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 according to our vision: “Taking the pulse of our Earth to safeguard a habitable planet”.
For section 4.3 Geoenergie (Department 4: Geosystems), we are looking for a:
PhD position (fmx) – Evaluation of sedimentary thermal rock properties

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master`s degree (or equivalent) in geophysics, geology, geotechnics
• Experiences with geological-mineralogical characterization and the study of sedimentological processes
• Experiences with diagenetic processes and rock alterations desirable
• Basic knowledge of the geology of the North German Basin
• Strong motivation for conducting field and laboratory work
• Skills in numerical modelling (advantageous)
• Fluent in English
• German language skills B2
  Start date: 1stApril 2025
  Fixed-term: 3 Jahre
  Salary: Die Stelle ist nach TVöD Bund (Tarifgebiet Ost) mit der Entgeltgruppe 13 bewertet. Die Eingruppierung erfolgt nach den tariflichen Bestimmungen und den entsprechenden persönlichen Voraussetzungen.
  Working hours: Teilzeit 75% (derzeit 29,25 h/Woche)
  Place of work: Potsdam

• Laboratory characterization of thermal rock properties under different conditions and different methods
• Joint analysis of geological, mineralogical, sedimentological, and petrophysical data
• Elaborate a thorough description of the main composition of reservoir and non-reservoir rocks in the North German Basin, considering the potential correlation of formation (facies), basin position, and thermal rock properties
• Analysis and evaluation of thermal rock properties and construction of digital rock models
• Development of measurement strategies for simultaneous determination of saturation and thermal properties; providing confirmation by modelling and measurement
• Provision of best practice recommendations for rock thermal property determination and of tools for the estimation of alteration effects affecting thermal properties
• Publication of research results in international journals and at conferences
• Collaboration with national and international partners