PhD Position (f_m_x) - Laboratory-Scale Hydraulic Flow-Through Experiments

GFZ is Germany's national centre for solid Earth research. We advance the understanding of dynamic processes to address global challenges, from mitigating the impacts of natural hazards and sustaining our habitat amid global change to responsibly managing georesources. We are part of the Helmholtz Association, the largest German scientific organisation. With around 1,200 employees as well as ca. 500 guest researchers, we contribute to the Helmholtz Research Field Earth and Environment, aligning cutting‑edge research with societal relevance and international collaboration. Our work integrates multidisciplinary studies across Earth's system components, leveraging advanced technologies and infrastructure to research solutions and to transfer our knowledge to society. We are doing this in line with our vision: “Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet”.

PhD Position (f_m_x) – Laboratory-Scale Hydraulic Flow-Through Experiments

Reference Number 11210

Uplift (Unlocking Petrothermal Lithologies through Innovative Fracture Technologies) brings together key European EGS industry and research institutions to demonstrate, at Czechia’s leading energy research site RINGEN, how multi-stage Enhanced Geothermal System stimulation can be efficiently implemented in Europe, while reducing technical, social, and environmental risks. This includes adaptive stimulation designs for more efficient and safe permeability enhancement and micro‑turbine drilling for improved reservoir access. To support this, we will investigate the self-propping behaviour of European basement rocks through laboratory experiments and benchmark these results against acid and proppant-based stimulation methods, and we will compare water-only with proppant-based stimulation treatments in the Bedretto Underground Laboratory. Additionally, we will develop high‑fidelity, physics-based Digital Twins to guide stimulation designs, as well as fast surrogate models for real‑time operational decision-making.

This PhD position offers the opportunity to investigate hydro‑mechanical processes in fractured rocks through advanced laboratory experiments, contributing to a better understanding of permeability evolution and stimulation techniques in subsurface systems.

Your responsibilities:

• Conduct laboratory experiments using triaxial compression cells to investigate permeability enhancement and fracture stiffness of generated shear fractures.
• Quantify fracture permeability parallel and perpendicular to the flow direction to assess anisotropy.
• Plan and perform experimental series with different sample treatments, including chemical surface treatment to simulate chemical stimulation.
• Carry out additional experiments with proppant-filled fractures to evaluate their impact on permeability.
• Characterise fracture surface morphology before and after experiments using laser scanning.
• Analyse and interpret rock behaviour based on hydro‑mechanical laboratory experiments.

Your qualifications:

Essential qualifications:

• A Master's degree (or equivalent) in reservoir/petroleum engineering, applied geosciences, geology, environmental sciences, geophysics, or equivalent.
• Background in Enhanced Geothermal Systems or laboratory experiments.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• High motivation and creativity, as well as a result‑oriented, structured and reliable working attitude.
• Excellent communication skills.

Desirable qualifications:

• German language skills are useful, but no requirement.

What we offer:

• Ambitious and varied tasks in a dynamic and international research environment.
• State‑of‑the‑art equipment.
• Public service benefits.
• Extensive training opportunities.
• Professional career advice offered by our in‑house Career‑Centre.
• Flexible working hours and conditions.
• Support with finding a good work‑life balance offered by
• Institute day‑care centre on site.
• Working at the Albert Einstein Science Park on the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam.
• Workplace within walking distance of Potsdam main train station, or just a short ride on the shuttle bus.

Start date: As soon as possible.

Fixed term: 3 years.

Salary: The position is classed as salary group 13 according to “TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost)”. The salary group is determined on the basis of the Collective Wage Agreement and the respective personal qualifications.

Working hours: Part‑time (currently 29.25 h/week).

Place of work: Potsdam.