novel and integrated modeling and analysis platforms, including high performance modeling, to address practical problems for federal and industrial agencies. Projects within EES-16 address challenges in clean energy, carbon sequestration, sustainable unconventional fossil resource extraction, subsurface environmental remediation and management, surface and subsurface hydrology, geologic repositories, atmospheric and ecological processes, wildfire impacts, geothermal energy, and national security challenges. Applied math, data analytics and data integration methods for uncertainty quantification, quantitative decision analysis, decision support, and representation of complex physical processes are integral components to work in EES-16. Computational earth scientists in EES-16 work closely with geophysicists, geochemists, geologists, ecologists, geomechanics specialists, and other earth science specialists in other groups in EES division.
The EES-16 DGL is funded 50% for management activities and 50% for scientific and programmatic work. In their management role, the DGL will work closely with the Group Leader to advance the strategic and tactical planning of scientific programs, administer budgets and performance standards, manage facilities and operations, direct investments in program development, and work closely with staff to ensure proper mentoring, training, and career development. Workforce development and maintenance is essential for ensuring effective program execution and a vital future for EES-16. Therefore, forecasting staffing requirements, recruiting and retention of staff, adhering to action-oriented programs to address affirmative action placement goals, directing assignments, and monitoring performance are key activities the DGL will work with the GL on.
Fifty percent of the candidate’s time will be funded by joining existing technical projects or developing new projects relevant to EES-16 where the candidate will play a technical or project leadership role. The successful candidate will also function as a key part of the Earth and Environmental Sciences Division Leadership Team, sharing responsibility for the objectives and mission of the Division, including cross-organizational collaboration and strategic planning, sound management practices, and operational excellence.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
• Experience recruiting, mentoring, assessing the performance of, and supervising the technical work of scientific researchers.
• Experience implementing institutional policies and procedures as they relate to personnel management, budget oversight, safety, and security.
• Experience building collaborative projects and relationships across organizational boundaries.
• Experience proposing, developing, and sustaining research programs in areas relevant to computational earth science as listed in the first paragraph above.
• To cover the non-management 50% of work scope, the ability to contribute technically to one or more group projects or if an internal candidate, the ability to transition an existing project into EES-16 work activities.
• Demonstrated record of excellence and achievement in technical areas relevant to computational earth science as listed in the first paragraph above, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, reports, seminars, briefings, and presentations.
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which usually requires US citizenship. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
Desired Skills:
• Experience interfacing and managing relationships with external sponsoring organizations (DOE, NNSA, DoD, DHS, Industry, etc.).
• Experience in conflict resolution and in dealing with human performance issues.
• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) or with projects that utilize HPC.
Notes to Applicants:
To apply go to: http://careers.lanl.gov and apply to job IRC 79253
Where You Will Work
Located in northern New Mexico, near Santa Fe, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. LANL enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.
Additional Details
Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.
Equal Opportunity:
Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regards to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or preference, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.

4. Job Opportunity in the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program Office:
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Mission Area is seeking to fill a Geophysicist position in the Program Office for the Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP). The position will primarily be focused on the strategic direction and budgeting priorities of the EHP and the Global Seismographic Network (GSN) and Geomagnetism Programs. Both the EHP and GSN are the USGS contributions to the four-agency National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). The USGS Geomagnetism Program is the USGS contribution to the multi-agency National Space Weather Program. These programs support work at regionally-managed USGS science centers, as well as by university and state partners. This position will also provide support for the Advanced National Seismic System, which is a cooperative effort to collect and analyze seismic and geodetic data on earthquakes, issue timely and reliable notifications of their occurrence and impacts, and provide data for earthquake research and the hazard and risk assessments that are the foundation for creating an earthquake-resilient nation.

Applications will be accepted until June 12. A description of the position and details on how to apply can be found on USAJOBS <https://www.usajobs.gov/. There are two separate announcements, one open to current and former Federal employees (https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/569550700) and the other open to all U.S. citizens (https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/569550400). The GS-14 position will be filled in either Golden, CO, or Reston, VA.

Questions regarding the application process can be directed to Dora Brooks (dbrooks@usgs.gov). If you have questions about the duties, please contact Gavin Hayes (ghayes@usgs.gov).

5. Postdoc position in seismology at Caltech:
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Zhongwen Zhan’s group at the Caltech Seismological Laboratory is seeking applicants for a post-doctoral research position in seismology to work on Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). We are now operating multiple DAS arrays in southern California and have new ones in plan over the next two years. The focus of the position will be using the rapidly growing DAS dataset to attack important science questions, broadly defined (Zhan, 2020). Interests in applying DAS to new frontiers (e.g., volcanology, hydrology, glaciology) are encouraged. We are also interested in candidates who can develop innovative and scalable algorithms to process continuous DAS data streams.

A PhD in geophysics or a related area at the time of appointment is required. The initial appointment is for one year with an option to extend to two years.

Applicants should send a current curriculum vita, a research statement (including current research and research interests if joining our group), and the names of three references to Priscilla McLean (pmclean@caltech.edu). Applications received by July 01, 2020 will be considered fully. Preferred start date is late 2020 or early 2021, but flexibility for earlier or later starting dates is possible.

Zhan, Z., 2020. Distributed Acoustic Sensing Turns Fiber‐Optic Cables into Sensitive Seismic Antennas. Seismological Research Letters, 91(1), pp.1-15.

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