The successful candidate will lead the project URBAN-GeoHeat. This project aims to assess the feasibility of geothermal energy as a source of district heating for residential developments in Dublin. The project will carry out intensive monitoring of a residential development incorporating shallow (<25m) foundation piles. Groundwater temperature and gradient will be monitoring through the installation of monitoring boreholes equipped with loggers. Temperature profiles at depth within the piles will be recorded using thermocouples attached to data loggers. A small-scale prototype involving geothermal loops will also be installed within a number of these foundation piles which will be connected to a prototype geothermal heating system. The goal of this prototype is not to test implementation of district heating at scale but to test and demonstrate a working prototype in real world conditions to investigate feasibility for construction and operation of such a systems. It will also serve as a flagship demonstration of how district heating linked to geostructures can be incorporated into design in new developments in Dublin going forward. The collected data will be used to assess temporal variations in performance against changing climatic and energy demand profiles and to develop numerical models of each system in terms of heat transfer and groundwater flow. These calibrated models will be then used to evaluate potential optimised system configurations to gain more heat from the same footprint. Overall, the results of this study should help to stimulate the somewhat nascent concept of district heating as a realistic future approach to more sustainable energy management in urban areas of Ireland.
The successful post-doctoral researcher will lead and carry out some or all of the following tasks:
- Fieldwork involving instrumentation and monitoring of foundation piles and groundwater boreholes
- Managing external contractors to deliver aspects of the project including procurement, appointment, contract management and oversight of on-site works
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modelling
- Energy calculations and life cycle assessments (LCA analysis)
- Conducting strategic policy review
Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post
- Project co-ordination
- Numerical modelling
- Contractor supervision • CAD / GIS mapping
- Technical report writing
- Engaging with stakeholders and organisation of stakeholder workshops
- Attendance and presentation at technical meetings and workshops
- Supervision of graduate students
- Preparing academic manuscripts
- Presentation of results at national and international conferences.
Person Specification
The postdoctoral researcher will join a highly dynamic, international research team performing leading research in climate modelling and energy research. The researcher will primarily be based in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) but will be required to spend a portion of their time working at the study site which is a live construction project.
Qualifications
A PhD in Science, Engineering or similar discipline from an internationally recognised institution along with a minimum of 2 years experience after completion of their PhD.
Knowledge & Experience (Essential & Desirable)
Essential
- A PhD in Science, Engineering or similar discipline from an internationally recognised institution - preferably in mechanical (thermal/energy/power plant) engineering or in civil (environmental/structural) engineering
- Knowledge of geothermal energy
- Strong problem solving and analytical skills
- Strong background in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modelling with heat transfer
- The successful candidate will be fluent in both written and spoken English
Desirable
- Knowledge of Irish soils & geology as it relates to geothermal energy
- Experience in geothermal energy design or modelling
- Experience in fieldwork studies and instrumentation or working on a large construction site
- Backgrounds in GIS & climate science or Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Skills & Competencies
- Candidates must possess strong analytical and communication (written and oral English) skills
- Project management skills including working to tight deadlines
- Ability to work in a collaborative environment
- Strong proficiency in spoken and written English is required, together with excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate on application that they meet TCD’s English language requirements and provide all necessary documentation.
Application Procedure
Interested applicants should submit, within a single PDF document, a 2-page max CV with educational background, transcripts of degree results, list of publications and conference presentations, a short (1–2 page) letter of motivation and contact details for 2 referees submitted. The motivation letter should clearly state how the applicant’s research interests and skills relate to the research project outlined above. Send these directly to: Dr Patrick Morrissey at Patrick.morrissey@tcd.ie