Undergraduate Research Assistant

Engineering a world of possibilities

The Center for Wave Phenomena (CWP) housed within the Mines Geophysics Department is a long-standing consortium that has been developing and applying novel solutions to important industrial research challenges for over 40 years.  As part of our CWP Summer Scholars Program, CWP is seeking two motivated, inquisitive, self-starters with an interest in working on challenging projects in computational and applied geophysics. The successful applicants will be integral collaborators on our research team and will be mentored while developing marketable skills such as critical thinking, professionalism, communication, field/laboratory skills, data analysis, time management and many more technical and soft skills for future employment. 

The Geophysics (GP) Department at Mines has an international reputation for excellence in applied geophysics. It is the oldest and broadest program of applied geophysics in North America and was one of the first U.S. universities to offer a bachelor’s degree in geophysical engineering.  

Responsibilities 

• Contribute to a research project in seismic imaging, geophysical signal processing, passive seismic data analysis, or machine learning for geophysics 
• Develop research literature review 
• Participate in regular meetings with faculty supervisor and collaborators 
• Provide documentation of work through weekly written short updates, maintain a git repository of code, and provide a final presentation at the end of the research experience 

Commitment  

• This position duration is an eight-week commitment in summer 2025 with a time commitment of 40 hours per week
• A specific schedule and start date are negotiable

Benefits  

• Opportunity for hands-on skill development in seismic imaging, inverse problems, and signal processing with modern large-scale data 
• Opportunity to improve coding skills, data visualization skills, and training in new fiber-optic sensing software packages 
• Opportunity for interaction with CWP graduate student and faculty researchers  
• Develop oral and written presentation skills and build a publication record
• References or letter of recommendation will be provided upon request

Eligibility  

• Enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in geophysics, geoscience, physics, applied mathematics, computer science or related degree program with a GPA greater than 3.2 

Minimum Qualifications

• Computing skills including Linux, Jupyter notebooks, and use of git version control is required 
• Proficiency with C/C++ or Python for scientific data analysis and visualization is required 
• Prior coursework in either mechanics or partial differential equations is required 
• Prior experience with applied machine learning, computer architectures, data structures, algorithm design or discrete math is preferred     
• Prior coursework or research experience in geology or geophysical applications is preferred 
• Demonstrated ability to work individually and in a team and meet goals in a timely manner 

About Mines & Golden, CO 

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines. 

Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 38 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2023). 

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.  

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size. 

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a diverse and inclusive community, where our different perspectives, experiences and cultures enrich the educational and w