We are pleased to announce two fully funded PhD positions within the ANR project ExoGeCo. The project aims to unravel the mechanical origins of geometric cohesion, a newly identified form of cohesion emerging in assemblies of non-convex, interlocking grains without any adhesive interactions. These metagranular materials can form self-supported, load-bearing structures purely due to shape-induced entanglement.
To explore this phenomenon, Exo2GeCo combines Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations and 3D experimental investigations on custom-shaped grains to establish a unified framework linking grain geometry, contact networks, and macroscopic strength.

PhD 1 (LMGC – Univ. Montpellier): 3D numerical modeling of geometric cohesion using DEM.
PhD 2 (IMT Mines Alès): Experimental exploration using 3D-printed metagrains, shear/compression devices, and in-situ imaging.
Full description given in attachment

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

Free gas can significantly alter the hydro-mechanical properties of marine sediment, leading to increased compressibility, reduced shear strength, and disrupted permeability. However, its potential role as a hazard to the foundations and structures of offshore wind turbines is often overlooked in calculation standards and foundation design protocols. The degradation caused by the presence of free gas may occur during the installation phase as well as throughout the operational lifespan of a wind turbine.
The PhD will be focusing on:
-characterising the effect of gas on the static and cyclic behaviour of fine clayey and coarser silty sediment.
-evaluate the impact of gas on the installation and operational stability of a pile and suction anchor foundation in clayey and coarser silty sediment.
-develop practical design guidelines that integrate the influence of gas into engineering practices for offshore wind turbine foundations, thereby enhancing their reliability and performance

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

Applications are welcome for 15 fully funded PhD positions as a part of the Doctoral Network on Energy Geostructures Integration: Buildings, Infrastructure and Underground Storage (GENIUS).

The overarching aim of GENIUS is to train 15 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to become creative, innovative and proactive individuals in designing, integrating and implementing energy geostructures at different urban scales (from a single building to a set of connected infrastructures), and for a variety of uses (from production to storage) contributing to Europe’s climate-neutral future.

GENIUS is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Agreement number 101226708) and welcomes applicants from all nationalities.

Please visit our website to see the DC positions, application details, eligibility, and deadlines: www.genius-dn.eu

Contact us at genius-dn@ed.ac.uk if you have questions!

Interested candidates should submit their applications by November 30th, 2025.

In the context of the ANR (French National Research Agency) Project LOCCO, we are seeking for a candidate for an internship (master thesis), with opportunities to pursue as PhD student, funding being already secured.

The internship project title is: “Pore scale finite element modelling of calcite dissolution in caprock formation”.

Location: 3SR in Grenoble (France)
Team : Geomechanics group

For further informations about work program and application, see the attached PDF.

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

The Geotechnics Section in the Department of Civil Engineering at Imperial College is hiring an Assistant Professor in Geotechnical Engineering. While we welcome applications from any area of geotechnical engineering, we are particularly interested in applicants with an expertise in field testing / in-situ monitoring and testing, geo-environmental engineering including brownfield development, underground infrastructure, earthworks, or sustainable geotechnics. Informal inquiries can be made to Catherine O’Sullivan (cath.osullivan@imperial.ac.uk).

Further details at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-jobs/description/index.php?jobId=25823&jobTitle=Assistant+Professor+in+Geotechnical+Engineering

Closing date for applications is Nov 10 2025. Detai

LEMTA invites applications for a fully funded 3-year PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, starting no later than December 2025.

The project will focus on the characterization and modelling of the thermo–hydro–mechanical behaviour of frozen soils in the context of Artificial Ground Freezing (AGF), a technique increasingly used for deep excavations, tunnelling, and temporary groundwater control.

The successful candidate will perform laboratory investigations to quantify swelling and settlement during freeze–thaw cycles, analyse microstructural evolutions using porosimetry and X-ray tomography, and develop coupled THM numerical models to predict field-scale behaviour. The work will take place at LEMTA (Université de Lorraine, France), benefiting from state-of-the-art experimental and computational facilities, and collaborations within the EU-funded project UPGRADE.

For further information, see the attached [PDF].