We are offering one fully-funded, 4-year PhD position in the
Laboratory of Experimental Rock Mechanics at the Ecole Polytechnique
Fédérale of Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
PhD Project: Earthquakes mechanics at the Brittle to Ductile transition. We
will experimentally study earthquake mechanics at conditions representative of
the brittle to ductile transition in the earth curst, i.e confining pressure
up to 400 MPa and temperature up to 1000°C, strain rate 10^-5 s-1 and with
relevant pore pressure. We will use a recently developed high temperature gas
medium triaxial press. Experiments will be coupled with seismic waves
measurements, microstructural analysis, and modelling of the small scale
physical processes.
Main duties and responsibilities include:
Carrying out research activities related to rock mechanics under crustal
conditions
Experiment design and execution
Analysing and interpreting experimental results
Developing frictional and rheological laws
Writing scientific articles for publication in peer-reveiwed journals
Participating in laboratory teaching activities, as needed (assisting
with exercises, correcting exams, supervision undergraduate and Master
research students)
Presenting at international conferences
We are looking for candidates with:
An MSc degree in the fields of: Geophysics, rock mechanics, civil
engineering, mining engineering, geology
An interest in high-pressure and high-temperature experimental techniques,
with application to renewable geo-resource, geo-hazard development
Good communication skills and willingness to work as part of a team;
Enthusiasm, scientific curiosity, willingness to learn, good
organisational skills, rigor in experimental work, versatility
Experience in rock mechanics, and physics is an asset
Fluency in English, facility in French is an asset
Proficiency with programming languages (Matlab, Pyton, Labview)
EPFL is an international and world-class engineering university. We offer:
An opportunity to develop a scientific career in experimental rock
mechanics and physics, which can be ported to careers in both academia and
industry
A world-class research and training environment with access to state-of-
the-art research facilitie
Competitive remuneration
A multi-cultural and stimulating work environment
Affiliation with the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental
Engineering (ENAC)
Starting date: Starting September 2022, exact start date is negotiable
Term of employment: 1-year fixed-term contract (CDD), renewable for 4
years
To be considered, your application should be submitted as one single pdf
file and include:
A letter of motivation
A detailed CV, including the contact details for 2 referees
Bachelor and Master grades
To submit your application and for any additional information, please
contact : Prof. Marie Violay [email protected]
