Job offer

Organisation/Company Institut polytechnique UniLaSalle Research Field 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 39 Offer Starting Date 1 Sep 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

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)

• Position Overview

PhD Position Title: Evolution of hydraulic and geomechanical properties of granites and mica shists as a function of alteration and deformation.

Doctoral Candidate (DC) Number: 05

Work Package Number: 3

Research Field(s) (EURAXESS classification): Geosciences

Host Institution (full legal name): GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences

Country: Germany

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

Duration: 36 months

Working Hours: 39 h / week

MiningBrines 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.

• Research Project Description

The PhD project aims at deciphering the interplay between the chemical alteration of fractured rock and the evolution of its mechanical properties applied to low to medium enthalpy geothermal reservoirs. Ultimately, using laboratory experiments and numerical modelling this study will help to better understand fluid-mediated slip on altered faults and so associated seismicity as well as reaction-induced changes in fracture permeability.

For this purpose, two dedicated types of geothermally relevant rock will be selected and artificially fractured. Long-term flow-through experiments will then be conducted to induce changes in the structural properties of the fracture after which the rock will be mechanically re-tested. The experiments will be complemented with thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) coupled numerical modelling at the sample scale. Finally, the results shall be integrated into hydrogeological reservoir scale THM(C) models and validated using site exploitation data.

• Supervisory Team

Planned Secondments (institution, country, duration):

S1 – UniLaSalle, France, 3 months (M34-M36), Ghislain Trullenque

• 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
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities
• An interdisciplinary and international research environment

• Candidate Profile

Required Qualifications:

• Strong motivation for interdisciplinary research
• Excellent command of spoken and written English (mandatory)

Essential and desirable Skills:

• Strong interest in experimental rock mechanics and rock physics essential, ideally proven by dedicated MSc‑work and/or previous occupation
• Interest in THMC‑modelling desirable, previous background a plus
• Experiences in mineralogical and microstructural rock characterization desirable
• Willingness to work in both lab and field environments essential
• Eligibility Criteria

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
• Employment Conditions

The position is fully funded under the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions framework.

• 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

Application Deadline (date and time zone): April 30th 2026, 5PM CET

• Selection Process

1st round of selection

Candidates will register their application online and send:

• their CV
• a letter of application
• 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.

• Equal Opportunity Statement

The MiningBrines Doctoral Network and its partner institutions are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Applications from all qualified candidates are welcome.

State security requirements are out of the MiningBrines Consortium hands.

• Strong motivation for interdisciplinary research
• Excellent command of spoken and written English (mandatory)
• Essential and desirable Skills:
• Strong interest in experimental rock mechanics and rock physics essential, ideally proven by dedicated MSc-work and/or previous occupation
• Interest in THMC-modelling desirable, previous background a plus
• Experiences in mineralogical and microstructural rock characterization desirable
• Willingness to work in both lab and field environments essential

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

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

Eligibility criteria

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

Selection process

1st round of selection

Candidates will register their application online and send:

• their CV
• a letter of application
• 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.