PostDoctoral research position in Rapid Earthquake Characterisation and Earthquake Early Warning

The observation, causes and impacts of earthquakes are the core focus of the research activities of the Professorship for Seismology and the Swiss Seismological Service (SED) at ETH Zurich. The SED has an active research and operations team developing and demonstrating capacities in rapid earthquake quantification and earthquake early warning (EEW), both in Switzerland and globally.

We are looking for a researcher with an interest in developing and applying sophisticated approaches for rapid earthquake characterization and EEW for Switzerland and other regions. The successful candidate will also optimise seismic network configuration for EEW.

The primary responsibilities for the postdoctoral researcher are to:

1. Develop novel on-site, minimum latency approaches for earthquake and/or ground motion quantification that integrates within regional EEW systems
2. Test such systems with dense arrays using novel instrumentation deployed across Switzerland
3. Develop and communicate strategies towards implementation of EEW using cost/benefit analysis with Swiss and international stakeholders
4. Support real-time processing systems, performance review using real-time and event playbacks

The position is initially for 2 years, with the possibility of extension. The successful candidate will work in a highly collaborative environment, with close links to civil and industry partners. The candidate will also join the team routinely monitoring Swiss seismicity. The working language of the group is English, though fluency in German or French would be regarded positively.

You should have a PhD in geoscience or a related field with documented experience on relevant subjects, which may include rapid earthquake source quantification and characterisation, software development for seismic networks or data mining, and knowledge on geophysical instrumentation and deployments. A solid background in programming, preferably in Python, is required. Experience and/or familiarity with the SeisComP3 monitoring system are not necessary but would be of advantage. Willingness to deploy instruments in urban and semi-urban environments is required.