3 Fully Funded PhD Candidate Positions in GENIUS MSCA Doctoral Network hosted at The University[...]

The University of Edinburgh; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK university offers fully funded PhD positions in energy geotechnology. Successful candidates will explore innovative technologies to support renewable energy transitions. Responsibilities include developing analytical tools and researching energy geostructures. Candidates must have a Bachelor’s or equivalent and demonstrate excellent English proficiency. Positions start around September 2026, providing a dynamic international research environment.

Benefits

Fully funded tuition and fees

Travel and conference budget

Access to laboratories and computing facilities

Personalised Career Development Plans

Interdisciplinary research environment

Qualifications

• Candidates must not possess a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment.
• Must be enrolled in a doctoral programme leading to a doctoral degree.
• Comply with the mobility rule: cannot have resided in the recruiting country for more than 12 months in the last 36 months.

Responsibilities

• Develop tools for geothermal performance of energy geostructures.
• Assess the performance of geostructures connected to small grids for industrial waste heat storage.
• Research on revitalizing abandoned coal mines for decarbonization.

Skills

Excellent English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Overview

Organisation/Company The University of Edinburgh Department School of Engineering Research Field Engineering » Civil engineering Engineering » Geological engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 30 Nov 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/London) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101226708 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

GENIUS is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie doctoral network funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe. GENIUS pioneers a comprehensive approach to address the biggest global challenge the energy sector is facing: the transition to renewable-based, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. Space heating and cooling currently makes up the world\'s largest energy sector, accounting for approximately 50% of the final energy consumption. This figure is expected to grow rapidly over the coming decades due to economic and population growth, and inevitable increase in urbanisation. At the same time, the world is experiencing one of the most severe global energy crises in history, impacting the fossil fuels’ availability and cost.

More than ever, there is an urgent need for innovative technologies to harvest renewable energy resources, to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. Energy Geostructures (EGs) represent an effective means to meet the world request of less dependence on unsustainable resources by being designed as dual-purpose elements targeting geothermal heat exchange and structural support for buildings. Yet, their wider use has been hindered by the lack of (i) sustainable expertise pipeline in the field of energy geotechnology, (ii) technical knowledge regarding the integration of energy geostructures to buildings and infrastructure, (iii) scientific knowledge for the integration of energy geostructures with other underground structures. GENIUS will address all three challenges by developing advanced analysis and design tools for energy geostructures (WP-1) and by advancing practical and scientific knowledge for their integration with buildings, infrastructure and other energy resources (WP-2 and WP-3). Furthermore, the holistic approach of GENIUS will train the Doctoral Candidates to become pioneering experts in conceptualization, design and implementation of energy geostructure applications. Networking with their peers, industry and stakeholders will give them highly attractive skills for transforming their ideas to implementation

Key Features of the PhD Positions:

• Fully funded 3-year PhD position
• Tuition fees covered
• Travel and conference participation budget
• Access to state-of-the-art laboratories and computing facilities
• International and interdisciplinary research environment
• Secondment of 3 to 12 months to other network partners or associated partners
• Personalised Career Development Plans

Open Positions

DC3: Development of a numerical tool for geothermal performance of EGs.

Host Institution University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

DC14: Performance of EGs connected to small grids for industrial waste heat storage.

Host Institution University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

DC 15: Bringing abandoned coal mines back to life for heat decarbonization

Host Institution University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

Applicants must be proficient in the English language.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Additional Information

The position is a 36-month employment contract with the competitive conditions and salary adapted to the life cost in each host country, set by the MSCA Doctoral Networks.

The successful candidate will receive a financial package plus an additional mobility and family allowance according to the rules for DCs in MSCA Doctoral Networks:

Family allowance: If applicable and depending on the family situation: 660 euro/month. For the purposes of the MSCA, family is defined as "persons linked to the researcher by marriage (or a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the legislation of the country where this relationship was formalised) or dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher".

Amounts indicated for living allowance, mobility allowance, and family allowance are gross amounts before taxation and compulsory deductions. Additional information can be found in Information Note for MSCA doctoral networks

Specific regulations of each recruiting institution will also apply.

Eligibility criteria

All applicants must, at the date of the recruitment, comply with the following two eligibility rules:

• Supported researchers must not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
• Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.
• DC’s must be recruited and enrolled in a doctoral programme leading to the award of a doctoral degree in at least one EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
• Recruited researchers can be of any nationality.
• Recruited researchers must comply with the mobility rule: They must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.

Exclusivity

The candidate must be working exclusively for the action.

The Doctoral Candidate positions will be advertised until all positions are filled. All applications proceed through the central on-line recruitment site via the University of Edinburgh. Candidates apply electronically for one to a maximum of two positions and indicate their preference. All candidates must upload the following documentation:

• Degree Certificate(s) (and translations if not English)
• Transcript/interim transcript (and translation if not English)
• Syllabus/Course description (and translation if not English)
• Research Proposal (maximum 2 pages) (Please provide a research proposal for each Doctoral Candidate position you are applying for(maximum of 2))
• CV
• Reference contact information (references will only be contacted for shortlisted candidates)

During the application candidates must declare that they are eligible and meet the criteria mentioned above.

Each application will be shortlisted by the relevant recruitment committee. The recruitment committees will bring together diverse expertise and competences, have an adequate gender balance, including members from different disciplines and including representatives from industry. All members are adequately trained.

Once shortlisted the selected candidates will be invited to an online interview with the relevant recruitment committee. The assessment will be done by the recruitment committee following a homogeneous assessment criteria based on each Doctoral Candidate position.

All shortlisted Doctoral Candidate applicants will be notified regarding the success of their application. The selected Doctoral Candidates are to start their research as quickly as possible in line with the specific requirements of the hiring Institute’s Human Resources department and in line with all provisions for VISA etc.

Additional comments

The intention is that all Doctoral Candidates will start by September 2026. Though some positions require an earlier start date, please visit the GENIUS website for more information.