Researcher within Drop and Particle Transport Using Microfluidic Methods

About the position

The Department of Chemical Engineering has a vacancy for a one year Researcher position for investigations of co-flowing particles and droplets in porous media using microfluidic and advanced image analysis methods.

Starting date for the position is as soon as possible, and latest 01.01.2023.

The Norwegian oil and gas industry is in the forefront with respect to subsea field developments, but new and innovative solutions are still required to meet current and future challenges. To accelerate the level of innovations within subsea production and processing, SUBPRO - a centre for research-based innovation, was established at NTNU in 2015. The centre is supported by the Research Council of Norway and several international industry partners. For more information about SUBPRO, please visit our website:www.ntnu.edu/subpro

Large volumes of water are produced along with oil and gas during petroleum production. Sustainable disposal of this contaminated water is a great industrial challenge. With stricter discharge limits and increasing treatment costs, re-injection of the produced water can become an environmentally friendly and potentially a cost-efficient way of handling the water. However, major challenges are injectivity decline and formation damage in the near wellbore region. Deposits of emulsions, bacteria, production chemicals, oil components, scale and corrosion products are formed at the reservoir rock surfaces and will reduce the injectivity of produced water containing dispersed components like solids and droplets.

The main objective in this researcher project is to develop and utilise new microfluidic methodologies and analysis tools to enable studies of co-flowing drops and particles in porous media. A range of chemical composition and surface properties of drops and particles will be studied using micromodels with various wettability properties. The experimental results will be used to improve retention models for complex fluids in porous media.

The work will be carried out at Ugelstad Laboratory https://www.ntnu.edu/chemeng/research/ugelstad

Your immediate leader is Professor Gisle Øye.

Duties of the position

• Develop and utilize microfluidic methods to study transport of solids and drops in porous media
• Present project results at project meetings, workshops, and conferences
• Prepare scientific papers

Required selection criteria

• PhD in chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, chemistry, physics or related areas
• Strong experimental experience with microfluidic and image analysis methods
• Good written and oral English language skills

Preferred selection criteria

• Good knowledge of surface and colloid chemistry
• Good knowledge of porous media
• Programming skills in Python/Matlab
• Experience with scientific writing
• Good written and oral Norwegian language skills

Personal characteristics

• Self-motivated, pro-active and goal oriented
• Good communication skills
• Good collaborative skills
• Organized and patient with problem-solving mindset

We offer

Salary and conditions

The gross salary for the position of researcher (code 1109) iis remunerated depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund,

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite that you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily. 

About the application

The application and supporting documentation must be in English.

Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.  If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include:

• CV, certificates and diplomas 
• Names and contact information for three relevant referees 

Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.  

In the assessment of the best qualified applicant, we will emphasize education, experience and personal suitability as well as your motivation for the position. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA.  This means that we pay special attention to the quality and professional breadth of these works. We also consider experience from research management and participation in research projects. We place great emphasis on your scientific work from the last five years.

General information

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.  

The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Gisle Øye, email [email protected] .. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR Advisor Nina Sandberg, [email protected] . 

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 01.08.2022

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Chemical Engineering 

We take chemistry from laboratory scale to industrial production. This demands a wide range of knowledge, from molecular processes and nanotechnology to building and operation of large processing plants. We educate graduates for some of Norway's most important industries. The Department of Chemical Engineering is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences.  

Deadline 1st August 2022
Employer NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality Trondheim
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Gløshaugen, Trondheim