Academic

Job Category

Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Title

Postdoctoral Fellow (In-situ Copper Mining)

Department

Research | EERI | Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences | Faculty of Science (Roger Beckie)

Posting End Date

April 16, 2026

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

August 31, 2027

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to support our research on in‑situ copper mining. The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

Qualification and Experience

• Has completed their PhD in geological engineering, hydrogeology, geochemistry, chemical engineering, hydrometallurgy, mining engineering or closely related discipline.

• Has a strong record of peer-reviewed publications relevant to computational modeling in hydrogeology, geochemistry, mining or resource extraction.

• Has experience using a modern reactive-transport code such as MIN3P, PFLOTRAN, CrunchFlow, Retraso-CodeBright or similar.

• Can assemble geological, mineralogical and hydrogeological information about copper ore deposits, and create conceptual models of ore-bodies, fluid flow and reactive transport.

• Familiarity with ore-body geology:

  • Porphyry deposits;
  • Sediment-hosted copper deposits;
  • Permeability structures in these deposits;
  • Typical mineral assemblages.

• Familiarity with:

  • Oxidation / reduction processes of minerals related to copper ores.
  • Acid leaching processes.
  • Buffering effects of acid-consuming minerals.
  • Passivation and secondary mineral formation and their effects on permeability.

• Has experience with modern high-performance computing environments such as HPC clusters.

• Familiarity with PEST, model calibration and uncertainty analysis is advantageous.

• Is able to work independently and take initiative when opportunities arise while also contributing to project-wide goals.

• Has skills to manage, organize and communicate with a diverse team of geologists, hydrogeologists, geochemists and hydrometallurgists.

• Is able to formulate research problems and pathways to their resolution in collaboration with a diverse group of colleagues from 4 universities on three different continents.

• Is able to begin research by September, 2026.

The position is for a minimum of one year with the expectation of renewal for a second year and a maximum term of three years. The position will be hosted at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC.

About Us

UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities

As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at

workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca

.