Postdoc: Subsurface Freshwater Storage and Groundwater Modelling

Freshwater scarcity and salinisation increasingly threaten water availability in delta regions. In the Dutch Southwest Delta, technical solutions for storage, treatment and reuse have been demonstrated at pilot scale, but their wider implementation depends on a robust understanding of where subsurface storage is feasible and under what conditions it will succeed.

Your job

As a postdoctoral researcher in the NWO KIC project STURDI-Water (Storage, Upgrade, Reuse and Distribution of Water in regional collaborative networks), you lead research aimed at identifying the key success factors for subsurface water storage systems. Your main case-study area are the islands of Zeeland and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, with connections to monitoring and pilot sites. You will work at the interface of hydrogeology, variable-density groundwater flow and fresh-salt transport modelling, field evidence and applied spatial decision support.

You will improve and apply an existing calibrated, high-resolution groundwater model that represents the region’s complex palaeogeographical development and depositional environments. Using this model, you will investigate infiltration and extratraction schemes, interactions between surface water and groundwater, drainage, climate variability and uncertainty in local hydrogeology. The central output will be spatial potentiality maps that shows where subsurface freshwater storage is promising and which factors determine feasibility and performance.

What will you do?

• Improve, document and apply a regional groundwater model for variable-density flow groundwaterflow and coupled salinity simulations.
• Analyse controls on subsurface water storage, including geological and hydrogeological conditions, hydraulic parameters, drainage efficiency, surface water – groundwater interaction, climate variability and operational design.
• Design reproducible scenario and sensitivity analyses to quantify model uncertainty and identify the parameters that most strongly affect storage performance.
• Assess sustainable infiltration and abstraction strategies over time, including risks of salinisation, freshwater loss and local drought impacts.
• Develop detailed potentiality maps for subsurface water storage, supported by uncertainty information and clear guidance for interpretation.
• Integrate available geological, hydrogeological and monitoring data from studied pilots in Zeeland.
• Collaborate with researchers and practice partners across the STURDI-Water consortium and translate model results into information usable in the project’s broader decision-support work.
• Publish the scientific results in a peer-reviewed journal, present them at conferences and project meetings in line with project agreements.

Your qualities

We are looking for an independent and collaborative researcher who combines strong qualitative groundwater-modelling skills with an interest in societally relevant freshwater challenges. You bring:

• A PhD in hydrogeology, physical geography, earth sciences, civil or environmental engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience with numerical groundwater modelling, preferably including variable-density flow, solute transport, freshwater-saltwater processes, aquifer storage and recovery, or comparable subsurface storage applications.
• Experience with established groundwater modelling frameworks; experience with MODFLOW, MT3DMS, SEAWAT or closely related codes is an advantage.
• A solid understanding of groundwater-model concepts and parameters, calibration, sensitivity analysis, scenario analysis and uncertainty assessment.
• Programming and data-analysis skills in a reproducible scientific workflow, for example using Python or comparable tools, and experience with GIS-based spatial analysis.
• The ability to work with heterogeneous geological, hydrogeological and monitoring datasets and to connect model assumptions to field evidence.
• A publication record appropriate to career stage and strong scientific writing and presentation skills in English.
• The ability to work independently, take ownership of deliverables and collaborate constructively in an interdisciplinary consortium with academic and practice partners.

The following would be an advantage:

• Knowledge of coastal or deltaic groundwater systems and freshwater - saltwater dynamics.
• Familiarity with the hydrogeology and water-management context of Zeeland or comparable low-lying coastal regions.
• Experience with high-resolution regional modelling, model evaluation against monitoring data, or development of spatial suitability or potentiality maps.

Our offer

Our offer:

• A full-time postdoctoral position (1.0 FTE) for two years, subject to the applicable Utrecht University employment conditions and formal HR approval.
• a working week of 36 - 40 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 3.706 and €4.599 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10.0 - 10.5 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

About the project and research environment
STURDI-Water develops integrated approaches to storage, upgrading, reuse and distribution of water in regional collaborative networks. The project focuses on overcoming the technical and non-technical barriers to a more robust freshwater system, with Zeeland as a key regional setting. The postdoc is part of a Work Package on decision support and will contribute the physical-system evidence needed to assess and compare freshwater-storage options.

The position will be embedded in Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences. The faculty studies the Earth and society’s use of it, with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation. The postdoc will work in a collaborative academic environment and interact closely with partners in the STURDI-Water consortium.

More information

For more information, please contact Dr Ir. Gualbert Oude Essink via gualbert.oudeessink@deltares.nl

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.

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To apply, please send, via the ‘apply now’ button:

• A concise motivation letter explaining your fit with the position;
• Your curriculum vitae, including a publication list;
• A brief example of relevant scientific work, such as a publication, report or chapter;
• The names and contact details of two referees.