Project Geophysicist Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Leidos is seeking a Senior Geotechnical Engineer to join our Analysis Solutions Group in Reston, Virginia. This highly specialized role supports critical national security missions through advanced geologic and geotechnical analysis of underground, hardened, and complex infrastructure facilities.

As a senior member of a multidisciplinary team, you will apply your expertise in geology, geotechnical engineering, geomechanics, and subsurface characterization to help reverse engineer and assess facilities in some of the world's most challenging environments. You will support the development of innovative methodologies, analytical processes, and emerging technologies used to characterize, model, and assess above- and below-ground structures and their surrounding geology.

This position offers the opportunity to solve complex technical problems, conduct cutting-edge analysis, contribute to technology development efforts, and directly support high-priority government missions. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted technical advisor and subject matter expert, working in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment alongside leading scientists, engineers, analysts, and government personnel.

• Serve as a senior technical expert in geotechnical engineering, engineering geology, and subsurface characterization.

• Conduct advanced geotechnical assessments using open-source information, commercial and classified imagery, intelligence reporting, and geospatial data to characterize geological and engineering properties of sites and facilities.

• Analyze soil, rock, and geologic conditions to support the assessment of underground and hardened infrastructure.

• Utilize geospatial technologies, including ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise, along with vector and raster datasets, to evaluate and document site geology and geotechnical conditions.

• Develop technical assessments, reports, and briefings that clearly communicate findings, risks, and conclusions to customers and stakeholders.

• Provide scientific, technical, and systems engineering support for the development of innovative technologies, sensors, and methodologies used to identify, characterize, and assess geotechnical conditions in denied or difficult-to-access environments.

• Plan and execute field investigations, surveys, and data collection efforts within the United States and internationally.

• Apply geological expertise to projects involving borehole investigations, soil characterization, fault analysis, rock mass characterization, and subsurface engineering assessments.

• Conduct field research and produce detailed technical documentation to support mission requirements.

• Lead the development of new technical approaches, analytical methods, and operational solutions that advance mission capabilities.

• Brief senior government officials, technical leaders, and mission stakeholders on emerging trends, analytical findings, and technical assessments.

• Clearance Required: Active TS/SCI (or Top Secret with current SSBI and eligibility to obtain TS/SCI with polygraph). U.S. Citizenship required.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering Geology, Geology, Mining Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Bachelor's degree with 12+ years of relevant experience, or master's degree with 10+ years of relevant experience.

• Strong background in:

  • Geomechanics

  • Geotechnical engineering

  • Field geophysics

  • Computer modeling and simulation

  • Tunnel and slope stability analysis

  • Rock mass characterization

• Advanced proficiency with geotechnical engineering software, including:

  • PLAXIS

  • SLOPE/W (GeoStudio)

  • Slide

  • LPILE

  • gINT

• Experience with GIS technologies, including ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise, and familiarity with MATLAB.

• Experience conducting geotechnical investigations, field data collection, and technical research.

• Working knowledge of drilling operations, core logging, mining operations, tunnel design and construction, trenchless technologies, and subsurface engineering analysis.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief senior government officials and technical audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to apply advanced scientific and engineering principles across complex technical programs and mission areas.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Geologist (PG) or Professional Engineer (PE) license.

• Military, defense, or intelligence community experience.

• Experience applying remote sensing technologies to geological or geotechnical analysis.

• Knowledge of weapons effects and the response of geologic materials to blast, shock, and other dynamic loading conditions.

• Experience conducting and processing geologic and geophysical investigations, including:

  • Seismic surveys

  • Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

  • Other subsurface sensing technologies

Why Leidos?

At Leidos, you'll work on some of the nation's most challenging and impactful technical problems. This role offers the opportunity to combine advanced geotechnical expertise, innovative technology development, and intelligence-driven analysis to support missions of strategic importance. You'll collaborate with leading experts across multiple disciplines while helping shape solutions to some of the most complex subsurface and infrastructure challenges facing the national security community.

If you're a technical leader with a passion for geotechnical analysis, underground structures, and mission-focused innovation, we invite you to join our team and make a lasting impact.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.