Senior Research Associate

Applications are invited for a 3-year (Senior) Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Geophysical Imaging using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) to join Bristol’s Geophysics group in the School of Earth Sciences (ranked 2nd in the UK’s most recent Research Excellence Framework, REF2021).

The role will involve close collaboration with researchers at the University of Oxford, the British Geological Survey, and with various external partners (Silixa, TerraDat, Atkins, Egdon Resources, Bristol City Council) as part of the DarkSeis research project (https://geophysics.gly.bris.ac.uk/DarkSeis/index.html ).

The post-holder will conduct research to advance the use of DAS using fibre-optic cables for geophysical imaging in urban areas. The objective of the DarkSeis project is to acquire and process active-source and passive seismic datasets underneath the city of Bristol using so-called “dark” (i.e., presently unused) fibre-optic telecommunications cables. Such datasets will have a broad range of applications, including geotechnical applications and geothermal energy.

You will participate in field campaigns within the Bristol area to acquire active-source and passive seismic data using DAS. You will then lead the processing of the resulting datasets. Where appropriate, you will develop novel processing methods that leverage the particular advantages of DAS (such as high fold and dense spatial sampling). The development of machine learning methods for efficient noise removal and to enhance the resulting imaging will form a key component of the research program.

The DarkSeis project is a collaboration between researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Oxford, the British Geological Survey, and various external partners. In addition to their primary research responsibilities, the post-holder will also play a key role in facilitating communications between the various organisations that are involved in the project.

There are no formally specified teaching duties required of the role-holder. However, other commitments permitting, the role-holder may be given development opportunities to undertake activities such as teaching on Masters and Doctoral programmes and/ or supervising MSc dissertations within the School of Earth Sciences, as appropriate.

We welcome applications from a broad range of quantitative backgrounds, including geophysics, applied and computational statistics, data science, civil engineering, maths or physics. Some prior experience working with geophysical datasets is required. Prior experience in the use of DAS data and/or machine learning is welcome but not required, as is some experience acquiring geophysical data in the field. The applicant will have strong research skills including scientific programming and creating research outputs. We seek excellent verbal and written communicators with strong team-working skills, who also aim to contribute positively to the wider community and research culture.

This advert will close at23:59 GMTon 26/02/2024

Interviews are likely to be between the 11th and 15th of March 2024.

For informal queries, please contact: James Verdon, [email protected]

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

Applications are invited for a 3-year (Senior) Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Geophysical Imaging using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) to join Bristol’s Geophysics group in the School of Earth Sciences (ranked 2nd in the UK’s most recent Research Excellence Framework, REF2021).

The role will involve close collaboration with researchers at the University of Oxford, the British Geological Survey, and with various external partners (Silixa, TerraDat, Atkins, Egdon Resources, Bristol City Council) as part of the DarkSeis research project (https://geophysics.gly.bris.ac.uk/DarkSeis/index.html ).

The post-holder will conduct research to advance the use of DAS using fibre-optic cables for geophysical imaging in urban areas. The objective of the DarkSeis project is to acquire and process active-source and passive seismic datasets underneath the city of Bristol using so-called “dark” (i.e., presently unused) fibre-optic telecommunications cables. Such datasets will have a broad range of applications, including geotechnical applications and geothermal energy.

You will participate in field campaigns within the Bristol area to acquire active-source and passive seismic data using DAS. You will then lead the processing of the resulting datasets. Where appropriate, you will develop novel processing methods that leverage the particular advantages of DAS (such as high fold and dense spatial sampling). The development of machine learning methods for efficient noise removal and to enhance the resulting imaging will form a key component of the research program.

The DarkSeis project is a collaboration between researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Oxford, the British Geological Survey, and various external partners. In addition to their primary research responsibilities, the post-holder will also play a key role in facilitating communications between the various organisations that are involved in the project.

There are no formally specified teaching duties required of the role-holder. However, other commitments permitting, the role-holder may be given development opportunities to undertake activities such as teaching on Masters and Doctoral programmes and/ or supervising MSc dissertations within the School of Earth Sciences, as appropriate.

We welcome applications from a broad range of quantitative backgrounds, including geophysics, applied and computational statistics, data science, civil engineering, maths or physics. Some prior experience working with geophysical datasets is required. Prior experience in the use of DAS data and/or machine learning is welcome but not required, as is some experience acquiring geophysical data in the field. The applicant will have strong research skills including scientific programming and creating research outputs. We seek excellent verbal and written communicators with strong team-working skills, who also aim to contribute positively to the wider community and research culture.

This advert will close at23:59 GMTon 26/02/2024

Interviews are likely to be between the 11th and 15th of March 2024.

For informal queries, please contact: James Verdon, [email protected]

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.