Postdoctoral Position in Process & Energy Systems Modeling

Develop physics-based models and scientific software for geothermal and other energy-conversion systems. Research combines process components, coupled surface–subsurface flow, numerical optimization and technoeconomic assessment, including power, heat and lithium production. The Geothermal Energy and Geofluids group offers an initial one-year salaried postdoctoral contract, with extension dependent on performance. Apply through the ETH online recruitment portal. The vacancy is currently advertised with an active application route; no closing date is stated.

Required Qualifications & Experience
Education: PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Computational Engineering, or a related engineering field
Core Engineering Physics: Strong technical grounding in engineering thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and energy conversion systems
Numerical Modeling & Programming: Proven capability in developing physics-based numerical simulators and models of thermal-fluid or power plant systems from governing equations, implementing them in scientific/engineering software (preferably Python, using scientific libraries) using version control and testing in a collaborative environment
Engineering Mindset: A strong passion for both conceptual model development ("How should this system be modeled?") and practical software creation ("How do I build robust numerical tools to solve real engineering problems?")
Desired Experience & Additional Assets
Professional Experience: Relevant industry or applied engineering experience in power plant engineering, process plants, or thermal-fluid systems is desirable
Domain Expertise: In geothermal power generation, ORC cycles, geologic carbon capture and storage (CCS/CCUS), direct lithium extraction (DLE) from brines, or subsurface gas/energy storage
Simulation Tools: Familiarity with equation-based, thermodynamic, or process simulation environments (e.g., TESPy, Aspen Plus, EES, Julia Modeling Toolkit, or Modelica), and fluid property libraries (e.g., CoolProp, REFPROP)
Techno-Economics: Experience in techno-economic modeling, equipment cost correlations, uncertainty analysis, and physical process optimization
Subsurface Integration: Understanding wellbore dynamics, multiphase flow, or coupled reservoir-surface infrastructure
Advanced Computing: Competency in compiled languages (such as C++, Rust, or Julia) and multi-physics co-simulation standards (e.g., FMI/FMUs) and Experience in collaborative software development (e.g., Git workflows, code review)
The ideal candidate is a process modeling engineer who translates physics into math, a scientific developer who writes robust code, and an analyst who evaluates technical and economic system performance. In this role, you will both draw from and contribute to the rich multidisciplinary expertise within the GEG Group. This includes collaborating with our dedicated computing team, currently six experts in scientific and engineering computation, AI, and IT, as well as researchers specializing in subsurface thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and geothermal power plant systems.