Senior Research Seismologist

Applied Research Associates, Inc.

(ARA) is seeking an accomplished Senior Seismologist/Geophysicist to conduct cutting‑edge research in support of U.S.

critical national security objectives, including nuclear explosion monitoring missions.

We are looking for a candidate with a strong record of leading advanced seismic research and a deep understanding of computational geophysics, sophisticated signal analysis, and numerical modeling.

The ideal individual is motivated by applying geophysics to detect, locate, characterize, and discriminate underground nuclear explosions and other events of national security interest.

You will collaborate with a diverse set of scientists and engineers while contributing both hands‑on technical excellence and leadership in developing innovative solutions.

This is a hybrid/remote position.

For the Arlington office, we are relocating to the Alexandria, VA area in early 2027.  

For San Antonio, salary range is $120K-$173K.

For Raleigh and Albuquerque, salary range is $120K-$182K.

For Arlington and Santa Barbara, salary range is $120K-$200K.

Key Responsibilities:


* Lead and execute advanced scientific research addressing complex geophysical challenges relevant to nuclear test monitoring and other defense missions.


* Acquire, process, and analyze seismic data to detect, locate, and discriminate natural and anthropogenic signals.


* Perform sophisticated time‑series and spectral‑domain analyses using advanced statistical and computational approaches.


* Design research studies and develop innovative algorithms, tools, and workflows for data processing, signal detection, and event characterization.


* Conduct numerical modeling and simulation of seismic wavefields (e.g., finite/spectral element methods, FK analysis, 3D ray tracing).


* Produce high‑quality technical reports, publications, proposals, and presentations for scientific, programmatic, and sponsor audiences.


* Stay current on emerging techniques, technologies, and scientific advances in geophysics, monitoring systems, and signal analysis.


* Engage directly with clients to understand technical requirements and deliver effective solutions, including through proposal development.

Required Qualifications


* Bachelor’s degree or higher in Geophysics, Seismology, or a closely related field, and at least 8 years of direct experience in earthquake or explosion seismology in the professional environment.


* Proven experience leading basic and applied research and development (R&D) projects to solve complex scientific problems in seismology.


* Ability to perform advanced data analysis independently.


* Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and generate compelling visualizations that support scientific conclusions.


* Demonstrated proficiency with modern numerical modeling tools and the pre‑/post‑processing of seismic floating‑point data (e.g., Python and...