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Delft University of Technology

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PhD in ML-Based Interpretation of Geophysical Legacy Data for Mineral Exploration Delft University of Technology in Netherlands

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

This is a 4-year PhD employment position at TU Delft, offered through two contracts (initial 1.5 years plus a 2.5-year extension subject to a go/no-go assessment and performance). Salary is €3204–€4051 gross per month over the four years based on a full-time 38-hour contract, plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The project is EU-funded (INTELLIGENT, Horizon Europe).

Deadline

Nov 17, 2026

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Country

Netherlands

University

Delft University of Technology

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Keywords

Computer Science
Geology
Materials Science
Petrophysics
Mineralogy
Geophysics
Earth Science
Geochemistry
Mineral Exploration
Physics
ML

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About this position

TU Delft is advertising a PhD position in ML-based interpretation of geophysical legacy data for mineral exploration. The project focuses on developing and testing new methods for deep exploration of sediment-hosted copper systems by integrating legacy seismic and well-log data with basin modelling, geochemistry, and machine learning.

The research targets the thin Kupferschiefer horizon buried beneath the Netherlands and the North Sea. You will work with a large Dutch subsurface dataset, including more than 6,000 wells, extensive 2D and 3D seismic reflection data, and available cores. The aim is to transform data originally acquired for petroleum exploration into a new resource for mineral exploration.

Research topics include quantitative geophysical interpretation, well-log analysis, seismic cross-well correlation, basin analysis, stratigraphy, faulting, basin evolution, petrophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, and multimodal machine learning. The project also involves interpretable baseline models, sequential models such as convolutional and transformer-based approaches, and physics-informed multimodal methods.

The position is embedded in the Applied Geophysics and Petrophysics Section and the Resource Engineering Section of GSE at TU Delft, within the EU-funded INTELLIGENT project. You will collaborate with TNO, the National Materials Observatory, and partners from universities, geological surveys, research institutes, and industry across Europe.

Eligibility highlights: an MSc degree in geophysics, geology, earth sciences, geological or petroleum engineering, or a closely related field; experience in scientific programming (preferably Python or Matlab); interest in applied geophysics, resource exploration, and machine learning; and strong writing and communication skills. Helpful extras include basin modelling, seismic interpretation, petrophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, and deep learning/statistical learning experience.

Funding and conditions: this is a 4-year PhD employment with salary from €3204 to €4051 gross per month, plus holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus. TU Delft also mentions health-insurance discounts, a monthly work-cost contribution, flexible work schedules, and relocation support to the Netherlands.

Application deadline: 17 November 2026. Apply online through the TU Delft careers portal and upload a motivation letter, CV with relevant courses, and the topic of your MSc thesis if applicable.

Funding details

This is a 4-year PhD employment position at TU Delft, offered through two contracts (initial 1.5 years plus a 2.5-year extension subject to a go/no-go assessment and performance). Salary is €3204–€4051 gross per month over the four years based on a full-time 38-hour contract, plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. The project is EU-funded (INTELLIGENT, Horizon Europe).

What's required

Applicants need an MSc degree in geophysics, geology, earth sciences, geological or petroleum engineering, or a closely related discipline. Required or preferred experience includes scientific programming (preferably Python or Matlab), interest in applied geophysics, resource exploration and machine learning methods, and good writing and communication skills. Advantageous experience includes basin analysis, basin modelling or sedimentary-basin evolution, quantitative interpretation of seismic reflection data and well logs, petrophysics, low-temperature geochemistry and mineralogy, and deep learning or statistical learning methods. English proficiency is required for doctoral study at TU Delft.

How to apply

Apply online via the TU Delft application button no later than 17 November 2026. Upload a motivation letter, CV including relevant courses, and, if applicable, the topic of your MSc thesis. Address the application to Valentina Socco and do not send unsolicited emails.

More information can be found here

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