Description
Install, operate, and maintain seismic instruments to record and analyze ground motion for earthquake monitoring, subsurface imaging, resource exploration, and engineering studies. Acquire, process, and interpret seismic data; chart event characteristics and subsurface properties.
- • Deploy, calibrate, and maintain seismographs, geophones, and accelerometers.
- • Set up data loggers, GPS timing, power, and telemetry for seismic stations.
- • Plan and conduct passive and active seismic surveys in the field or lab.
- • Collect and quality-control waveform data from stations and arrays.
- • Test and analyze seismic records to assess signal and noise characteristics.
- • Pick P- and S-wave arrivals and compute event locations and magnitudes.
- • Process data using filtering, stacking, deconvolution, and migration.
- • Compile and log station metadata, instrument response, and operational status.
- • Prepare seismic sections, time-distance plots, and cross-sections.
- • Map epicenters, faults, and station networks using GIS.
- • Operate and monitor active sources such as vibroseis or weight drops under safety protocols.
- • Evaluate site noise and select station locations and coupling methods.
- • Troubleshoot timing errors, data gaps, and telemetry failures.
- • Adjust or repair sensors, digitizers, cables, and power systems.
- • Create and maintain databases of waveforms, events, and survey results.
- • Prepare technical reports, logs, and summaries of surveys and seismicity.
- • Generate figures and photographic records of equipment and field setups.
- • Plot and interpret reflection and refraction profiles.
- • Integrate seismic data with well logs and other geophysical datasets.
- • Participate in aftershock, volcanic, and induced seismicity monitoring.
- • Support microseismic monitoring for geothermal, hydraulic fracturing, or CO2 storage projects.
- • Assess site-specific ground motion and seismic hazards for infrastructure projects.
- • Supervise and train field crews during deployments and recoveries.
- • Ensure compliance with safety, blasting, and environmental regulations.
- • Read and synthesize prior reports and databases to plan surveys.
- • Set up and verify instrument calibrations and noise performance.
- • Apply new technologies such as nodal sensors, DAS, and machine-learning pickers.
- • Coordinate permits, logistics, and site access for field operations.
- • Prepare notes, sketches, maps, and well log plots to document results.
- • Evaluate and interpret downhole or borehole seismic data and VSPs.
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
