Geothermal Conformance and Flow Control Researcher

Job Posting Title:

Geothermal Conformance and Flow Control Researcher

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Hiring Department:

Bureau of Economic Geology

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until Aug 13, 2027

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Location:

PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

This position is located at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in North Austin.

Purpose

Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin, invites applications for a 1-year Research Scientist Associate III in Geothermal Engineering, with a primary focus on reservoir flow conformance and flow control technologies for next-generation Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The successful candidate will conduct cutting-edge research to characterize and manage fracture connectivity and optimize fluid distribution within granites and sedimentary rocks, maximize heat sweep efficiency, reduce preferential flow through highly conductive fractures, delay thermal breakthrough, and enhance long-term thermal recovery from EGS. This position also aims to model, evaluate, and optimize innovative engineering solutions, including chemical, mechanical, completion-based, and operational flow control strategies to optimize geothermal energy production performance. Research will combine reservoir simulation, field data analysis, and coupled modeling to investigate fluid diversion, fracture flow management, conformance improvement, and intelligent injection strategies under high-temperature geothermal conditions in granites and sedimentary rocks. 

Responsibilities

• Conduct research to characterize and manage fracture connectivity and optimize fluid distribution within granites and sedimentary rocks, maximize heat sweep efficiency, reduce preferential flow through highly conductive fractures, delay thermal breakthrough, and enhance long-term thermal recovery from geothermal systems. Model, evaluate, and optimize innovative engineering solutions, including chemical, mechanical, completion-based, and operational flow control strategies. 

• Write peer-reviewed journal publications and conference papers. Present at conferences. 

• Identify new funding opportunities and help write proposals.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• MS with 2 years of experience in petroleum engineering, geothermal engineering, earth sciences, and related disciplines with experience in geothermal energy or unconventional oil and gas well completions.

• Demonstrated experience in porous and/or fractured-media flow and subsurface fluid transport.

• Demonstrated experience in reservoir flow conformance, flow control, fluid diversion, and well completions.

• Experience with simulation programs such as CMG, TOUGH, MOOSE, ResFrac, or similar tools.

• Strong understanding of multiphase flow, heat transport, and fractured reservoir behavior.

• Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, or similar scientific computing languages.

• Excellent data management skills

• Demonstrated scientific/technical writing skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and professional demeanor

• Ability to work effectively with multiple disciplines, including geosciences and engineering

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in petroleum engineering, geothermal engineering, earth sciences, and related disciplines

• Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and geothermal reservoir engineering

• Unconventional well completions and multistage hydraulic fracture stimulation.

• Hydraulic fracture propagation modeling, characterization, and flow diagnostics

• Reservoir conformance control, fluid diversion, and flow control technologies used in oil and gas, and geothermal reservoirs.

• Familiarity with polymer, gel, foam, particle-based, or smart fluid flow diversion technologies.

• Zonal isolation, selective injection/production, completion-based flow control, or other flow management strategies

• Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) and Embedded Discrete Fracture Modeling (EDFM)

• Tracer design and interpretation

• Machine learning or optimization for reservoir management

• Experience working with field-scale geothermal or oil and gas datasets and industries

Salary Range

$68,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• May work in all weather conditions

• May work in extreme temperatures

• May work around chemical fumes

• May work around standard office conditions

• May work around chemicals

• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards

• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

• Use of manual dexterity

• Climbing of stairs

• Climbing of ladders

• Lifting and moving

• Occasional weekend, overtime, and evening work to meet deadlines

• Occasional travel intrastate, interstate, international

• Occasional fieldwork as necessary

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.