A postdoc position is now open in geomechanics at Department of Geotechnical Engineering of Tongji University, China (ranked 1st for civil engineering by U.S. News and ARWU). The project is on the characterization of the inelastic processes of geomaterials under multi-physics processes (i.e., Thermal-Hydro-Chemo-Mechanical coupling in carbon dioxide sequestration and energy storage systems).

The postdoc will perform independent research under the supervision of Dr. Xianda Shen. This is a two-year fixed term contract with possible extensions if needed and can be started immediately. Annual salary is around EUR 40,000 with extra bonus based on performance and contributions to the department.

Interested applicants can forward a single PDF consisting of a 1-page cover letter, a full CV, and contact details of two references to Dr. Xianda Shen (xshen@tongji.edu.cn). The review of candidates will begin on October 1st, 2023, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For any additional information, see the attached pdf, visit the lab website (https://xiandashen.github.io./), or please write a message to xshen@tongji.edu.cn.

The Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG, www.baug.ethz.ch) at ETH Zurich invites applications for the above-mentioned position.

The new professor is expected to develop a strong international research programme within the areas of underground construction, tunnelling, rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering, with the main focus on understanding, modelling, and developing the fundamentals of mechanics for underground construction. The new professor is expected to deal with significant challenges, which include complex underground structures with demanding boundary conditions (e.g. future underground cities, underground energy storage, geothermal energy, nuclear waste depositories), automation and monitoring in underground construction (mechanisation, interactions between construction processes), ground response to tunnelling and surface settlements, and underground construction in difficult geotechnical and geological conditions, including large rock deformations and pressures, thermo-poro-mechanical and chemical couplings.

The successful candidate is expected to be an established leader in one or more of these areas, ideally combining outstanding academic and industrial/consulting experience. She or he holds a PhD degree in geotechnical engineering or geosciences, with an outstanding research portfolio that combines strengths in numerical and physical modelling, advanced experimental and analytical methods, fully coupled thermo-poro-mechanical and chemical interactions (multi-physics), field monitoring and remote sensing. A strong commitment to teaching at the undergraduate (in German or English) and graduate (in English) level in the Civil Engineering curriculum is expected. Academic achievements should be complemented by the ability to lead a research group and generate external funding. The position will be filled at the full professor level. The professorship is embedded in the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering (IGT) at D-BAUG. IGT comprises four complementary chairs and an independent group, covering a wide range of fields in geotechnical engineering. Switzerland is an outstanding hub for tunnelling and underground construction, with excellent collaboration opportunities within ETH Zurich.

ETH Zurich is an equal opportunity and family-friendly employer, values diversity, and is responsive to the needs of dual-career couples.

Please apply online: www.facultyaffairs.ethz.ch

Applications should include a curriculum vitae, a list of publications and projects, a statement of future research and teaching interests, a description of the leadership philosophy, three key publications, a description of the three most important achievements, and a certificate of the highest degree. The letter of application should be addressed to the President of ETH Zurich, Prof. Dr. Joël Mesot. The closing date for applications is 30 November 2023.

The Centre for Offshore Foundations Systems (COFS) at the University of Western Australia (UWA) is seeking a research fellow with a strong background in geotechnical engineering to support their research activities in ocean renewable energy. This is an opportunity to work with a large team of internationally recognised researchers, with access to state of the art experimental and numerical facilities and engaging strongly with industry, regulatory and government bodies in the ocean renewable energy space. This opportunity is a collaboration with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) in Oslo.

More information on this attached pdf file.

A PhD scholarship on “Modelling the impact of mineral composition on the hydromechanical properties of rocks: from hydrothermal alteration to the large-scale behaviour of reservoirs” is now open at University of Lyon (ENTPE).

More information on the attached pdf file.

During this PhD, you will undertake rock deformation and fluid injection experiments at laboratory scale to (a) understand the controls on and micro-mechanisms involved in failure and fault reactivation, and (b) optimise operational controls to minimise micro-seismicity.

Supervision: You will be based in the Lyell Centre Geoenergy Group at Heriot-Watt University under the supervision of Dr. Alexis Cartwright-Taylor, Dr. Elma Charalampidou and Dr. Nathaniel Forbes-Inskip and will collaborate with external supervisors Prof. Ian Main and Dr. Ian Butler at the University of Edinburgh and Dr. Maria-Daphne Mangriotis at the National Oceanography Centre.

Funding: The scholarship will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend (£18,622 in 2023/24), for the 42 months duration of the project, as well as research support and travel costs. Thereafter, students will be expected to pay a continuing affiliation fee (currently £130) to cover their continued registration whilst writing up their thesis. 

Closing date: 17 September 2023

The link for further information is here:https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/schools/energy-geoscience-infrastructure-society/postgraduate-research/effective-management-of-induced-seismicity-for-the-net-zero.htm

Subject Description

Mining and Rock Engineering comprises mining technology, rock engineering and rock mechanics, including rock mass properties, design of rock excavations and tunneling as well as planning and production processes related to both mining and civil engineering.

Project description

The MRE group at LTU is expanding its research activities to encompass areas that are becoming significantly important to the Swedish mining industry and also globally. One such challenge is to seek alternative methods of underground mining with increasing depth. On a general note, the traditional mining methods are becoming unstainable given the ever-increasing demands for greener, socially, and environmentally sustainable mining practices, deep mining depths and compliance to international transparency standards. In the light of this, a fully funded postdoctoral position is created to investigate new ways of underground mining, under the theme Alternative Mining Methods. The position is jointly funded by Boliden Minerals AB and Luleå University of Technology through Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (SUN) program. The post doctor will work closely with the mining industry in Sweden to execute this project. Visits to mines in selected countries will complement the research. The case studies will focus on Boliden’s mining scenarios.

Further information

Postdoctoral position is for two years with placement in Luleå. Starting as soon as possible in autumn 2023.

For further information about the position, please contact: Associate Professor David Saiang. Tel: (+46)920-49 3407 or (+46)72-530 1072. Email: david.saiang@ltu.se

More information on that website: https://www.ltu.se/ltu/Lediga-jobb?l=en&rmpage=job&rmjob=7018&rmlang=UK

Final date for applications: 31 August, 2023

Dear Colleagues,

The Geotechnical Research Group at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK is looking for a highly motivated and talented individual to fill a Ph.D. student position. The objective of the project is to develop A Physically-Based Early Warning System for Landslide Hazards in the UK. We will implement high-resolution radar data, slope stability analysis model, machine learning techniques and probabilistic back analysis methods to establish a novel early warning system for landslide hazards on a watershed scale.

The student will be supervised by probabilistic analysis, lab testing, remote sensing, and data analytics experts in the team and have the opportunity to cooperate with leading researchers in the field. The student will work closely with industry partners to deal with landslide early warning and forcasting.

More information can be found on the following link:

https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/a-physically-based-early-warning-system-for-landslide-hazards-in-the-uk/?p160028

Contact details for further information: xiaohui.qi@northumbria.ac.uk

I would be very grateful if you could pass on the link to anyone you think might be interested in the post.

Two, linked, postdoctoral positions are now available at Imperial College London and at Cambridge University to improve understanding of polymer support fluids.  The positions are funded by the UK EPSRC.

The position at Cambridge will experimentally examine the polymer conductivity of a range of polymer fluids in sand, while the position at Imperial College London will use computational fluid dynamics and pore network modelling to advance understanding of the fundamental interactions between polymer fluids and sand grains.

Details of the positions can be found here and informal inquiries can be made to Prof. Catherine O’Sullivan (cath.osullivan@imperial.ac.uk) or Dr. Brian Sheil (bbs24@cam.ac.uk).  Closing date: August 24 2023.

A PhD position is now open at ESTP (École Spéciale des Travaux Publics, du Bâtiment et de l’Industrie, Cachan, France) and at IC2MP (Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux, University of Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7285, France). The subject is : “Inorganic reactive gels for the in-situ stabilization-solidification of mercury contaminated subsoils”

ESTP is specialized in hydraulic binders and geopolymers, and the chemical and geotechnical characterization of treated matrices. The research carried out at IC2MP is at the interface between chemistry and geosciences. IC2MP has expertise in fluid injection into soils and treatment processes. It will be involved mainly in injection and treatability tests in relation with depollution goals.

More information on that pdf file.

NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology: The Department of Geoscience and Petroleum has a vacancy for a PhD position in Chalk mechanics – IV-99/23

About the position

We have a vacancy for a 3-year PhD fellowship at the Department of Geoscience and Petroleum (IGP). The position is within the area of mechanics of chalk for wellbore stability, chalk influx and solids production, and methods of failure mitigation. The study can be experimental, analytical, or numerical depending on the background, qualifications, and interests of the candidate.

Geomechanics describes the behavior of rock and soils, and is essential to hydrocarbon production, geological CO2 storage, geothermal energy, and other underground operations. The Norwegian Continental Shelf has several large chalk fields, and chalk presents interesting and quite unique properties such as the possibility of liquefying and almost flowing under certain conditions. Over time, operators face increasing challenges with wellbore stability and chalk influx into wells.

The goal is to integrate new research and technology in AkerBP field operations through close interaction with AkerBP and by analyzing field data and operational practices. The candidate will collaborate with SINTEF and benefit from an ongoing joint research project between NTNU, SINTEF and AkerBP for transfer and application of technology developed in both projects. The position gives unique insight into field operations and industry relevant research, and the successful completion of the PhD may lead to employment opportunities. The research and gained competence are relevant to many fields of geoscience, energy, civil, and mechanical engineering, and engineering physics that involve coupled problems and failure.

The PhD student will be assigned to the Department of Geoscience and Petroleum and will be supervised by Prof. Alexandre Lavrov and co-supervised by Dr. Euripides Papamichos. 

https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/246456/phd-position-in-chalk-mechanics-iv-99-23

Application deadline 03 Sept 2023.