Postdoc in geothermal infrastructure

The Postdoc will work on a large-scale EU geothermal infrastructure project “ ‘LEG-DHC’ – Large-scale climate neutral Energy Geostructures in District Heating & Cooling systems/networks” in a consortium of 15 partners, with a balanced participation of Universities and public institutions (8 partners) and private companies (7 partners).

The candidate should have a PhD degree in Civil / Geotechnical / Geological / Energy Engineering. Experience in deep / shallow geothermal energy, district heating, energy management would be an advantage.

Contact person: Dr. Zili Li zili.li@ucc.ie

A Phd position is now open at Ecole des Ponts ParisTech on “Multi-scale hydro-chemo-mechanical behaviour of swelling clay-sulfate rocks”.

More information on this pdf file.

Two postdoctoral positions are available in the Theoretical & Applied Geomechanics research group at the University of British Columbia. Both positions offer a two-year appointment with the possibility of a contract extension. Successful candidates will benefit from exposure to a dynamic international research environment and opportunities for various areas of professional development.

Position 1 Description

The selected candidate will be responsible for carrying out continuum-based numerical analyses with advanced constitutive models to address problems involving large deformations. The computational techniques of interest include Material Point Method (MPM), Finite Element Method (FEM), or Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM). Additionally, the candidate should apply machine learning techniques for conducting inverse analyses.

Position 2 Description

The selected candidate will conduct discrete element modeling (DEM), focusing on the monotonic and cyclic shearing response of granular soils. The study involves the assessment of various micromechanical descriptors of the granular system in loading scenarios of interest in soil mechanics. This work is crucial for advancing our understanding and application in constitutive modeling.

Selection Criteria

• Hold a PhD in Geomechanics, Mechanics, or a related field.
• Have expertise in one of the following computational methods: Material Point Method (MPM), Finite Element Method (FEM), Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM), or Discrete Element Method (DEM).
• Be well-versed in constitutive modeling.
• Have strong programming skills.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills.
• Show the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

How to Submit Your Application

Please submit a single PDF containing a 1-page cover letter detailing your qualifications for the desired position, a comprehensive curriculum vitae, the contact information for two references, and two representative publications to Prof. Mahdi Taiebat at mtaiebat@civil.ubc.ca.

A position as Research Assistant/Associate or PostDoc in the field of geomechanics/geotechnics is now open at RWTH Aachen University.

More information may be found on this website: https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/die-rwth/arbeiten-an-der-rwth/rwth-jobportal/~kbag/job-einzelansicht/?file=V000006892&lidx=1

The Geotechnics Section in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London is delighted to be recruiting new colleagues who wish to develop an academic career focusing on any of the following areas: (i) Geotechnical Engineering for Offshore Renewable Energy, (ii) Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, or (iii) Geotechnics for Climate Change Resilience.   With these application areas in mind, we welcome applications from candidates with experience that could include soil-structure interaction, development of quantitative ground models for predictive analyses in offshore environments, laboratory testing, field investigations or numerical modelling, or other experience relevant to any of the three application areas listed.  

Candidates at the start of their academic careers should consider applying for the Lecturer/Senior lecturer position. 

Candidates with established academic careers should consider applying for the Reader/Chair  position. 

Informal inquires can be made to cath.osullivan@imperial.ac.uk .

We are looking to recruit two outstanding PhD candidates on the development of novel stress sensors for a wide range of applications. Each of these projects is expected to last 3.5 years and will be fully funded.

The first project will develop and characterise the sensors for geotechnical engineering purposes, to measure stresses underground. The student will first design a family of sensors that are able to withstand harsh underground conditions, then characterise their response under calibrated stress-controlled tests, and finally verify the ability of the developed sensors to provide in situ, accurate dynamic information, and warning signs on the development of geotechnical failures. Prospective candidates for this PhD position are expected to possess a robust background in electronics and experimental mechanics, coupled with a keen interest in geomechanics. This project represents a thrilling opportunity to contribute significantly to industry capabilities.

The second project will advance those pressure sensors for soft underground robotics. In the first year the student will develop several prototypes at the University of Sydney (USyd) for different shapes of robotic heads and functionalities. Over the second year they will visit Dr Barbara Mazzolai’s group at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) to implement those sensors on robots inspired by worms and roots. Back at USyd on the third year, they will bring together the sensing and locomotion of the robots to explore burrowing dynamics in USyd’s fast x-ray facility. The recruited PhD student will be expected to have strong background in electronics and/or robotics and/or geomechanics. This is an exciting opportunity to actively contribute to international, multi-disciplinary collaboration.

For applications, please email your curriculum vitae, as well as the transcripts of your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. We aim to review applications by mid-February 2024.

Contact details:

Professor Itai Einav,
Director of SciGEM,
School of Civil Engineering,
The University of Sydney
Email: itai.einav@sydney.edu.au

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are extremely persistent, harmful chemicals that have a complex transport behaviour in the environment. To assess risks associated with PFAS migration and the effects of remediation measures at contaminated hotspots, there is a great need for improved process understanding as well as modelling tools to predict PFAS transport in soil-groundwater systems. A promising technique to limit the spreading of PFAS further into the environment and to drinking-water resources is in-situ stabilisation with activated carbon.

In a larger Swedish project about mitigation of PFAS contamination, soil mixing and direct injection of activated carbon for in-situ stabilisation of PFAS are tested at contaminated sites and thereby large datasets of PFAS distribution in space and time including the effects of in-situ stabilization are generated. Modelling of the transport and adsorption processes is an important component for the interpretation and analysis of the results and their implications. However, existing modelling tools for PFAS fate and transport have not been thoroughly tested (in particular, against field data) and are in need of further development with respect to several PFAS-specific processes, such as; adsorption to air-water interfaces in the unsaturated zone, transformation of precursors and competition effects between different PFAS both concerning sorption to material interfaces and to sorbents.

The postdoctor to be employed will work with evaluation and development of modelling tools aimed to better understand the fate and transport of PFAS in the subsurface, and in particular, how this is affected by in-situ stabilisation. Modelling tools that can be relevant include among others MODFLOW-based solute-transport models, Hydrus, COMSOL, TOUGH2 or similar programs. The work will be performed under supervision of Prof. Fritjof Fagerlund at UU and is also a close collaboration with the Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI) and Geological Survey (SGU), where researchers at SGI also participate.

Link to full information and application: https://www.jobb.uu.se/details/?positionId=691961

Contact / questions, e-mail: fritjof.fagerlund@geo.uu.se

At the DMEX center for X-ray Imaging in Pau, France, we apply X-ray imaging to study a plethora of things. Recently, we have received support from Institut Carnot ISIFoR to hire two postdocs:
– One relates to the in situ recovery of Lithium and explores strategies to reduce the water consumption
– The second one, in collaboration with Carnot IFPEN, aims at developing a methodology for estimating the amount of natural hydrogen present in the North American intracratonic zone.

Both projects involve advanced X-ray tomography methods: in situ 4D CT in the first and spectral CT in the second project.

You can download the job offers here:
– Lithium Recovery : french or english
– ExploH2 : french or english

The Chair of Alpine Mass Movements at ETH Zürich and SLF Davos offers a 4-year PhD position about the numerical modeling of the initiation and dynamics of Alpine Mass Movements with a depth-averaged Material Point Method. More information about the project, position and expected background can be found in this link: https://jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOPG_ethz_LiRmcYKHdI71vDGZLI

For questions, please contact Prof. J. Gaume (jgaume@ethz.ch).

A PhD Studentship opportunity is available at University of Southampton on “Efficient ‘Whole-life’ anchoring systems for offshore floating renewables”.

This PhD offers you the opportunity to tackle the urgent real-world challenge of developing efficient deep water anchoring systems for offshore floating renewable energy infrastructure. You will also have the opportunity to work as part of a vibrant research group focussed on a range of offshore engineering challenges and engage with a range of industry partners.

More information on the pdf file.