PhD Student / PhD Studentess for Mining Brines DC16: Pore-scale Reactive Transport Modelling for Utilization of Geothermal Reservoirs

Your Tasks

The project -Reactive Transport Modeling (Hydraulic Chemical) at the Pore Scale and Upscaling to Reservoir Scale- aims to develop advanced pore scale reactive transport modeling capabilities by enhancing an in-house lattice Boltzmann-based transport solver. This extension will explicitly address microstructural evolution in reservoir rocks driven by mineral dissolution and precipitation. The simulations will quantify how coupled flow, transport, and chemistry processes cause dynamic changes in pore geometry, transport properties, and reactive surface area under geothermal conditions.

Building upon these high-resolution models, the project will establish robust upscaling strategies that transfer pore scale process understanding to geothermal reservoir scale reactive transport formulations while preserving key mechanistic controls.

To improve computational performance and multiphysics couplings, the work will integrate AI/ML methods (e.g., neural networks, neural operators) to accelerate both pore scale simulations and the associated upscaling workflows. This enables realistic simulations, efficient parameter exploration, and reduced order model generation.

Expected Outcomes

• Implement Lattice Boltzmann (LB) solver for modeling processes at pore scale in 2D/3D realistic multimineral pore structures (synthetic and tomography driven).
• Develop surrogate models to accelerate simulation of chemistry and couple with LB.
• Quantify the impact of reactions and microstructural evolution on permeability and transport properties relevant to resource extraction and derive mechanistic correlations for upscaling.
• Integrate AI/ML-assisted sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification to evaluate prediction reliability and account for input data variability.

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 Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Vesuviano (INGV) in Naples, Italy, the Geological and Mining Bureau (BRGM) in Orléans, France, the GFZ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Geoforschung in Potsdam, Germany, and Collaboration Betters the World (CBTW) in Germany for approximately 2 months each. You will collaborate closely with the other MiningBrines research projects and participate in network training and workshops.

Your Profile

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.
• Strong motivation for interdisciplinary research.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English (mandatory).

Desirable Skills

• Programming skills (e.g., Python or C). Familiarity with machine learning techniques is a plus.
• Background in porous media flows or CFD. Experience with the lattice Boltzmann would be beneficial.
• Geochemical modeling and reactive transport fundamentals.

We Offer

PSI: Our institution is based on interdisciplinary, innovative, and dynamic collaboration. You will benefit from systematic on-the-job training, personal development opportunities, and our strong vocational training culture. We are equipped to support a balance between work and family life or other personal interests with our modern employment conditions and on-site infrastructure.

MiningBrines: An international network comprising 32 academic and industrial partners across multiple disciplines offers an innovative doctoral training program targeting 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.

Application Deadline

April 30th, 5 PM CET

Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Expected Starting Date

1 October 2026

For any inquiries, please contact Dr. Nikolaos Prasianakis at nikolaos.prasianakis@psi.ch.

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