Subject: [IGSMAIL-4665]: Research Professor in Space Geodesy at Univ. Nevada Reno
From: Geoff Blewitt <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 15:21:06 -0800

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IGS Electronic Mail      28 Oct 15:28:59 PST 2003      Message Number 4665
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Author: Geoff Blewitt <[email-masked]>

Position Announcement 

RESEARCH PROFESSOR/ RESEARCH SCIENTIST 

Space Geodesy 

The Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (NBMG), a research and public service 
unit of the University and Community College System of Nevada and the state 
geological survey, seeks a Research Professor/Research Scientist (non-tenure-
track) to work in the field of space geodesy. Managed as part of the Mackay 
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering within the College of Science at the 
University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), NBMG functions as a non-teaching academic 
unit, and its principal scientists are both tenure-track and non-tenure-track 
faculty members. We seek an individual who will work closely with earth 
scientists from NBMG and other academic and research departments at UNR to 
build on the growing space geodesy research program at UNR, addressing a broad 
range of contemporary topics on Earth surface deformation using modern space 
geodetic techniques such as InSAR and GPS. Contingent on annual federal 
appropriations for the proposed Yucca Mountain repository for nuclear waste, 
full funding is guaranteed initially through September 2008. This position may 
be converted to tenure track at a later time, should such a position become 
available. No teaching duties are required of this position, but opportunities 
exist to supervise Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers. 

Minimum Qualifications 

The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. at the time of appointment in a 
field related to the science and/or application of space geodesy: geodesy, 
geomatics, geophysics, geology, hydrogeology, seismology, physics, applied 
mathematics, or electrical engineering. An ability to successfully conduct 
research in space geodesy, as evidenced by dissertation or peer-reviewed 
publications, is necessary. Excellent communication skills, data analysis 
skills, commitment to public service, demonstrated ability to complete projects 
in a timely manner, and ability to attract funding are essential. 

Additional Preferred Qualifications 

We seek an individual who is capable of leading the current UNR geodesy program 
in bold new directions, for example InSAR research, combined InSAR/GPS 
deformation analysis, solid Earth dynamic modeling, and combined GPS/seismology 
analysis. Preference will be given to candidates with some level of InSAR 
experience, particularly on problems relevant to the western US, to candidates 
with demonstrated records of funding and publication of crustal deformation or 
aquifer deformation studies, and to candidates with specialized expertise in 
geodetic data or modeling, such as InSAR signal processing, GPS observation 
modeling, geodetic data processing software, or finite element modeling 
software. Because the individual will in the future be competing for funding 
from a variety of basic and applied research sources, a candidate with a strong 
and consistent record of productivity in publications and grant funding is 
preferred. While experience and demonstrated expertise are preferred factors, 
recent Ph.D. graduates will be considered, in which case graduates with a 
dissertation involving space geodesy and its applications and who have 
excellent references from established researchers in space geodesy will be 
given preference. 

Position Responsibilities 

The successful candidate will work under the technical supervision of principal 
investigators of various federal grants that have guaranteed funding for this 
position until September 30, 2008. Current funding in space geodesy at UNR has 
been awarded by the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and 
NASA. The candidate will join a geodesy group in NBMG which is currently 
applying GPS and InSAR over a variety of spatial and temporal scales: inversion 
for aquifer parameters by controlled pumping, global-scale loading of the solid 
Earth by the water cycle, and global tectonic velocity and strain tensor 
mapping. During these first four to five years the successful candidate will 
develop new directions in space geodesy at UNR with the goal of developing a 
self-supporting position beyond September 2008. Continuation of funding beyond 
the first five years from the Department of Energy is a distinct possibility. 
The position may at some later time convert to tenure track and thus be 
eligible to receive guaranteed state funding, though the future availability of 
a tenure track position cannot be guaranteed prior to hire. The successful 
candidate is expected to develop a program of research activities in a variety 
of areas that are conducive to attracting future funding. Potential 
opportunities include involvement in other large research programs, such as the 
EarthScope initiative, using InSAR to complement the GPS-based Plate Boundary 
Observatory in the western US, with possible investigations in Basin and Range 
dynamics, earthquakes, and hydrology. The successful candidate will have an 
opportunity to develop a scientific career under expert supervision through 
analysis of new GPS stations currently being installed at Yucca Mountain, and 
also across the Central Nevada Seismic Belt and the northern Walker Lane. 

The position will be located within the NBMG, a research and public service 
division of the Mackay School of Earth Science and Engineering, but the 
successful candidate will collaborate with the UNR Seismological Laboratory, 
Department of Geological Sciences, Center for Neotectonic Studies, Arthur Brant 
Laboratory for Exploration Geophysics, Great Basin Center for Geothermal 
Energy, and NASA Space Grant Consortium/NASA EPSCoR Program. The successful 
candidate will be expected to work independently and to collaborate with other 
NBMG staff. The person will be encouraged to work with faculty in the UNR 
Department of Geological Sciences, the UNR Seismological Laboratory, and others 
in developing funded projects. The successful candidate should be able to 
communicate effectively with the public and community leaders regarding the 
application of geodesy to problems relevant to Nevada. 

Other Attractions 

NBMG has excellent support staffs in administration, cartography, drafting, 
geographic information systems, editing, and geochemical and mineralogical 
analysis. Geophysical equipment includes 20 dual-frequency GPS receivers 
(including 13 Trimble 5700 receivers), portable seismometers, a 48-channel 
reflection-refraction recording system, borehole logging systems, geodetic GPS 
instruments, gravimeters, total-field magnetometers, and a fully equipped 
paleomagnetic laboratory. Computer facilities include excellent computational 
packages for InSAR (ROI_PAC and Diapason), GPS (GIPSY-OASIS II), geochemical 
and hydrogeological modeling, remote sensing, image processing, GIS, and 3-D 
visualization. For example, the latest computer dedicated to GIPSY-OASIS II 
features a multi-processor Linux workstation with 6+GHz equivalent CPU, and 
500+GB ultra-rapid internal data storage using SCSI RAID-5 technology. Funds 
for additional computing facilities are available in consultation with the 
successful candidate. Existing analytical equipment available at UNR includes 
ICP-MS with laser ablation capabilities, AA, XRF, XRD, IC, GC, FTIR, C-H-N-S 
analyzer, atomic force microscopy, SEM-EDS, electron microprobe, and stable-
isotope capabilities. Some equipment is maintained by faculty members in the 
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, and NBMG has two individuals 
dedicated to analytical support. A technician is available for fieldwork and 
laboratory assistance. Nevada's desert climate and temperature differentials by 
latitude and elevation make field work possible in different parts of the state 
throughout the year. 

Other attractions for the position include excellent benefits (health, dental, 
eye, and life insurance coverage, worker's compensation, and retirement, sick 
leave, holidays and an academic schedule that allows for summer and semester-
break vacations), access to discretionary funds that can be used for 
professional development, and a great area in which to live. Reno is located 
within minutes of the Sierra Nevada and less than an hour from skiing and 
hiking near Lake Tahoe, fishing at Pyramid Lake, and historic Virginia City. 
The gaming industry provides large-city entertainment and restaurants, but the 
overall population (approximately 300,000 in the Reno-Carson City region) and 
excellent infrastructure make for commutes and a general ambiance more typical 
of a small town - "the biggest little city in the world." Festivals (Art Town 
in July, Hot August Nights, balloon races, and nearby airplane and camel races) 
are some of the many local highlights. Public and private schools have 
excellent reputations for placing students in top colleges, and as a faculty 
member, your spouse and children may attend UNR for nominally low fees and 
waived tuition. Students with good grades from UNR have excellent opportunities 
for graduate school and employment. The San Francisco Bay area, Napa Valley, 
the Pacific coast, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas are within about 
an hour's plane ride or easy drives. 

Salary and Date of Appointment 

Depending on qualifications, the successful candidate will be appointed at a 
non-tenured academic rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Full 
Professor on an academic nine-month contract. Base salary will be commensurate 
with qualifications, at a level that is competitive with other research 
universities. Additional summer salary through funded research can be earned 
during the off-contract months. There is currently no state income tax in 
Nevada, nor do UNR employees pay Social Security tax. 

The appointment will begin on or shortly after 1 January 2004, depending on the 
availability of the successful candidate. 

Application 

Please submit a letter expressing your interest in the position, names and 
addresses of at least three references, and a complete vita to Geodesy Search 
Committee Chair, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Mail Stop 178, University 
of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0088. To ensure full consideration, applicants are 
encouraged to have all information on file by November 30, 2003. For further 
information about NBMG, please consult our home page (http://www.nbmg.unr.edu). 

UNR is an affirmative action - equal opportunity employer and employs only U.S. 
citizens and persons lawfully authorized to work in the United States. The 
University of Nevada, Reno does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, 
religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental 
disability, or sexual orientation in any program or activity it operates.  The 
University complies with the spirit, as well as the letter, of all applicable 
local, state, and federal laws regarding equal opportunity. Employment 
opportunities are and shall be open to all qualified applicants solely on the 
basis of education, experience, aptitude, and ability. Advancement is based 
entirely on achievement, performance, ability, attitude and potential for 
promotion. 

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