Postdoctoral Position in Process & Energy Systems Modeling at ETH Zurich ETH Zurich in Switzerland

ETH Zurich’s Geothermal Energy & Geofluids (GEG) Group is hiring a Postdoctoral Position in Process & Energy Systems Modeling in Zurich, Switzerland. The role sits in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences and focuses on physics-based numerical modeling, scientific software development, and engineering analysis for engineered energy and fluid systems.

The postdoc will co-develop an open-source power plant and wellbore flow simulator integrated into TANGO, the group’s techno-economic analysis platform for geoenergy systems. The work connects directly with the group’s geothermal reservoir simulator RAFT and supports modeling and assessment of geothermal direct heat and power plants, district heating systems, CO2 utilization and sequestration, direct lithium extraction from brines, and natural hydrogen systems.

Core topics include thermal-fluid systems, process engineering, power plant engineering, heat exchangers, turbines, pumps, compressors, separators, condensers, piping networks, wellbores, and coupled surface-subsurface engineering. The position also involves techno-economic analysis such as LCOE, LCOH, LCOL, CAPEX/OPEX estimation, NPV, and sensitivity analysis.

Applicants should hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Computational Engineering, or a related field. Strong skills in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, energy conversion systems, and physics-based numerical simulation are required. Python-based scientific programming, version control, testing, and collaborative software development are emphasized. Experience with geothermal power generation, ORC cycles, CCS/CCUS, DLE, process simulation tools, cost modeling, uncertainty analysis, multiphysics co-simulation, or compiled languages is desirable.

The appointment is initially for 1 year with competitive ETH Postdoc salary rates and full social benefits, with a strong likelihood of extension depending on performance. ETH Zurich highlights access to advanced computational infrastructure and participation in the Horizon Europe FlexGeo project and related Swiss and European initiatives.

Applications must be submitted online through ETH Zurich’s portal by 2026-10-28. Required documents include a cover letter, CV, degree transcripts, and contact details for 2-3 references; reference letters may also be included if available. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Chad Baker at [email protected], but applications are not accepted by email or post.