PhD Student / PhD Student

Your Tasks

The project - Modeling workflow development and application for fluid chemistry evolution from extraction to re-injection - aims to enhance our understanding and prediction of fluid behavior in complex geo-energy systems, spanning from extraction to re-injection. A central objective is to quantify how geological, geochemical, and engineering factors jointly influence fluid composition and, ultimately, the efficiency of geothermal energy production alongside the extraction of critical minerals.

To achieve this objective, a batch-type geochemical modeling workflow will be developed using open-source tools (e.g., Marimo, Jupyter). This workflow will calculate chemical processes (e.g., precipitation/dissolution of minerals) during the transport and processing of geothermal fluids utilizing the PSI GEMS thermodynamic solver. More complex coupled reactive transport processes, such as pipe scaling, will be imported from separate sub-models or designed as surrogate models. The workflow will facilitate robust modeling of reactive fluids, phase behavior, and coupled process interactions during heat extraction while considering microbial, physical, or chemical extraction of critical materials like lithium. After establishing the workflow, it will be rigorously tested and refined through case studies provided by industrial partners, ensuring direct relevance to real-world challenges and enabling effective technology transfer.

Furthermore, a machine learning-based sensitivity analysis will be integrated to identify the parameters that most significantly influence model outcomes. This analysis will assist in quantifying uncertainty, highlighting key leverage points for operational decision-making, and evaluating the robustness of predictions under varying operational conditions.

Expected Outcomes

• Develop an easy-to-use computational workflow based on open-source software and the GEMS3K Gibbs-Energy Minimization (GEM) thermodynamic solver.
• Establish a thermodynamic model (fluid model, thermodynamic database) for use in PSI GEM software to model CRM and heat extraction.
• Implement interfaces to results/models from other projects (e.g., Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (WP2, WP3), Thermo-Hydro-Chemical (WP3), or Biological (WP4) processes) to understand their influence on CRM and heat extraction.
• Conduct a machine learning-based sensitivity analysis to identify influential parameters and evaluate prediction robustness.
• Test and apply the workflow to case studies from industrial partners.

You will be enrolled at the University of Bern and receive your PhD title from the University of Bern. This position is part of the Marie Sklodowska Curie Action (MSCA) Doctoral Network (DN) - MiningBrines (Multidisciplinary Integration and Networking for Increased Sustainability and Multi-Resources Valorization of Geothermal BRINES). You will have the status of a SERI-funded MSCA DN Grantee. As part of the MSCA DN, you will visit the Geological and Mining Bureau (BRGM) in Orléans, France; the University of Neuchâtel in Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Collaboration Betters the World (CBTW) in Germany; and VITO in Mol, Belgium, for approximately two months each. You will collaborate closely with other MiningBrines research projects and participate in network training and workshops.

Your Profile

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in geosciences (such as geochemistry, geology, geophysics, or a related discipline) with a robust knowledge of (geo)chemistry, or alternatively, a master’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related discipline with a strong interest in geoscience applications.
• Strong motivation for interdisciplinary research.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English (mandatory).

Desirable Skills

• Familiarity with thermodynamic and/or (geo-)chemical software.
• Experience with programming or scripting languages (e.g., Python, R, Matlab, etc.).

Horizon Europe MSCA Mobility Rule: Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (Switzerland) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date—unless as part of a compulsory national service or a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention. Horizon Europe MSCA Eligibility Criteria: Doctoral Candidates (DC) must, at the date of recruitment by the host organization, not have been awarded a doctoral degree. Applicants must be eligible to enroll in a PhD program at the University of Bern.

We Offer

PSI: Our institution thrives on interdisciplinary, innovative, and dynamic collaboration. You will benefit from systematic on-the-job training, personal development opportunities, and a strong vocational training culture. If you wish to balance work and family life or pursue other personal interests, we will support you with our modern employment conditions and on-site infrastructure.

MiningBrines: An international network of 32 academic and industrial partners across multiple disciplines offers an innovative doctoral training program to address Europe’s strategic need for sustainable access to critical raw materials, energy gases, and renewable energies. You will benefit from interdisciplinary training in geosciences, biogeochemistry, artificial intelligence, and socio-economic analysis. The position is funded for 36 months with a competitive salary, allowances, and additional funding for technical training and conference participation.

Interested candidates are invited to apply online using the form below.

Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

For further information, please contact Dr. Georg Kosakowski at georg.kosakowski@psi.ch.

Paul Scherrer Institute, Human Resources Management, Serdal Varol, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.