Establishing an Isotope Toolkit for Saline Groundwaters (IT4SG) – PhD Position University of Glasgow in United Kingdom

The University of Glasgow, in partnership with the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC), is offering a funded PhD position focused on developing an isotope toolkit for saline groundwaters (IT4SG). This project is directly linked to the UK's ongoing efforts to locate an underground Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) for nuclear waste, with all candidate sites containing saline aquifers. Understanding the age, origin, mixing, and interaction histories of these groundwater components is essential for constructing robust hydrogeological models and evaluating the long-term containment of radionuclides and contaminants.

The research aims to employ a suite of chemical and isotopic techniques to characterize the source and determine the age of saline groundwaters from onshore sites near the planned UK nuclear waste repository. The student will work with groundwater chemistry, O-H isotopes, and develop methods for stable chlorine isotopes (37Cl/35Cl) and the short-lived radionuclide 36Cl, utilizing the advanced laboratory facilities at SUERC. The resulting data will be used to test models of large-scale hydrodynamics in deep saline groundwater systems.

Supervision will be provided by Professor Finlay Stuart, alongside groundwater specialist David Banks and a senior advisor from Nuclear Waste Services. The project is laboratory-based, with a strong emphasis on chemistry and mass spectrometry, and offers opportunities for field sampling campaigns and experience at other European laboratories. The student will be enrolled in the University of Glasgow College of Science and Engineering Graduate School, benefiting from a comprehensive development programme and industry engagement through training and placements.

Funding is provided by the NWS studentship, covering four years of tuition fees (UK home level), a tax-free stipend at the standard UKRI rate for 2025/2026, research costs, and conference expenses. Exceptional international candidates may be eligible for a fee waiver. Applicants should hold or expect to achieve at least a 2.1 Honours degree or a Masters (or international equivalent) in a relevant science (chemistry, Earth/environmental science, physics, or similar) with a strong quantitative background. Laboratory experience in environmental or analytical chemistry is advantageous.

The expected start date is September 2026. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Prof. Fin Stuart ([email protected]) for informal enquiries before applying. For application details, visit the University of Glasgow Graduate School website. The application deadline is May 18, 2026.