Find & Apply For Geophysicist Jobs in Logan, Utah

Fully Funded MS and PhD Positions in Earthquake Science at Utah State University The Department of Water, Earth, and Environmental Sciences at Utah State University invites applications for fully funded MS and PhD positions beginning Spring, Summer, or Fall 2027. Positions are available across four research groups within the broader earthquake science team ( https://qanr.usu.edu/wees/earthquake-science ), described below. Interested applicants should contact the relevant faculty member directly with a CV and a short statement of research interests. 1. PhD in Subduction Zone Earthquake Mechanics - Dr. Srisharan Shreedharan Why do some shallow subduction megathrusts lock and produce great earthquakes and tsunamis, while others release stress through slow, aseismic creep? This NSF-funded project tests whether the competition between frictional healing and tectonic loading explains these differences. Students will conduct friction experiments on legacy ocean drilling cores and/or develop finite element models of near-trench loading, with opportunities to engage in IODP and seafloor geodesy research. Backgrounds in geoscience, engineering, or physics with strong quantitative skills are ideal; experience with rock mechanics, numerical modeling, or machine learning is a plus but not required.

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srisharan.shreedharan@usu.edu 2. MS/PhD in Earthquake and Fault Mechanics - Dr. Alba Rodriguez Padilla How do faults and fault networks behave, from seconds to millennial timescales? My group uses geologic and geodetic data together with numerical models to study how fault geometry influences large earthquakes, how neighboring faults interact over many earthquake cycles, and how inelastic strain is distributed around faults, and the applications of these insights to seismic hazard assessment. Positions are open for a variety of projects under this umbrella, spanning field work, remote sensing, and numerical modeling. Students from geoscience, physics, engineering, and related backgrounds are welcome; experience with field mapping, GIS, or coding is a plus but not required.

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alba.rodriguez@usu.edu 3. MS/PhD in Deformation in the Earthquake Critical Zone - Dr. Alexis K. Ault How do the material properties of continental strike-slip fault zones influence earthquake rupture behavior and interseismic deformation? This NSF-funded, multi-institution project investigates the upper portions of fault systems: what rock types and processes promote rupture to the surface, how deformation inherited from past earthquakes shapes subsequent ones, and what evidence is preserved in the rock record. The student will integrate multiscale textural, geochemical, and geomechanical analyses from strike-slip faults, including one-of-a-kind samples from the 2023 M w 7.6 Elbistan, Türkiye, earthquake surface rupture. Students from geoscience, materials science, and related backgrounds are welcome.

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alexis.ault@usu.edu 4. MS/PhD in Statistical Seismology and Earthquake Physics - Dr. Kelian Dascher-Cousineau How do earthquakes interact? Aftershock sequences, swarms, and the clustering of large ruptures let us eavesdrop on the chatter between earthquakes. The central problem in my group is working out how much of that interaction can be forecast. We build point-process and neural network models from earthquake catalogs, test their forecasts against observed seismicity, and use simulations of coupled faults to ask whether the timing of large earthquakes carries memory of past ruptures. This work feeds into seismic hazard assessment for Utah's energy infrastructure. Projects are mostly computational and range from data-driven to theoretical. I welcome curious-minded students from physics, statistics, computer science, and applied mathematics as well as geoscience.

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kelian.dascher-cousineau@usu.edu How to Apply Contact the relevant faculty member directly with a CV and a short statement of research interests. More information about the application process is available at https://qanr.usu.edu/wees/graduate-program/future-graduates More about USU USU main campus is located in Logan, Utah, a city situated in a picturesque valley which offers numerous year-round outdoor activities including local ski resorts, climbing, biking, and hiking trails. Logan is just a short drive to Salt Lake City, as well as many National Parks, Monuments, and Conservation Areas. The Logan metropolitan area has been named the second-best performing small city in the United States by the 2021 Milken Institute Analysis. Additional information about Utah State University ( https://www.usu.edu/ ) and the Department of Water, Earth, and Environmental Sciences ( https://qanr.usu.edu/wees/ ) can be found online.