One PhD stipend in “Variability of shallow groundwater in urban areas”

Jobbeskrivelse
PhD position on variability of shallow groundwater in urban areas with start on September 1, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

You will join the Urban Hydrology Research Group at Department Build, Division of Civil and Environmental Engineering, within the general study programme Civil Engineering and work with numerical modelling, time series analysis, and soil characterization.

The duration of the position is three years.

Your work tasks
In this PhD position, you will work with the spatial and temporal dynamics of shallow groundwater in urban areas. The overall aim is to obtain a deeper understanding of how shallow groundwater behaves in cities over time and space, and how this behavior can be described and analyzed using numerical models, soil characterization, and time series analysis. The project is anchored in the Urban Hydrology Research Group at Department Build, Division of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where you will be part of an international research environment with a strong focus on urban water systems and climate change adaptation.

You will develop and apply numerical models of the unsaturated zone to describe shallow groundwater processes in urban settings. This includes working with soil physical properties and soil characterization in the field and laboratory, integrating monitoring data, and combining different data sources into coherent model setups. You will analyze temporal dynamics using time series methods and statistical techniques, and you will explore spatial variability using suitable modelling and data analysis approaches. A central task will be to translate complex model results and data analyses into new general insights about shallow groundwater behavior in cities.

The project is carried out in close collaboration with COWI and Danish water utilities. You will use real-world data and cases from practice, and you will take part in meetings and dialogue with external partners. You are expected to participate in international scientific conferences, where you will present your research to the wider research community and build your professional network.

Throughout the project you will work closely with your supervisors and colleagues in the research group. You will contribute to the scientific output of the group through journal publications, conference contributions and participation in internal collaboration. You will also be enrolled in the PhD School and follow relevant PhD courses that support your project and your academic development.

Your competencies

You hold, or are about to obtain, a Master’s degree in civil engineering, environmental engineering, water and environmental engineering, geoscience, hydrology or a closely related field. Your degree must be completed at the time of employment. You have a strong interest in urban water systems and subsurface processes, and you are motivated to work in depth with shallow groundwater in urban environments and the processes that control its spatial and temporal dynamics.

You have experience with hydrological or groundwater-related modelling, and you are comfortable working with numerical models of flow and transport, preferably including processes in the unsaturated zone. You have some experience with programming, for example, in Python, MatLab or a similar language, and you are willing to further develop your programming skills as part of the PhD project. You have an interest in quantitative data analysis and are able to work with large data sets and long time series, including data preparation, statistical analysis and interpretation of results. Experience with soil characterization, soil physics or related topics will be considered an advantage, as will familiarity with common tools for hydrological and hydrogeological modelling, but it is not a requirement that you already master specific software packages when you start.

As a person, you enjoy working with complex quantitative problems and numerical models, and you are curious about how data and models can be combined to generate new knowledge about real-world systems. You work in a structured and independent way and take ownership of your project, while at the same time contributing actively to discussions and collaborations in the research group. You are comfortable communicating in English, both orally and in writing, and you thrive in an international research environment.

Qualification requirements
PhD stipends are allocated to individuals who hold a Master's degree. PhD stipends are normally for a period of 3 years. It is a prerequisite for allocation of the stipend that the candidate will be enrolled as a PhD student at the Doctoral School of Engineering and Science in accordance with the regulations of Ministerial Order No. 1124 of September 19, 2025 on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions. According to the Ministerial Order, the progress of the PhD student shall be assessed at regular points in time. As part of the PhD study, you are among other things required to complete PhD courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, gain experience with teaching or other forms of knowledge dissemination and complete an external research stay outside of Aalborg University, preferably 3-6 months at a foreign research institution.

Please visit the website of the doctoral school for further information on admission requirements.

Who we are
You will join the Department of the Built environment (BUILD) at Aalborg University, in the Division of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Urban Hydrology Research Group. The group works with urban hydrology in a broad sense, including urban drainage, stormwater management, groundwater, and climate adaptation. You will become part of an international and multidisciplinary environment, where researchers, PhD students and students collaborate closely on projects with relevance for both research and practice.

How to apply
Your application must include the following:

• Application, stating reasons for applying and qualifications in relation to the position
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Diplomas (bachelor's and master's degree diploma, including grades)
• Project description, a one-page statement, indicating their vision for research to be conducted in relation to the project topics outlined above.
• Other relevant documents

The application must be submitted via Aalborg University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aalborg University's website.

Aalborg University wants to reflect the surrounding society and has diversity as a core value. Therefore, everyone, regardless of personal background and orientation, is encouraged to apply for the position.

Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the position, you are more than welcome to contact us. You will find contact persons at the bottom of the jobpost.

Further information
Read more about our recruitment process here.

The assessment of candidates for the position will be carried out by qualified experts.
Shortlisting will be applied. This means that after the application deadline, the head of the department, with the assistance of the hiring committee, will select the applicants to be assessed. All applicants will be informed whether they have been shortlisted for assessment or not.

The hiring process at Aalborg University may include a risk assessment as a tool to identify potential risks associated with new hires, ensuring the safety, compliance, and integrity of the workplace.

Read more about The Doctoral School of Engineering and Science

Salary and terms of employment
The employment is in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities (the Appointment Order) and the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish).

Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with the collective agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the state (AC collective agreement) (in Danish)

There is a mutual probationary period of 3 months for the position.

Aalborg University - Knowledge for the world
Aalborg University is an international workplace with more than 3,700 employees. We offer real-world-oriented education and create world-class research results through collaboration between researchers, students, and public and private companies. This is how we achieve insights, new solutions to societal problems, and knowledge that changes the world. Our main campus is in Aalborg, but we also have campuses in Esbjerg and Copenhagen.

Contacts

• Søren Liedtke Thorndahl: +4599408475, [email protected]

Ansøgningsfrist
30-07-2026

Ref. nummer
2026/855

Afdeling
Department of the Built Environment