Postdoctoral Fellow 1

Overview

The Department of Geosciences at Utah State University (USU) seeks a full-time postdoctoral researcher to join the NSF-supported project Bridging Geoscience and Engineering to Interrogate Seismic Cycle Processes in the Earthquake Critical Zone (FRES). This position will be supervised by Dr. Alexis Ault and will involve close collaboration with other project PIs and teams at USU (Srisharan Shreedharan, Brady Cox, Dennis Newell), Brown University (Greg Hirth), and California State University Fullerton (Sinan Akçiz), as well as collaborators based in Turkey and faculty in USU’s broader Earthquake Science Group.

The successful candidate will bring innovative approaches to connect earthquake geology, geochemistry, and mechanics to investigate the earthquake critical zone – the upper ~1 km of faults where earthquake energy, fluids, rocks, humans, and infrastructure intersect to drive seismic hazard. Research will focus on the southern San Andreas fault and the Mw7.6 Elbistan earthquake surface rupture in Turkey, two systems at different points in the earthquake cycle. The postdoc will integrate field-based and experimental observations to advance understanding of deformation in the shallow portion of active faults, shallow rupture dynamics, and interseismic deformation.

Review of applications will begin on December 19th, 2025, and the position will remain open until filled. For further information, contact the search committee chair, Dr. Alexis Ault ([email protected]).

This position is part of a three-postdoc cluster hire within the Earthquake Science Group, which also includes positions led by Dr. Kelian Dascher-Cousineau (https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/9610/postdoctoral-fellow-i/job) and Dr. Srisharan Shreedharan (https://careers-usu.icims.com/jobs/9609/postdoctoral-fellow-i/job).

Applicants may apply for more than one position if their research background is relevant. In such cases, please either:

Submit separate application documents for each position, or

Clearly state in your research statement that you wish to be considered for multiple roles.

This is a 12-month, full-time position with benefits. Funding is available for two years, with renewal after year 1 contingent on satisfactory progress toward research goals.

Responsibilities

• Develop and carry out independent and collaborative research, making use of field, laboratory, and/or analytical approaches, to investigate to processes and interactions in the earthquake critical zone.
• Leverage USU’s state-of-the-art research facilities including but not limited to the Rock Deformation and Earthquake Mechanics Laboratory, Mineral Microscopy and Spectroscopy Laboratory, and Microscopy Core Facility.
• Engage and collaborate with a team of Earth scientists and engineers at USU and partner institutions.
• Mentor and collaborate with graduate and undergraduate students engaged in the project at USU and partner institutions.
• Disseminate research through presentations at scientific meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in Earth Sciences or related field at the time of appointment with experience in earthquake geology in the field or lab (e.g., microstructural analysis and characterization, rock deformation).

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in earthquake geology/fault zone processes, structural geology, or experimental rock deformation of Earth materials.
• Strong publication record and demonstrated ability to work across disciplinary boundaries.
• Commitment to mentoring students and contributing to collaborative, team-based science.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Two-page (max) statement of research background and interests to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”

Two references with contact information  to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile

Please combine all materials into a single PDF and upload it as an attachment in your candidate profile. The file should be named: LastName_FirstName_ECZ.pdf

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions. The position may requires physical activity in the field, consistent with site-specific field safety plans, and work in laboratories. Employees must adhere to safety precautions and may be required to use protective equipment. Employees must have sufficient knowledge to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position, including maintaining safe chemical practices, and moving and lifting equipment (up to 50 pounds) for which assistance or appropriate equipment is available as needed.

College/Department Highlights

The Department of Geosciences, housed within the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources at Utah State University, is an energetic and rapidly expanding hub for Earth-science scholarship with 16 faculty and two lecturers. Our state-of-the-art infrastructure includes the Rock Deformation and Fault Mechanics laboratory, Luminescence Lab, light stable isotope and ICP-MS analytical suites, Mineral Microscopy and Spectroscopy Lab housing a Raman spectrometer, a field-emission scanning electron microscope in the Microscopy Core facility, and a micro-CT scanner. Within this framework, our Earthquake Science Group drives integrative research that spans fault rock characterization, laboratory friction experiments, remote sensing, seismology, numerical and data-driven modeling, and thermochronometry. This core focus on earthquake mechanics and hazard processes positions our department as a natural partner in seismic research and resilience efforts across Utah and beyond. Our department is well positioned to forge deep partnerships with the Utah Earthquake Engineering Research Center (UEEC) in Civil & Environmental Engineering. The UEEC, launched in 2023 with a mission to advance Utah-specific seismic safety, retrofitting, and resilient infrastructure design, serves as a hub for engineering–geoscience integration.

The S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources provides a rich interdisciplinary environment, combining applied and fundamental perspectives on land, water, and environmental systems. The College has a historical legacy stretching back nearly a century and today offers a broad portfolio of graduate and undergraduate programs in areas such as geosciences, watershed sciences, ecology, soils, and environmental management. Because the geosciences faculty are embedded in this broader natural-resources context, there are strong avenues for crosscutting collaboration with adjacent units and allied centers.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level, USU is a proud member of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026-2027 season. The Aggies’ long-standing tradition of athletic and academic excellence is exemplified by recent Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships in women’s volleyball, three consecutive Mountain West tournament titles in women’s soccer conference championships, and a first-ever conference championship for gymnastics, reflecting USU's commitment to perseverance and achievement.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or [email protected]. 

*updated 12/2025

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Matthew Pinner

Executive Director

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

[email protected]

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1475 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

Cody Carmichael

Title IX Coordinator

[email protected]

435-797-1266 | Old Main Rm. 402D

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| [email protected]

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 |  [email protected]

*updated 10/2025