PhD: Magnetic Resonance in Porous Media for Geoscience

ETH Zurich; Zürich; On-site; CHF 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

ETH Zurich's Geothermal Energy & Geofluids Group within the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences invites applications for a PhD position focused on developing and applying multi-modal magnetic resonance techniques to study chemical and physical processes in porous media.

The project combines state-of-the-art NMR/MRI, EPR-MRI, and DNP instrumentation with questions on fluid flow, rock reactions, and mineral processes, offering a dynamic, collaborative environment and access to cutting-edge

Qualifications

• Background in chemistry, physics, engineering, or similar.
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary research bridging chemistry, physics, geochemistry, geomechanics, microbiology, and energy science.
• Experience with liquid- or solid-state NMR, MRI, or EPR.
• Familiarity with analytical tools such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray computed tomography (XRCT).
• Experience in designing and performing high-temperature and high-pressure in-situ experiments is advantageous.
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken).

Responsibilities

• Developing new methods and techniques in NMR/MRI, pulsed-EPR-MRI, and DNP
• Characterization of radical centers in natural rock samples with EPR spectroscopy and imaging
• Understanding DNP in porous media both with exogenous and endogenous radical sources
• Studying selected applied chemical and physical processes in porous media possibly including multicomponent fluid flow and temperature encoding
• Applying projects will combine experimental stimulations, MR-based characterization, geochemical analysis, microbial ecology approaches, and modelling of fluid migration and storage.

Skills

NMR/MRI

EPR

Interdisciplinary research

English fluency

High-temperature high-pressure in-situ

Tools

X-ray diffraction (XRD)

scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

X-ray computed tomography (XRCT)

Job description

ETH Zurich's Geothermal Energy & Geofluids Group within the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences invites applications for a PhD position focused on developing and applying multi-modal magnetic resonance techniques to study chemical and physical processes in porous media.

The project combines state-of-the-art NMR/MRI, EPR-MRI, and DNP instrumentation with questions on fluid flow, rock reactions, and mineral processes, offering a dynamic, collaborative environment and access to cutting-edge