PhD – Position in theory of multiphase flow in porous media – Norway

NTNU has a vacancy for a PhD position in theory of multiphase flow in porous media at PoreLab, Department of Physics, NTNU. This PhD position is financed via the European Research Council’s Advanced Grant Program. The candidate needs to fulfill the requirements of NTNU for obtaining a PhD. The appointment has a duration of 3 years.

For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.

The position is organized at the Department of Physics in close collaboration with the Center of Excellence PoreLab.

Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. Your supervisor will be Professor Alex Hansen from PoreLab, Department of Physics, NTNU.

PoreLab is a Norwegian Center of Excellence under the auspices of the Research Council of Norway. It was created in 2017 and it is situated at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, and the University of Oslo.

PoreLab is an interdisciplinary center with joint efforts in theory, computer simulations and experiments, both in fundamental and in more applied directions. The center works to advance the understanding of porous media by developing theories, principles, tools and methods to replace ad hoc approaches to porous media with a fundamental understanding of porous media with relevance in biology, chemistry, geology and geophysics based on fluid mechanics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.

The position forms part of the ERC project AGIPORE, which aims to derive effective equations describing the simultaneous flow of immiscible fluids in porous media at length scales where the porous medium appears continuous. This is accomplished by constructing a version of statistical mechanics that takes the physical processes at the pore scale as a starting point.  This leads to emergent variables at the continuum scale.  These emergent variables need to be connected to variables that are observable in the laboratory.  Of special interest is the information entropy that characterizes the flow distribution, velocity distribution and the geometry of the porous medium itself at the continuum scale.  Accompanying the information entropy is a temperature-like emergent variable. There is a connection between this variable and the pressure gradient that drives the flow, which is still unknown.  It is the aim of the PhD project to establish interpretation and relationships between emergent variables such as the one described.

The student will be required to write academic papers and submit them to international scientific journals, and participate as well in international scientific conferences. She/he will be required to complete the mandatory courses for the PhD, write a PhD thesis using academic papers as basis and defend the PhD when completed.

Required selection criteria

• You must have a professionally relevant background in physics or equivalent education.
• Your course of study must correspond to a five-year Norwegian course, where 120 credits have been obtained at master’s level. Master’s students can apply, but the master’s degree must be obtained and documented before starting the position and no later than August 2025.
• You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master’s degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be considered if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
• You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s Doctoral Programme.
• You must have excellent written and oral English language skills.
• Excellent programming skills are required.
• Knowledge in statistical physics is required.

Personal characteristics

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

• The successful applicant is a highly competent, motivated and ambitious student.
• We are looking for a positive and balanced personality open to new proposals.
• We are looking for candidates who can think creatively and critically, and who can work independently and consistently on the research project.
• The applicant should also enjoy interdisciplinary research.
• The applicant should take keen interest in learning and working in teams.

Emphasis will be placed on personal qualities.

They offer

• An exciting job with an important mission in society
• Developing tasks in a strong and international professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• Open and inclusive working environment with committed colleagues
• As a public employee, you have favourable benefits as a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (SPK)

You will be employed as a PhD Candidate at NTNU and will have access to employee benefits and discounts

Salary 

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK  536 200 (46279,79 EUR),-  per annum. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

Organization/Company – NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Research field – Physics

Research profile – First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country – Norway

Application Deadline – 20 Jun 2025 – 23:59 (Europe/Oslo)

More information: Euraxess