PhD fellowship in computational and mathematical modelling of flow and fracture in ice sheets Full-time

PhD Fellowship In Computational Fluid And Solid Mechanics

We are seeking an outstanding candidate for a PhD fellowship in the field of computational fluid and solid mechanics. The fellowship will focus on the damage evolution and formation of fractures in ice sheets. The successful applicant will be part of the research center PRECISE (PREdicting Changes in Ice Sheets on Earth). We are looking for a talented, highly motivated and creative student interested in working in a strong interdisciplinary environment. The successful candidate preferably has strong programming skills and experience with the modeling and simulations of fluid or solid mechanics or ice sheet flow and deformation.

The project will study fracture and damage formation of ice sheets and how it induces structural weaknesses that can facilitate fast flow and precondition ice shelves for disintegration, and potentially causing irreversible grounding line retreats. Models will be validated against data obtained from inverse modeling of continent-wide surface velocity and fracture fields derived from satellite imagery.

You will work in an international team that also includes researchers and early career scientists from The Section for the Physics of Ice, Climate and Earth at the Niels Bohr Institute, the Complex Physics group at the Niels Bohr Institute, the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) and the Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK. Visits with these collaborators are expected.

The successful applicant will join the BioComplexity section. The section provides a highly interdisciplinary environment, which offers fantastic scientific and social interactions with a large group of talented researchers. Further information on the Niels Bohr Institute is found at https://nbi.ku.dk/english/ and information about the BioComplexity section can be found here https://nbi.ku.dk/english/research/biocomplexity/

Principal supervisor is Professor Joachim Mathiesen, Niels Bohr Institute. Email: mathies@nbi.ku.dk.

Depending on your level of education, you can undertake the PhD programme as either:

Option A: A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master's degree.

Option B: An up to five year full-time study programme within the framework of the integrated MSc and PhD programme (the 3+5 scheme), if you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree – but you have an education equivalent to a Danish bachelor’s degree.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master's degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Physics, Geophysics, Meteorology or similar.

Terms of employment in the regular programme Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Qualifications needed for the integrated MSc and PhD programme If you do not have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree, you might be qualified for the integrated MSc and PhD programme, if you have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes:

• Complete and pass the MSc education in accordance with the curriculum of the MSc programme
• Carry through an independent research project under supervision
• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in ice flow and climate physics and numerical modelling
• Good language skills in oral and written English

Application and assessment procedure:

Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
2. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
3. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
4. Publication list (if possible)
5. Reference letters (if available)

The deadline for applications is 1 April 2026, 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 18 or 19.

Questions For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School's website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.