Experienced Hydrogeologist Modeler F/M

BRGM; France; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13th month salary

Canteen on site

Sports facilities

Holiday and leisure options

Job summary

BRGM's Water Directorate seeks a capable researcher to join the Numerical Aquifer Modelling Unit. You will contribute to modelling groundwater flows and transport processes, while developing and validating scientific codes used for hydrogeology research.

The role includes AI-based approaches and multi-objective optimisation under uncertainty. You should hold advanced degrees in hydrogeology, with experience abroad considered an asset, and you will communicate results through reports and training

Qualifications

• Master's degree, engineering degree or PhD in hydrogeology.
• Experience with groundwater modelling and related codes.
• Fluent in English; strong writing and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to modelling groundwater flows and aquifer–surface interactions.
• Develop and validate hydrogeology codes and approaches.
• Apply AI and data assimilation for model improvement.
• Publish results and present to diverse audiences.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on research projects.

Skills

Hydrogeology expertise

Groundwater modelling

Python programming

Team collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

Master's degree in Hydrogeology

Engineering degree in Hydrogeology

PhD in Hydrogeology

Tools

MODFLOW-6

Marthe

FloPy

Python

PEST/PEST++/PyEMU

Job description

Organisation/Company BRGM Department Loiret Research Field Environmental science » Water science Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 23 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Dec 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The Water Directorate (Direction de l'Eau – DE) is tasked with addressing society's needs regarding water resource management and the environmental impacts of human activities on these resources in a context of climate change. You will join the Numerical Aquifer Modelling Unit (Unité Modélisation Numérique des Aquifères – MNA) to contribute to modelling activities and to the development and/or performance validation of the various hydrogeology and hydrology computation codes in use, bringing innovative approaches to support research work and to advance knowledge on aquifer systems and associated water environments (streams, wetlands, etc.), with the aim of optimising their quantitative and qualitative management at different scales (local, regional, national) and supporting the adaptation of hydrosystems to the transitions driven by global change.

Your main responsibilities will be to:

• Contribute to public policy support or international projects on the quantitative and qualitative management and protection of groundwater resources, particularly in connection with surface water, seawater and global changes;
• Model groundwater flows in interaction with surface water (aquifer–river exchange and urban networks) and model the associated solute/heat/mass transport (saline intrusion/point-source and diffuse pollution/climate change impacts, etc.);
• Contribute to integrating innovative approaches into hydrogeological modelling using artificial intelligence and/or data assimilation methods and multi-objective optimisation of management under uncertainty;
• Deliver results in the form of technical reports and publications;
• Present scientific results and be able to communicate them to non-specialist audiences, and engage in dialogue with multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred start date: as soon as possible
Contract type: project-based contract (CDI de projet)
Experience required: 5–10 years

You hold a master's degree, an engineering degree or a doctorate in hydrogeology, and ideally have initial post-doctoral or industry experience; experience abroad would be an asset.
You will also bring the following skills and qualities:

• Solid grounding in hydrogeology and expertise in modelling flow and transfer/transport pro-cesses;
• Proficiency in gridded computation codes (MODFLOW-6, Marthe) and scripted approaches in Python, ideally with FloPy;
• Experience with algorithmic calibration and uncertainty analysis, particularly with the PEST/PEST++/PyEMU suite;
• Knowledge of saline intrusion contexts and variable-density flow modelling;
• Rigour, organisational skills and adherence to contractual commitments;
• Initiative and scientific creativity;
• Strong interpersonal skills and enjoyment of working in multidisciplinary teams;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, for publishing, presenting at conferences and leading training sessions;
• Fluent English, written and spoken.

Specific Requirements

This full-time position involves travel within France and abroad.

The position is to be filled under an open-ended project-based contract (CDI de projet), with an estimated duration of approximately 3 years.

Within an environment that promotes a healthy work/life balance, particularly thanks to remote working, BRGM prides itself on providing a friendly and caring place to work.

Awarded HRS4R certification in 2021, we are committed to supporting you throughout your career at BRGM. We provide you with a range of tools for developing your skills and expertise, with scope for career progression and geographic mobility.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Additional Information

At BRGM, you will gain from such benefits as a 13th month salary, days off compensating for unpaid overtime, a company canteen, sports facilities as well as holiday and leisure options.

Because diversity matters to us at BRGM, all of our job vacancies are open to everyone!

Selection process

We will examine your application as soon as the closing date has passed. If your application is short-listed, we will contact you for recruitment interviews during which you will have the opportunity to talk with the recruitment and HR departments as well as a cross-functional department.