Staff Scientist – Underwater Acoustics

Sofar Ocean

. Help shape Sofar’s underwater acoustics strategy and technical vision for an underwater acoustics platform .

Posted 9/17/2026full-timeCalifornia • United StatesLead💰 $121,000 - $171,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates deep expertise in underwater acoustics and experience in developing acoustic sensing systems, including detection, classification, and localization. Proficient in translating scientific research into operational products while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Underwater Acoustics ExpertiseAcoustic Sensing System DevelopmentStatistical Signal ProcessingMachine Learning ApplicationPh.D. in Relevant Field

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Detection AlgorithmsClassification AlgorithmsLocalization TechniquesAcoustic MappingMarine Acoustic PropagationSignal ProcessingField Deployment ExperienceEnvironmental CharacterizationData AnalysisSimulation Studies

Soft Skills

Excellent CommunicationCross-Functional Collaboration

Tools & Technologies

Embedded Sensing SystemsFirmware ConstraintsEdge ProcessingProduction Codebases

Certifications & Qualifications

U.S. Government Security Clearance

Industry Keywords

Ocean Acoustics CommunityResearch ProgramsTechnical PartnershipsOperational Sensing SystemsAutonomous Ocean Platforms

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Help shape Sofar’s underwater acoustics strategy and technical vision for an underwater acoustics platform
Develop capabilities to detect, classify, and localize underwater objects using passive and/or active acoustic sensing
Advance methods for creating acoustic maps of the marine environment, including ambient soundscapes, propagation conditions, and oceanographic context
Provide an acoustics-centric perspective on sensing system design, deployment strategy, data quality, and performance validation
Collaborate with oceanic and sensing scientists, software engineers, and firmware teams to translate acoustic research into operational products
Coordinate and conduct field experiments, data analyses, and simulation studies to evaluate acoustic system performance in real-world ocean conditions
Bring marine acoustics expertise to Sofar’s ocean science, sensing, and forecasting teams
Contribute to product requirements, technical roadmaps, and research priorities for new underwater acoustic capabilities
Represent Sofar externally with customers, research partners, government agencies, and the ocean acoustics community

Requirements

What you’ll need

Deep expertise in underwater acoustics
Experience developing acoustic sensing systems or algorithms for detection, classification, localization, mapping, or environmental characterization
Strong understanding of marine acoustic propagation, ambient noise, signal processing, and practical constraints of ocean sensing
Experience with real-world acoustic datasets, field deployments, and/or operational sensing systems
Experience applying statistical signal processing, machine learning, or modern AI methods to acoustic detection, classification, or environmental inference
Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a cross-functional team
Experience translating scientific research into operational products or customer-facing capabilities
Ph.D. in acoustics, ocean engineering, electrical engineering, applied physics, oceanography, or a related field, or equivalent experience for highly qualified candidates of any education level
Strong reputation within the ocean acoustics community, with experience contributing to research programs, technical partnerships, or externally funded work
Enthusiasm and experience leveraging LLMs to magnify personal impact
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance; only U.S. citizens are eligible under U.S. law
Familiarity with embedded sensing systems, firmware constraints, or edge processing for acoustic applications
Familiarity with autonomous ocean platform constraints, including limited power, bandwidth, onboard compute, sensor calibration, and long-duration deployments
Comfort working in production codebases when necessary to personally deliver changes
Willingness to work in the SF Bay Area or relocate
Willingness to come into the office 3 days per week

Benefits

Comp & perks

Visa sponsorship and immigration lawyer support
Equity package may be included in the compensation package
AI tools permitted for interview preparation
Supportive, inclusive hiring approach
Opportunity to work at the intersection of ocean science, climate, and technology