Geophysique-Jobs in Deutschland

Earth Sciences and Environmental Technologies

Organisation/Company: IFP Energies nouvelles

Department: Earth Sciences and Environmental Technologies

Research Field: Environmental science » Earth science, Chemistry » Other, Engineering » Geological engineering, Environmental science » Water science

Researcher Profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)

Positions: PhD Positions

Country: France

Application Deadline: 30 Sep 2025 - 00:00 (Europe/Paris)

Type of Contract: Temporary

Job Status: Full-time

Hours Per Week: 35

Offer Starting Date: 3 Nov 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Lithium (Li) is a lightweight alkali metal with a high electrochemical potential, making it a critical element in the energy transition. However, its demand is projected to increase 42-fold by 2040, positioning Li as a resource under significant criticality. Li originates from highly differentiated magmas and is distributed across subsurface plutonic rocks, surface volcanic deposits, and volatile phases. This primary Li can be leached by circulating low-temperature or hydrothermal fluids, partitioning Li among primary solid phases, alteration-derived mineral phases, and fluids. The nature of these alteration phases depends on various factors, including the temperature of fluid-rock interactions, fluid typology, primary Li content, Li-bearing minerals, and the structural positioning of Li. As such, reaction mechanisms play a critical role in the genesis of lithium deposits, which are closely linked to the evolution of fluid circulation and temperature over geological time. In this PhD thesis, we propose to model the genesis of lithium deposits throughout the evolution of sedimentary basins by tracing the migration of Li from source to deposit. Published data containing information on Li partitioning between liquid and solid phases will be used to derive simplified chemical laws through machine learning techniques for integration into the ArcTem basin simulator. These developments will enable the modelling of mineral reactivity processes within an evolving thermo-hydro-chemical model and will be applied to a well-documented case study.

Keywords: Geochemical cycle of lithium, basin modelling, digital geology, AI

E-mail: nathalie.collard@ifpen.fr

Research Field: Environmental science » Earth science

Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Geology, geochemistry, hydrology, machine learning