Significant research projects include his work as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project, research on World Heritage Sites at Diocletian’s Palace, Split, in Croatia and at Fountains Abbey, UK, the Greek colony at Megara Hyblaea (Sicily) and ancient Cyrene in Libya.
At Bradford he also undertook a placement at the Oxford Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, where he worked as a technician with Martin Aitken, one of the founders of archaeometry as a distinct discipline.
GSB Prospection carried out over 2000 projects, including work in Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, USA, Wales and Zimbabwe.
During his period at GSB Prospection Gaffney appeared in the Channel 4 archaeological television series, Time Team,.
Gaffney retained key linkages with the broader academic community throughout his commercial career and, in 2004, became Editor of Archaeological Prospection.
In the summer of 2007, Gaffney was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Bradford for "popularising archaeological geophysics via Time Team and other media opportunities".