PhD Position (f/m/d) in Applied Geosciences

PhD Position (f/m/d) in Applied Geosciences

Join the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) as a PhD candidate to conduct research within the RUBADO project (BMWE, FKZ 03EE4076A) focused on the DeepStor research infrastructure. DeepStor explores a High Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) system on the KIT Campus North, utilizing former hydrocarbon reservoirs and a dense seismic network.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute field data acquisition, including installation and maintenance of a network of >90 3C‑seismic nodes and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) along KIT’s fibre‑optic infrastructure.
• Prepare forward synthetic models of node and DAS geometry responses to drill‑bit sources.
• Collect, organize, and perform quality control of downhole accelerometer, geophone and DAS data.
• Characterise spectral and temporal properties of drill‑bit noise and apply cross‑correlation and well‑seismic processing techniques between source(s) and receivers.
• Develop and apply velocity‑model inversion methods, including travel‑time tomography and full‑waveform inversion (FWI), to derive P‑ and S‑wave velocity models.
• Assess the comparative performance of DAS and geophone data in terms of sensitivity, frequency content, noise levels, spatial coverage, resolution, and inversion quality.
• Explore hybrid approaches combining DAS and geophone datasets to improve imaging of underground structures.
• Document and publish results, contributing to the validation of alternative passive seismic survey methods.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Geophysics, Physics, Computational Earth Sciences, or a related field.
• Strong background in seismology, seismic data processing, and numerical modelling.
• Experience with programming languages such as Matlab or C/C++.
• Interest in geothermal applications and willingness to engage in fieldwork in addition to office tasks.
• Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary collaboration within a research team.

Employment Details

Seniority level: Internship (PhD)
Employment type: Full‑time
Job function: Research, Analyst, and Information Technology
Industry: Higher Education

Start date: March 2026

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