Job offer

Organisation/Company Centre National de Recherche Scientifique Research Field Geosciences » Geology Geosciences » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 30 Apr 2026 - 17:00 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Sep 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

• Position Overview

PhD Position Title: High-temperature fluid-rock interactions and their bearing on CRM endowment in volcanic geothermal systems.

Doctoral Candidate (DC) Number: 07

Work Package Number: 3

Reference Number (EURAXESS):

Research Field(s) (EURAXESS classification): Geoscience, Astronomy , Environmental Science

Country: France

Research activities Start Date (expected): September 1st 2026

Duration: 36 months

Working Hours: 35

MiningBrines ( M ultidisciplinary I ntegration and N etworking for IN creased sustainability and multi-resources valorization of G eothermal Brines ) offers an innovative doctoral training program to address Europe's strategic need for sustainable access to critical raw materials (CRM), energy gases (EG) and renewable energies.

19 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) will receive interdisciplinary training in geosciences (Work Packages 2 and 3), biogeochemistry (Work Package 4), artificial intelligence (AI) (Work Package 5), and socio-economic analysis (Work Package 6), equipping them with advanced skills in reservoir modeling, machine learning, advanced oxidation processes (AOP), and microbial enhanced recovery. DCs will also develop intuitive fluid chemistry modeling workflows and innovative multi-criteria intelligent decision support tools, preparing them to drive innovation in geothermal brine mining while collaborating with academic and industrial partners on practical solutions.

MiningBrines introduces novel techniques to maximize geothermal multi-resource recovery while minimizing environmental impact. Key innovations include microbial-driven CRM recovery, customized AOP workflows, scalable AI models, and decision support tools that consider technological, economic, and societal aspects. These advances aim to reduce the environmental footprint of resource extraction and align with the sustainability goals of the EU Green Deal.

MiningBrines supports the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act by combining CRM and EG recovery with renewable energy production and circular economy principles, reducing Europe's import dependency and strengthening resilience. In addition, MiningBrines emphasizes collaborative education to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals capable of transforming geothermal multi-resources into a key driver of Europe's green transition.

The impact of MiningBrines goes beyond scientific advances, fostering a skilled workforce for academic and industrial sectors, while establishing Europe as a global leader in sustainable resource management.

MiningBrines promotes public awareness of the multiple benefits of geothermal energy, setting a standard for green industrial practices and long-term strategic autonomy.

• DC07 Research Project Description

Objectives

The objective of this PhD project is to determine whether and how the circulation of high-temperature fluids (100–200 °C) in volcanic rocks modifies mineralogical assemblages and alters the mechanical properties of volcano-sedimentary units in ways that favour the mobilisation and transport of critical metals such as Li, Cu, B, Ba, P, Ti, Sr, Ge, and Sb in operational geothermal systems. The project seeks to clarify the coupled mineralogical, geochemical, and mechanical processes induced by fluid circulation and to evaluate their implications for metal remobilisation and reservoir behaviour under geothermal conditions.

Methods

The research will rely on complementary experimental approaches designed to characterise fluid–rock interactions under controlled high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. In situ experiments will be conducted to directly monitor mineralogical transformations and fluid composition at relevant geothermal P–T conditions, enabling real-time assessment of reaction pathways and metal release mechanisms. Flow-through experiments will be performed to simulate fluid percolation through volcanic and volcano-sedimentary rocks, with the objective of quantifying changes in permeability and mechanical properties induced by alteration processes.

Natural samples will be collected during dedicated secondments at the University of Pisa and INGV-Napoli, where additional deformation experiments will be conducted to investigate the mechanical response of altered rocks. A further secondment at BRGM will support the development of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) models specifically adapted to metal mobilisation in geothermal brines. Experimental results will be integrated into thermodynamic and reactive transport modelling frameworks to link laboratory-scale observations with process-based predictions of metal transport in geothermal reservoirs.

Expected Results

The project is expected to provide quantitative constraints on the mineralogical and mechanical modifications induced by high-temperature fluid circulation in volcanic rocks. It will clarify the mechanisms controlling the mobilisation and transport of critical metals in geothermal systems and establish relationships between alteration processes, permeability evolution, and mechanical behaviour. The development of THMC models calibrated with experimental data will enhance predictive capabilities for metal-bearing geothermal brines and contribute to improved assessment of multi-resource exploitation potential in volcanic geothermal reservoirs.

• Supervisory Team
• Planned Secondments (institution, country, duration):

The first secondment is planned at UNIPI for 3 months (Italy, March - July 2027) for sample collection and characterization.

The second one is planned at INGV for 3 months (Italy, March - June 2028) to conduct mechanical tests.

The third secondment will take place in at BRGM for 5 months (France, September 2028 - January 2029) to develop the thermodynamic modelling of fluid-rock interactions in volcanic systems.

• Training and Network Environment

The successful candidate will be part of the MiningBrines Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network, a European training program bringing together universities, research institutes, and industry partners.

Doctoral candidates will benefit from:

• Joint network-wide training schools and workshops
• International research secondments
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities
• An interdisciplinary and international research environment
• Strong motivation for interdisciplinary research
• Excellent command of spoken and written English (mandatory)

Good knowledge of petrology, economic geology, experimental technics, tomography, XRD or thermodynamic modeling.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field Geosciences » GeologyGeosciences » OtherChemistry » Analytical chemistryComputer science » Modelling tools

Additional Information

• Salary: MSCA living allowance + mobility allowance (+ family allowance if applicable), adjusted by country correction coefficient
• Social security: Full coverage according to national regulations
• Funding is provided for research, training and networking activities

Applicants must comply with the MSCA eligibility criteria:

Researchers funded by Doctoral Networks

• must not have a doctoral degree at the date of their recruitment
• can be of any nationality
• should be enrolled in a doctoral program during the project
• should comply with the mobility rules: in general, they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organization for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date
• a 1-page critical summary of an article of their choice
• the name of two contact persons (former teachers or supervisors, who are asked to send a support letter)
• academic credentials to a dedicated email address.

2nd round of selection

The 3 best candidates for a position will be interviewed by videoconference.

During the interview, additional scientific and soft skills competences will be evaluated.

Recruitment follows MSCA principles of transparency, merit-based evaluation, and equal opportunities. State security requirements are out of the MiningBrines Consortium hands.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe under grant agreement No.

This project has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Country France Geofield

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Università degli Studi di Pisa (UNIPI) Country Italy Geofield

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) Country Italy Geofield

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) Country France Geofield