Research Associate in Porous Rock Imaging

A position is available for a research associate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science following the successful award of an EPSRC funded project: Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage for Heating and Cooling (ATESHAC).  The project is a collaboration between Imperial College London, University of Manchester and the British Geological Survey and will focus on the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone in the NW of England, particularly the subsurface Geoenergy Observatory in Cheshire.  The post duration is 18 months (1st Sept 2022 to 28th Feb 2024).

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is a technology to store waste heat (e.g. from buildings in the summer) and re-used when required, by warming or cooling groundwater that is pumped underground and stored in an aquifer (porous rock mass). In summer, warm water is stored to provide heating in winter; in winter, cool water is stored to provide cooling in summer.  This project (ATESHAC) brings together geoscientists, geoengineers, economists and social scientists to address key barriers to deployment of ATES in the UK, proposing solutions that inform government policy, the regulatory framework, planning authorities, and energy and infrastructure companies. The project integrates four key strands, combining technical geoscience and geoengineering research with economics and social science research.

The purpose of this post-doctoral research associate position is to lead on the multi-scale imaging and characterisation of 3D pores and pore networks within the Sherwood Sandstone and link these to the subsurface characterisation and tests that will be undertaken by other researchers in the project. You will be responsible for mineralogical and petrographic analysis, an 2D and 3D pore-structure imaging and modelling, and design and perform laboratory fluid-rock experiments.  The job will have four main components:

• Data collation, imaging data collection and analysis, including, literature review of ATES systems and of analytical and experimental techniques applicable to pore and pore-structure characterisation and impacts of fluids upon this.  The application of 2D and 3D multi-scale imaging techniques will form a significant part of this post, using both facilities in the Williamson Research Centre (https://www.ees.manchester.ac.uk/wrc/ ) and the National X-Ray Computed Tomography Facility (https://nxct.ac.uk/about-us/ ), both at the University of Manchester. The opportunity to be involved in analysis at the Diamond Synchrotron Facility will also likely be available.
• Meta-analysis and modelling, including petrographic and mineralogical analysis (XRD, SEM), and modelling of experimental data – including single phase flow in porous rocks, and mineral-fluid geochemical modelling.
• Coordination and planning research as part of the ATESHAC project with partners at Imperial College London (ICL) and the British Geological Survey (BGS)
• Data integration and knowledge transfer both to research partners (ICL and BGS) and stakeholders, both within the advisory board and external stakeholders.

The Department is strongly committed to promoting equality and diversity, including the Athena SWAN charter for gender equality in higher education. The Department holds a Bronze Award for their good practice in relation to gender; including flexible working arrangements, family-friendly policies, and support to allow staff to achieve a god work-life balance. We positively welcome applications from women for this post. All appointments will always be made on merit. For further information, please visit: (insert website hyperlink) http://www.seaes.manchester.ac.uk/about-us/athena-swan/

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Blended working arrangements may be considered           

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Prof Kevin Taylor

Email: [email protected]

General enquiries:

Email: [email protected]

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.