Two PhD students working on multi-scale sediment production

Project Overview

We are seeking two highly motivated PhD candidates to join the national research project MUSSED at BarcelonaTech (UPC). The research will focus on the sediment production and erosion in mountain zones, which are key drivers of land degradation and desertification, and also of sediment infilling of water reservoirs.

The work plan of MUSSED consists of three blocks dealing with

1. erosion in badland areas,
2. erosion in debris torrential catchments and open hillslopes, and 
3. upscaling of sediment yield to upper river valley heads as well as the assessment of the impacts of future scenarios due to climate change as well as land cover and wildfire variations.

Long time series of field monitoring data series are already available for the study areas, which are considered internationally as true natural laboratories and will be enlarged during the project.

The project will apply a multi-disciplinary approach using (1) advanced geotechnical and geomatic monitoring techniques to characterise and measure the soil production and erosion processes at several spatial scales, and (2) co-development and validation of modelling tools applying this multiscale approach. Physically-based models will be implemented at the local scale, and ensembled physically-based and machine-learning models at a larger scale.

The PIs of the project are Marcel Hürlimann and José Moya

Profile’s description and key responsibilities

Position 1 is mainly linked to soil production and erosion in fine‐grained humid badlands, which are being monitored in a fluvial basin of South-eastern Pyrenees (Saldes basin).

Position 2 is mainly linked to coarse- and mixed-grained sediment production and flux due to torrential flows in a catchment of the South-Central Pyrenees (Senet basin) and to shallow landslides during two past regional landslide events in the area.

Both positions involve also participation in (a) the aggregation of models resulting from the study zones and upscaling them to regional scale and (b) the evaluation of the impact of future climate and land use and land cover changes including in the sediment production and transport.

Responsibilities of both positions include support on:

• Fieldwork:
  • Geomorphological reconnaissance of erosion events and soil sampling (especially position 1).
  • Monitoring of weathering and/or erosion/transportation processes and environmental conditions by means both geotechnical and geomatic techniques. It involves support to installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of monitoring stations sites.
• Lab tests and data analysis:
  • Lab work of standard and advanced geotechnical tests, performing quality control (especially position 1).
  • Processing of monitoring and lab data, and facilitating the analysis of extensive datasets.
• Modelling:
  • Application and validation of existing physically-based models on soil production by weathering and sediment erosion at local scale.
  • Co‐development, application and validation of machine-learning models at catchment to regional scales.

Requisites

• The candidates must fulfil the requirements for admission to the UPC's doctoral program (https://doctorat.upc.edu/en/future-doctoral-candidates/access-and-admission/general-entrance-requirements)
• Candidates should have a bachelor degree and a Master degree in civil, environmental and/or geological engineering/applied geomorphology, preferably in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), with a grade point average for undergraduate and master's degree transcripts of 6.5 or higher (on a scale of 10).

Selection criteria

• Suitability of the academic and/or scientific and technical career of the candidate for the research activities to be carried out by the project.
• Car driving license (for position 1).
• Preferably EU citizenship and/or holders of EU work permit (due to administrative and temporal constraints related to getting work permit) .

Preferred skills

• Affinity for field work, particularly for monitoring of geomorphological processes.
• Background in erosion and fluvial transport process characterisation and modelling.
• Experience in scientific programming (Python, Matlab, etc).
• Strong interpersonal skills, interest in teamwork and collaborations.
• Good level of English, written and spoken.

Contract conditions

• Full-time contract for 4 years with a salary based on standard Spanish fellowships (about 18000-19000€/y for the first year, then increasing),
• UPC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.

 We Offer

• Working in a well-established and successful research group (Geo2AQUA) 
• Large training opportunities on the several topics on soil production, erosion and sediment transport: geomorphological characterisation, monitoring (geotechnical and geomatic), and modelling (numerical and machine-leaning).
• Help to find accommodation in Barcelona or surroundings.

Application and deadline:

Application must be delivered by the following GForms link: GForms 

Necessary documentation includes the CV using  this template

Non-Spanish candidates selected for the short-list must prepare a declaration of equivalence of the grade point average for undergraduate and master's degree studies, certified by the Spanish Ministry of Universities (link).

Deadline:   5 October 2025