PhD Position: Nonlinear Flows in Confined Disordered Media, University of Barcelona, Spain

Summary

The University of Barcelona (Physics) and the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) are seeking a highly talented and motivated candidate for a coordinated PhD project. This 4-year project involves collaboration between IDAEA-CSIC, UB-Physics, and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, alongside international partners in France, the UK, Japan, and the USA.

PhD Position: Understanding and Predicting Nonlinear Flows in Confined Disordered Media, University of Barcelona, Spain

Designation

PhD Researcher (Full-time FPI predoc contract)

Key Details Overview

Research Area

Physics, Geosciences, Civil/Mechanical Engineering, Fluid Mechanics, and Porous Media Transport Processes.

Location

Barcelona, Spain

Eligibility/Qualification

Qualifications:

• A degree in Physics, Geosciences, Civil Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
• Strong interpersonal skills with an interest in teamwork and collaborative research.
• A good level of proficiency in English.

Professional Experience:

• Background or experience in experimenting with and modeling transport processes of normal/complex fluid flows (ideally within porous media).
• Experience in scientific programming (e.g., Python, Matlab).

Job Description

The successful candidate will work on a project aiming to understand and quantify the impact of nonlinearity on flow and transport in confined porous media. The research places particular emphasis on three primary sources of nonlinearity:

• Non-Newtonian rheology.
• Large driving rates leading to dynamic capillary pressure and hysteresis in multiphase flow.
• The complex phase behavior of multicomponent mixtures, as described by realistic equations of state.

How to Apply

If you meet the qualifications, please apply by sending an email with the subject line “NonLinFlow_PhD” to both Prof. Jordi Ortin (jordi.ortin@fmc.ub.edu) and Dr. Ran Holtzman (ran.holtzman@csic.es).

Ensure you include the following documents in your application:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
2. Motivation letter
3. Complete course grades and transcripts (informal scans are acceptable)
4. Contact information for two references
5. Links or copies of your MSc thesis and/or relevant publications

Last Date to Apply

31 August 2026

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