PhD Fellow in subsurface characterization within geosciences and reservoir engineering
About the position
The University of Stavanger has a vacancy for a PhD Fellow in subsurface characterization within geosciences and reservoir engineering at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Energy Resources.
The position is affiliated with the National Centre for Sustainable Use of Energy Resources on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, and is available from January 1, 2027.
This is a training position that primarily aims to provide promising researchers with the opportunity for professional development through researcher training.
The person appointed will be admitted to the PhD program in technology and natural sciences, the study direction Energy Technology and geosciences. The program includes relevant courses in an extent corresponding to approximately half a year of study, a thesis based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant research dissemination, a trial lecture, and a defense. Read more about researcher training at UiS on our websites.
The fellow will be employed for a period of three years for pure researcher training or four years for researcher training and other career-promoting work. This will be clarified in the recruitment process.
A career plan will be developed specifying the competence the fellow is to acquire. Access to career guidance will be provided throughout the doctoral education.
The positions are financed by the research center NCS2030, which is supported by the Research Council of Norway, eight industry partners, and four academic and research institutions.
Research theme
The PhD fellowship is affiliated with the following project: geosciences and reservoir engineering, for better understanding and utilization of the subsurface.
This is an interdisciplinary project that aims to increase knowledge of, and map the regional distribution of, aquifers in sedimentary sequences on the Norwegian continental shelf. Aquifers can be part of the same pressure systems that connect producing hydrocarbon reservoirs with storage reservoirs for CO2, and thus they affect the planning, development, and operation of offshore industrial activities on the Norwegian shelf. Currently, two regional models for aquifer reservoirs (Troll and Frigg) exist that form the basis for case studies. One or both datasets will also be used to delineate the distribution of different fluids in the sedimentary reservoirs, and thus assess fluid connections and migration pathways for fluids.
The project will include:
- Mapping the distribution and types of aquifers on a basin scale.
- Modeling the effects of CO2 injection on nearby producing petroleum fields.
- Establishing a synergy-based approach to oil production and CO2 injection.
Project outline
As an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project outline for a doctoral project within the research theme, detailing the problem statement, relevance, and theoretical and methodological approach. The project outline, which should not exceed two pages, will be part of the competence assessment.
We place great emphasis on independent and original initiatives as well as the methodological quality of the project proposal. It is expected that the project outline is an independent and original academic work that reflects the applicant's own assessments and ideas.
During the first three months of the employment period, the project outline and progress plan will be further developed in collaboration with the supervisors and formulated into the final plan for the PhD project. A template for the project outline can be found here.
Qualifications
You must have a strong academic background with a five-year master's degree in reservoir engineering, subsurface geosciences, seismic interpretation, or equivalent education that provides a basis for conducting researcher training. It is an advantage if you have competence in static and dynamic reservoir modeling.
If your grade on your master's thesis and your weighted average grade in the master's studies both individually correspond to a B or better, you are the one we are looking for.
If you have an education from an institution with a different grading scale than A-F, we ask you to attach a certified conversion scale showing how the grades can be compared to the Norwegian A-F scale. You can use these conversion scales to calculate your points for admission.
Furthermore, emphasis is placed on that you:
- are motivated and have potential for research within the field
- have the academic and personal prerequisites to complete the doctoral education within the employment period
- can work independently and in a community, be innovative and creative
- are structured and have a high work capacity
- have good skills in English, both written and oral.
Requirements for English competence
Good skills in English are required for participation in the doctoral program. International applicants must document this with a valid certificate from one of the following tests:
- TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (IBT). Minimum result: 90
- IELTS – International English Language Testing Service. Minimum result: 6.5
- Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Cambridge
- PTE Academic – Pearson Test of English Academic. Minimum result: 62
The following applicants are exempt from the above requirements:
- applicants with one year of completed university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA
- applicants with a completed master's degree with English as the language of instruction in an EU/EEA country
- applicants who are exempt based on HK-dir's GSU list
We offer
- researcher training in a large organization with an important societal mission
- an ambitious professional community and an inclusive working environment
- free Norwegian courses if you do not have skills in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish at level A2 upon employment
- access to Lifekeys, a digital service for maintaining your own mental health and quality of life
- salary according to the State's salary regulations l.pl 17.515, code 1017, NOK 575,400 gross per year with salary development according to seniority in the position. Statutory contributions to the Norwegian State Pension Fund are deducted from the salary.
- membership in Statens pensjonskasse ensures good pension and insurance schemes
- more about employee benefits and advantages at uis.no
Diversity
Diversity is a resource in the working and learning environment at UiS. When we have different backgrounds and experiences, we can see challenges from multiple angles and find better solutions. At UiS, we are concerned with showing respect for each other's differences and facilitate employees with disabilities. We take your needs and your situation in different life stages into account.
If you find this position interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, disability, cultural background, or whether you have been outside the workforce for a period.
If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in the CV, or immigrant backgrounds, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these groups to an interview. If you recognize yourself in one of these categories, you can check the box in our job application portal. Read more about the requirements to be considered an applicant in these groups here.
The university will recruit more women to PhD positions within the field. If several applicants are considered to have equivalent qualifications, a woman will be prioritized over a man.
Contact information
Further information about the position and project description can be obtained by contacting Professor Alejandro Escalona via email: alejandro.escalona@uis.no
Information about the recruitment process can be obtained by contacting HR Advisor Rosa Cam Andrade, tel: 51831191, email: rosa.c.andrade@uis.no.
The application
Apply for the position electronically via "Apply for the position" on this page. Here you must register at minimum a cover letter, relevant education and work experience, as well as language skills. In the cover letter, you must present your research interests and motivation for the position.
The following must be uploaded as attachments to the application:
- project outline, template available on our websites
- CV with a complete overview of education and experience
- diplomas and certificates, as well as documentation of other activities considered relevant
- Diploma Supplement or similar and a conversion scale if required
- documentation of English language competence if required
- publications or other relevant research work
The application will be assessed based on the information available in Jobbnorge by the application deadline. Therefore, ensure that the application clearly shows how your skills and experiences meet the criteria described above and that you have attached the necessary documentation.
The documentation must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If the attachments exceed 100 MB in total, they must be compressed before uploading.
We point out that information about the applicant may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to be listed on the public applicant list, cf. the Freedom of Information Act § 25. If your request is not granted, you will be notified of this.
UiS only assesses applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.
General information
The employment is carried out according to the principles in the State Employees Act, and legislation regulating the export of knowledge, technology, and services.
Employment as a PhD Fellow is regulated in the University and College Regulations Chapter IV. Admission to doctoral education is regulated in the regulations for the PhD degree at UiS.
Your competence for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the recruitment process on our websites.
The study is mainly conducted at the University of Stavanger. It is a prerequisite that you reside such that you can be present at, and available to, the professional environment at the workplace during ordinary working hours.
The position is announced in both Norwegian and English. In case of discrepancy between the texts, the Norwegian text shall prevail.
About the employer:
The University of Stavanger (UiS) has approximately 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has great ambitions. We shall have an innovative and international profile and be a driving force in knowledge development and societal change processes. Our common direction shall be driven by concern for green and sustainable transition and fair societal development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, and lifelong learning are our priority areas.
In interaction and dialogue with our surroundings regionally, nationally, and internationally, we have an open and innovative climate for education, research, artistic development, innovation, dissemination, and museum activities. The academic activities at the university are organized into six faculties with 13 departments and two national research and competence centers in addition to the Archaeological Museum. We are a member of the European network for innovative universities - European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labor market and offers a range of exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our employees and students, we will lift our gaze and dare to think big and new – we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.
The Faculty of Science and Technology offers education at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. The faculty has strong ties to both research institutions and industry. Nearly 40% of the budget is externally funded. Our students have close contact with industry, and many master's and doctoral theses are written in collaboration with industry. The faculty has established research collaborations with universities all over the world and has several professional environments that are internationally leading. The faculty has approximately 3,000 students and around 500 employees distributed across the faculty administration and six departments: Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Department of Mechanical, Civil and Materials Engineering, Department of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Technology, Department of Energy and Petroleum Technology, and Department of Security, Economics and Planning.
The Department of Energy and Petroleum Technology offers studies and conducts research within geosciences, drilling and well technology, and sustainable energy technology. Studies are offered at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. The department has close cooperation with relevant industry, especially within the energy sector. The department invests heavily in internationalization, and there is high mobility among both academic staff and students.