Postdoc vacancy: Colloidal transport in unsaturated porous media: CFD modelling M/F

At CNRS-ISTO, we are looking for talented postdoctoral fellow to investigate two-phase flow colloidal transport in porous media using Computational Fluid Dynamics. The position is part of the European Research Council-funded project COCONUT.
Colloids (including nanoparticles, bacteria, and fine particles) have an incredible potential to remobilize contaminants trapped by capillary forces in porous media and then remediate polluted groundwater. Their use in daily engineering, however, is still underexploited because the lack of knowledge regarding the transport mechanisms is an obstacle to precise control of two-phase flow. An in-depth understanding of colloidal transport mechanisms in geological porous media is crucial to assess their fate as well as their environmental and economic impact.
The COCONUT project (awarded with a ERC Consolidator grant) aims to investigate how colloidal particles control two-phase flow in geological porous media using a combined experimental-simulation multi-scale approach. The objective of this postdoctoral position is to develop and advanced
OpenFOAM-based modelling tool to investigate the transport of colloids and their impact on two-phase flow in three-dimensional naturally occurring and heterogeneous porous structures. We are looking for a talented postdoctoral fellow to join our team and develop an efficient two-phase flow simulator at the pore-scale including lubrication model at the mineral surface

The candidate will
• Develop its own line of research,
• Perform a comprehensive literature review on colloidal transport and two-phase flow in porous media,
• Develop an efficient two-phase flow simulator at the pore-scale including lubrication model at the mineral surface and colloidal transport,
• Compare the results with on-going microfluidic and column-scale experiments,
• Participate to the weekly group meeting,
• Present the results in national, international conferences and in high-ranked journal.

The position is located at the Earth Sciences Institute of Orléans (ISTO) in France. ISTO is a joint research laboratory between CNRS, the University of Orléans, and BRGM located on the Geosciences campus of Orléans close to Paris, France. The Porous Media Research Group develops cutting-edge research and worldwide recognized expertise on multi-scale modelling and microfluidic experiments of multiphase flow and reactive transport in geological formations. Our objective is to decipher the mechanisms involved in the remediation of contaminated groundwater, in the underground storage, and in new energy vectors based on the use of the subsurface.
The candidate will join a network of leading-edge national research institutions including CNRS, BRGM, Sorbonne University, Geosciences Rennes, and Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, and international collaborations including Heriot-Watt University, Julich Forschungszentrum, Ghent University, TU Delft, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Princeton University, and Stanford University.