Research Associate (Geothermal Energy Modelling) Full-time

Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERIN)

ERIN is a university-level research institute dedicated to advancing innovative energy solutions for sustainable cities, industrial decarbonization, and resilient energy infrastructure. ERIN bridges fundamental research and real-world deployment through close collaboration with industry and government agencies.

This position supports a research project focused on the integration of non-conventional geothermal energy (EGS/AGS) into data centre cooling systems in Singapore, including geothermal-assisted cooling architectures, absorption chilling, heat pumps, thermal energy storage, and system-level techno-economic and environmental assessment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Review geothermal resource data and data centre cooling demand profiles relevant to Singapore.
• Develop and validate geothermal system models (EGS/AGS) and associated heat extraction performance.
• Model and assess geothermal-driven cooling configurations, including absorption chillers and geothermal-assisted heat pumps.
• Integrate thermal energy storage and low-water heat rejection strategies suitable for tropical, urban environments.
• Perform techno-economic, environmental (CO₂, water), and sensitivity analyses.
• Support system optimisation and development of decision frameworks for pilot-readiness.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and research outputs for ERIN stakeholders and industry partners.

Job Requirements:

• Masters in Mechanical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience in techno-economic analysis of energy systems, including CAPEX/OPEX estimation, levelised cost metrics, and sensitivity analysis.
• Ability to integrate multiple subsystems into system-level performance and optimisation frameworks.
• Proficiency in at least one scientific computing environment (e.g. Python, MATLAB, Modelica); experience with geothermal or reservoir modelling tools is an advantage.

Hiring Institution: NTU