PhD position in computational methods for flow and transport in porous media

At the Energy Division of NORCE Research there is a 3-year full-time PhD research fellow position available within the field of Accelerated Computational Modelling of Reactive Flow in the Subsurface. The position is for a fixed-term period of 3 years at NORCE starting August 2026. You will be enrolled as a PhD student at Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Stavanger and be affiliated with the research group Computational Geosciences and Modelling at NORCE Energy Department. The location of the position is either Stavanger or Bergen. The student is expected to spend significant time in both locations.

About the position

The position is part of the Norwegian Research Council funded centre for petroleum research: National Centre for Sustainable Subsurface Utilization of the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS2030 ), hosted by the University of Stavanger with NORCE and IFE as research partners and industry to research institutes and academia.

The successful candidate will contribute to research activities in NCS2030. The centre develops interdisciplinary knowledge and technology for energy-efficient subsurface use, net-zero emission production, CO₂ and hydrogen storage, geothermal energy, and digital solutions supporting the transition towards a sustainable energy system.

The PhD work will contribute to NCS2030, workpackage 4 Digitalization and machine learning, by developing faster and more reliable simulation tools to help energy operators turn data into faster, better operational and commercial decisions. This project is designed for PhD candidates who enjoy building computational models, writing code, and exploring how machine learning can make complex physics-based simulations faster and more useful.

About the project/work tasks

The project will focus on reactive flow in porous rocks, with applications to CO₂ storage, carbonated-water injection and long-term use of subsurface reservoirs. A key challenge is that simulations become computationally demanding when multiphase flow, phase behavior, geochemical reactions and changes in rock properties are coupled.

The PhD project will contribute to the further development of IORSim, a reservoir simulation tool developed by NORCE in collaboration with IFE and the University of Stavanger. Collaboration with industry experts is also expected as part of this project. The work includes numerical model development, simulator implementation, testing against laboratory or field data, and coupling with open-source reservoir simulation tools such as OPM – Open Porous Media. An important part of the project will be to explore how machine learning, reduced-order models or surrogate models can accelerate reactive transport simulations while preserving the most important physical and chemical constraints.

Possible research questions include:

• How can reactive transport simulations be made faster using machine learning, reduced order models or surrogate models without losing essential physics and chemistry?

• How can geochemical reactions be efficiently coupled with multiphase reservoir simulation?

• How do fluid-rock reactions affect porosity, permeability, injectivity and long-term flow paths?

• Can data-driven methods support parameter selection, model calibration, optimization or uncertainty analysis?

Qualifications

• Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent education in applied and computational mathematics, scientific computing, computational physics, computational geoscience, or reservoir engineering.

• Master students can apply provided they complete their final master exam before August 2026. It is a condition of employment that the master's degree has been awarded.

• A documented background in fluid dynamics, computational modeling, and scientific programming is required.

The following areas of expertise or documented experience are considered beneficial:

• Scientific computing using Python, C, or C++.

• Collaborative open-source software development.

• Fluid flow and transport for multiphase fluid flow porous media.

• Geochemical modeling

• Reservoir simulation

• Machine learning

Personal qualities

Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner.

The applicant must demonstrate good collaborative skills and thrive in a cross-disciplinary research team.

Applicants must be highly proficient in both written and oral English.

We can offer

Unique development opportunities and mentorship as part of your role in a strong professional environment with a track record of excellence in fluid flow and subsurface processes.

• Exciting scientific tasks and good colleagues in an internationally leading and recognized professional environment.

• Collaboration with academic staff and students at universities and colleges, as well as industry professionals, involved in the project.

• Flexible working hours arrangements and good pension and insurance schemes.

The annual gross starting salary is NOK 570,000 in a full-time position.

How to apply

Your application should be submitted electronically.

1. A motivation letter.

Two-page motivation letter with a brief account of your research interests and why you apply for the position. Discussion of previous research experience, inspiration to conduct research, and programming experience.

2. Names and contact information for two persons who can provide references.

One of these should be the main advisor for the master's thesis or equivalent thesis.

5. If applicable, following documentation should be submitted:

• A copy of your master thesis, or a draft of the thesis in progress

• A list of peer-reviewed papers published, in press, in review, or in progress

• A list of scientific conference contributed papers

• Examples of scientific communication activities including education and outreach

If you have any questions about the position, you can contact the head of research Sarah Gasda.

Application deadline: June 6th 2026

At NORCE, we are committed to ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage all qualified individuals to apply for available positions regardless of gender, age, disability, or ethnic background.

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