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Delft University of Technology
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PhD Position 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
Funded PhD position within the EU-funded INTELLIGENT project; salary €3204–€4051 gross per month for a full-time 38-hour week, plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
Deadline
Nov 17, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Delft University of Technology
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About this position
This PhD project at Delft University of Technology focuses on extracting new mineral-exploration value from legacy geophysical datasets originally acquired for petroleum work. You will investigate the thin Kupferschiefer horizon beneath the Netherlands and the North Sea, combining well logs, seismic reflection data, basin analysis, geochemistry and mineralogical information to characterise the target and its mineral potential.
The research is strongly interdisciplinary and sits at the intersection of quantitative geophysical interpretation, basin modelling and machine learning. A major aim is to develop integrated methods that can recognise and map a horizon only a few metres thick at kilometre depths, despite the different resolution, coverage and physical meaning of the available datasets.
You will work on analysing extensive Dutch subsurface data, including thousands of wells and extensive 2D and 3D seismic reflection datasets, to identify the Kupferschiefer where it has not yet been recognised, improve cross-well correlation, and study stratigraphy, faulting and basin evolution. The project also includes building robust and interpretable machine-learning workflows for sequential well-log data, and developing multimodal approaches that combine seismic, geological and geochemical information under geological and physical constraints.
The work will be carried out within the Applied Geophysics and Petrophysics Section and the Resource Engineering Section of GSE at TU Delft. The project is part of the EU-funded INTELLIGENT consortium, and will be developed in collaboration with TNO, the National Materials Observatory and partners across Europe. A postdoctoral researcher will also contribute for one year, with a focus on advanced multimodal and physics-informed machine learning.
Funding details
Funded PhD position within the EU-funded INTELLIGENT project; salary €3204–€4051 gross per month for a full-time 38-hour week, plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
What's required
An MSc degree in geophysics, geology, earth sciences, geological or petroleum engineering, or a closely related discipline is required. The candidate should be creative and independent, have an interest in applied geophysics, resource exploration and machine learning methods, and have experience in scientific programming (preferably Python or Matlab). Good writing and communication skills are required. Experience in basin analysis, basin modelling or sedimentary-basin evolution, quantitative interpretation of seismic reflection data and well logs, petrophysics, low temperature geochemistry and mineralogy, or machine learning (deep learning/statistical learning) is considered an advantage. English proficiency is required for communication, Doctoral Education courses, and thesis/article writing.
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 applications by email or post.
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