Publisher
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Aalto University

PhD in Rock Mechanics for Underground Hydrogen Storage and Risk-Based Design Aalto University in Finland

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Environmental Science

Funding

Full funding available

Deadline

Aug 31, 2026

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Country

Finland

University

Aalto University

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Keywords

Environmental Science
Mechanical Engineering
Materials Science
Civil Engineering
Earth Science
Mining Engineering
Probabilistic Modeling
Rock Mechanics
Geomechanics
Statistics

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About this position

Doctoral Researcher in Rock Mechanics for Underground Hydrogen Storage and Risk-Based Design at Aalto University (School of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering), based at the Otaniemi campus in Espoo, Finland.

This PhD position focuses on rock mechanics, underground hydrogen storage, risk-based design, geomechanics, numerical modelling, probabilistic methods, and experimental rock engineering. The project is part of the Research Council of Finland project Safety of High-Pressure Storage Caverns in Finnish Bedrock (KORVA 2026–2030) and aims to build an experimentally validated design framework for high-pressure caverns in hard rock.

You will work on integrating geological datasets from Finnish bedrock, developing numerical/probabilistic/analytical models for cavern shape and depth, planning and running in-situ uplift experiments and cyclic liner tests, building measurement and data acquisition chains, and assessing the levelised cost of hydrogen storage alongside technical risk. The role also includes publishing results openly and contributing to design guidelines.

Eligibility highlights: a master’s degree with good grades in rock mechanics, mining, geotechnical, civil engineering, or a related field; hands-on willingness to work underground and in the lab; basic programming skills (Python, MATLAB, R, or similar); familiarity with hard crystalline rock; strong English; and ability to work on site in Otaniemi. Experience with underground construction, gas storage, instrumentation, laboratory testing, reliability analysis, GIS, scientific writing, advanced programming, and numerical modelling is considered an advantage.

Funding/employment: employed doctoral researcher position with a starting salary of 3143 €/month gross, with salary progression over time. Initial contract is 2 years, with a midterm review and possible extension to complete the doctorate.

Application deadline: 31 August 2026. Apply via Aalto’s recruitment portal; email applications are not accepted. Required attachments include a motivation letter, CV, and transcript of studies with grading scale.

Funding details

Full funding including tuition fees and living expenses is available for this position. The scholarship covers all educational costs and provides a monthly stipend.

How to apply

Please submit your application including a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and contact information for two references. Applications should be sent via the online portal before the deadline.

More information can be found here

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