Postdoctoral Fellow, Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Full-time NEW

Postdoctoral Fellow, Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems

Hiring Department: Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

Position Open To: All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40

FLSA Status: Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date: Immediately

Position Duration: Expected to Continue Until Aug 31, 2028

Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS

General Notes

As a top-10 engineering school with the No. 1 program in Texas, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century. With 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, over 20 research centers and a faculty community that boasts one of the highest number of National Academy of Engineering members among U.S. universities, Texas Engineering has launched some of the nation's most accomplished leaders and pioneered world-changing solutions in virtually every industry, from space exploration to energy to health care. Situated in the heart of Austin — named “America's Coolest City” by Expedia and “The Best Place to Live in the U.S.” by U.S. News and World Report — the Cockrell School embodies the city's innovative spirit. Major companies with Austin campuses, such as Dell, National Instruments, Apple, IBM, Samsung, Google and many others, continue to recruit Cockrell School students at a remarkable rate, launching thousands of successful careers and developing Texas Engineers into industry leaders.

Position Purpose

To conduct research and development for the University of Texas Rig Automation and Performance Improvement in Drilling (UT-RAPID) Industry Affiliate Program (IAP) under the supervision of Dr. Eric van Oort.

Responsibilities

• Contribute significantly to the R&D mission of the UT-RAPID IAP by carrying out meaningful research in well construction and drilling science, with a particular focus on the challenges posed in the construction of ultra-deep geothermal wells.
• Publish in high-quality peer-reviewed journals and conferences, and present original work at conferences, workshops as well as at RAPID sponsor events.
• (Co-) supervise graduate and undergraduate students, helping them progress their day-to-day work with state-of-the-art guidance and mentorship.
• Play an integral role in securing future funding for the RAPID IAP and its various activities.
• Propose new areas of inquiry and activity for the UT-RAPID IAP based on the interest and gaps/needs by a variety of sponsors as well as the drilling industry at large.
• Help shape the vision and mission of the UT-RAPID IAP for the foreseeable future, with its continuing traditional activities in the oil & gas and geothermal industry but also forays into new areas, including carbon storage, hydrogen exploration and production, well re-use and re-purposing, etc.

Required Qualifications

• PhD degree received within the last three years with a particular focus on complex hydraulic and gas phase behavior typically found in high pressure high temperature (HPHT) oil & gas and geothermal wells.
• Proven expertise in computational mechanics and numerical modeling methods (e.g., FEA, multi-body dynamics) of hydro-mechanical drilling systems.
• Proficiency in hybrid physics-based and data-driven architectures to resolve complex fluid dynamics and phase behavior in ultra-deep wellbore environments (10 km depth).
• Excellent understanding of drilling automation systems and modern control theories (including multivariable control, learning-based control, nonlinear dynamics and control, convex optimization, and digital control) to support the development and deployment of control systems for autonomous well construction.
• Expert proficiency in programming in Python or C++, and proficiency in using ANSYS. Proven ability and experience in software development.
• Proven background in well engineering, with understanding of drilling data processing, drillstring & BHA dynamics, bit-rock interactions, geomechanics, drilling hydraulics, well control dynamics, and managed pressure drilling, with appreciation for the unique challenges posed by ultra-deep geothermal and HPHT.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Proven publication track record, with a total of at least 10 manuscripts published to date, including in archival peer-reviewed journals and in refereed conference proceedings.
• Proven presentation skills, with R&D work presented at major oil & gas / geothermal conferences / workshops and industry events.
• Proven track record in R&D project management and supervision of undergraduate and graduate students.
• Strong problem-solving skills and proven ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.

Preferred Qualifications

• 4+ years of relevant industry or academic experience in well engineering R&D.
• Experience with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications in drilling optimization.
• Experience with software development dealing with well design and drilling evaluation/optimization.
• Hands-on experience with experimental drilling research and lab testing.

Salary Range

$63,537 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Repetitive use of keyboard at workstation
• Repetitive use of standard office equipment

Work Shift

• Standard work schedule is Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Periodic work outside of normal business hours, to include evenings and weekends, may be required on a periodic basis or for special events.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• Letter of interest
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor