Our understanding of seafloor geotechnical and geoacoustic properties is crucial for a variety of applications, including marine infrastructure development/placement, geohazard assessment, and modeling boundary effects. However, traditional methods of seafloor characterization, such as coring, are often expensive, time-consuming, and spatially limited. These limiting factors hinder our ability to acquire the necessary data for effective predictive capabilities (e.g., Lee et al., 2019). This postdoctoral research project aims to advance this field by developing and applying novel techniques for remotely determining critical seafloor properties, addressing the limitations of current methods. The project seeks to leverage innovative, non-traditional seabed sampling approaches to obtain seabed observations faster and over larger areas.

This postdoctoral research opportunity is available to advance the field of remote seafloor sediment characterization using innovative approaches centered on two key thrusts: (1) deploying micro-UUVs to interact with the seabed to collect high-resolution, spatially distributed seabed observations, and (2) analyzing expendable bathythermograph (XBT) thermal decay signatures to infer sediment properties (see Hornbach et al., 2024). We aim to integrate these new data streams with existing, legacy datasets to build a more complete picture of seafloor properties. Specifically, this work may involve:

·       Relating penetrometer data (e.g., acceleration) to key geotechnical and geoacoustic properties (e.g., shear strength, consolidation characteristics, grain size, density, void ratio).

·       Developing or adapting existing theoretical models of soil behavior to improve the interpretation of UUV, XBT decay signals, and penetrometer data in a wide variety of geological settings. Potentially, advanced data processing and analytical techniques could be applied to optimize data interpretation and prediction.

·       Integrating UUV and penetrometer data with other remote sensing datasets, such as backscatter imagery, and sub-bottom profiler data, to create comprehensive seafloor property maps.

We seek highly motivated applicants with a Ph.D. in geotechnical engineering, civil engineering, geophysics, geology, or a related field. Experience with one or more of the following is highly desirable:

·       Analysis of in-situ geotechnical data (e.g., free fall penetrometers)

·       Expendable Bathy-Thermographs (XBT) data familiarity

·       Geostatistical methods for spatial interpolation

·       Programming/scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB)

·       Familiarity with common marine seabed sampling techniques including coring, geophysical data acquisition and processing.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

·       Conduct independent research and publish findings in peer-reviewed journals

·       Present research results at national and international conferences

·       Collaborate with other researchers within the group and with external partners

·       Contribute to the development of new research proposals

Geology; geotechnical; sediment; prediction; classification; modeling; geospatial; marine; seabed; seafloor

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents

level

Open to Postdoctoral applicants

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.