Postdoctoral Fellow – In‑situ Copper Mining

About the role

The University of British Columbia seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to advance research on in‑situ copper mining. The appointment begins September 2026 and focuses on developing and applying reactive‑transport models for copper ore deposits.

Key responsibilities

• Assemble geological, mineralogical and hydrogeological data to build conceptual models of ore bodies.
• Develop and run reactive‑transport simulations using codes such as MIN3P, PFLOTRAN, CrunchFlow or Retraso‑CodeBright.
• Perform model calibration, uncertainty analysis, and interpret results for acid leaching and mineral passivation processes.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team across four universities on three continents.
• Prepare peer‑reviewed publications and present findings at scientific meetings.

Required profile

• PhD in geological engineering, hydrogeology, geochemistry, chemical engineering, hydrometallurgy, mining engineering or a closely related field.
• Strong record of peer‑reviewed publications in computational modeling of hydrogeology, geochemistry, or resource extraction.
• Experience with high‑performance computing environments (HPC clusters).
• Ability to work independently while contributing to broader project goals.

Required skills

• Reactive‑transport modeling (MIN3P, PFLOTRAN, CrunchFlow, Retraso‑CodeBright)
• High‑performance computing (HPC)
• PEST for model calibration
• Uncertainty analysis

What we offer

• Annual salary $75,000–$80,000 CAD
• One‑year fixed‑term appointment with potential renewal up to three years
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art research facilities and a collaborative international network