Engineer I at EarthScope Consortium

* This posting will be taken down once we have received the first 100 qualified applications.

** EarthScope Consortium Inc. is not able to sponsor applicants for work authorization within the United States.

Job Title: Engineer I

Employment/FLSA Status: Full-Time/Exempt

Remote Eligible: Hybrid, San Diego, CA or Socorro, NM, USA 

Travel Requirements: Up to 50%

Salary Range: $62,386.50- 93,632.00 (depending on experience)

Position Summary 

The Engineer I (EI) participates in and helps manage multiple individual field projects to assist with the installation and maintenance of geophysical instruments and networks. Under direct supervision, the incumbent will work both independently and, in a group, setting to plan and conduct field operations at sites throughout the United States, polar latitudes, and other international locations. The EI possesses working knowledge of the equipment, tools, and techniques used in their project areas and will assist with equipment testing, troubleshooting, and evaluating new technologies as directed. The EI contributes to reporting and project documentation to ensure that all work conforms to best practices and organizational standards. Engineers are ambassadors who represent EarthScope’s values to scientists, landowners, sponsors, and other community members. The EI will report to the Engineering Manager or be tasked by a higher-level engineer within designated project/functional areas. 

Details of Responsibilities 

General Essential Job Duties: 

● Under supervision, participates in/helps manage field projects, which may include coordinating travel logistics, site reconnaissance, site selection, permitting, installation activities, maintenance, network configuration, instrument operation, station communications and/or data flow activities as part of a portfolio of geophysical technologies. 

● Identifies, troubleshoots, and resolves technical issues related to hardware, firmware, software, metadata creation and management, and data communications with guidance from Engineering Manager or a higher-level engineer. 

● Assists with specifying station configurations and data/metadata collection strategies. 

● Prepares equipment and tools for deployment, which includes testing systems. Work is guided by the Engineering Manager or other technical experts. 

● Maintains tools and vehicles used for field deployment. 

● Assists with warehouse organization, in coordination with the warehouse staff, for field work preparation. 

● Prepares appropriate documentation of activities and metadata using established tools, protocols, and databases as maintained by the organization. 

● Prepares routine technical reports under guidance of the Engineering Manager. 

● Under the supervision of an Engineering Manager, may have limited budgetary responsibility including preparing cost estimates that impact individual projects and tracking/reporting on individual project expenditures. 

● May participate with other departments within EarthScope on collaborative projects/opportunities. 

● Develops and maintains good relationships with community members, suppliers, landowners, and business partners within areas of expertise and project assignments. 

● Other duties may be assigned as necessary for the successful operation of EarthScope. 

Leadership and Supervisory Responsibilities: 

● This position does not have supervisory responsibility. 

● Foster a professional culture using strong interpersonal skills, verbal, and written communications. 

Qualifications 

Minimum Education & Experience Requirements: 

Tier 1 - Salary $62,386.50 – $77,957.00

● Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in engineering, geosciences, or related field. 

Tier 2 - Salary $77,957.00 - $93,632.00

Minimum Education & Experience Requirements: 

● Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in engineering, geosciences, or related field with one (1) year of experience with geophysical sensors or networks. 

Preferred Skills: 

● Master’s degree or equivalent in engineering, geosciences, or related field. 

Assignment-specific Position Summary 

Positions in Instrumentation Services include this job specific addenda that specifies/clarifies Functional, Programmatic, and any Additional responsibilities that are pertinent to the position. This is in addition to the general Position Description requirements associated with the job title. 

Assignment-specific Essential Duties: 

Functional Responsibilities: 

● Reports to and is supervised by the Field Support department Global Field Team subunit Lead 

● Reports to Engineering Manager III for Global Seismographic Network (GSN) and/or Global Geodetic Network (GGN) tasking 

     o Supports GSN field and engineering activities, with a focus on learning essential knowledge from project IDA, ASL and/or EarthScope field engineers, and documenting procedures. 

● Works with Instrumentation Services team to coordinate and execute field and engineering activities domestically and internationally. 

● Other duties may be assigned as necessary for the successful operation of the business. 

Assignment-specific Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: 

Assignment-specific Preferred Skills: 

● Familiarity with geophysical field station equipment such as solar powered systems, data communications and/or field enclosures. 

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability for the position: 

● Working knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices, and procedures for geophysical sensors. 

● Ability to take initiative to learn assigned technical/engineering skills within established training time frames. 

● Ability to work with guidance both independently and in a team environment to accomplish project goals. 

● Ability to convey appropriate information effectively. 

● Ability to apply logic and reasoning to solve problems and make decisions, including: 

● Determining appropriate tools and equipment needed to complete assigned projects. 

● Ability to repair systems using the appropriate tools. 

● Ability to understand routine problems and to collaborate and explore alternative solutions. 

● Ability to organize and prioritize work schedules for self. 

● Ability to compute, analyze, and interpret data. 

● Ability to make decisions which have limited impact on the job function. 

● Ability to engage in safety training under challenging field conditions. 

Other Requirements: 

● Appropriate availability consistent with EarthScope established practices and norms; hours may exceed 40 hours per week, particularly when traveling. 

● If the employee is engaged in field operations, they are required to maintain appropriate safety training, including wilderness, avalanche, helicopter, first-aid, etc. 

● A valid driver’s license is required. 

● Must be able to comply with EarthScope Consortium’s Motor Vehicle Policy. 

● Frequent travel by commercial or contracted means including fixed and rotar winged aircraft, motor vehicle, boat, etc. 

● A valid passport is required for polar and international projects. 

● If deploying to polar environments, must be able to meet the Physical Qualification Determination for Arctic and Antarctic deployments (PESJ-POL_2000.09a). 

Environment 

Physical Setting and Requirements: 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

● Continually required to stand 

● Continually required to walk 

● Continually required to utilize hand and finger dexterity 

● Continually required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl 

● Continually required to talk or hear 

● Continually work near moving mechanical parts 

● Frequently required to sit 

● Frequently work in high, precarious places 

● Field work conditions may involve high elevation, extreme cold, extreme heat, humidity, noise, hazards, and vibration. 

● Frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds over uneven terrain and long distances (up to 3 miles). 

● Specific vision abilities required by this job include: Close vision; Distance vision; Color vision; Peripheral vision; Depth perception and ability to adjust focus 

● Specialized equipment, machines, or vehicles used: Domestic and international travel in remote or extreme environments by off-road vehicle, helicopter, fixed wing, or other specialty vehicles.

EarthScope’s Mission: EarthScope Consortium is a consortium dedicated to supporting transformative global geophysical research and education.

To Apply:  Applicants may apply by going to the EarthScope Consortium Career Center: https://www.earthscope.org/careers/

Applicants MUST be authorized to work permanently in the United States.   

EarthScope Consortium participates in E-Verify.

EarthScope Consortium is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.