Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, BOKU University – Vienna, Austria
We are pleased to invite applications for three 4-year PhD positions in granular mechanics and computational geomechanics at the Institut für Geotechnik, BOKU University, Vienna.
These positions are funded by ERC Advanced Grants and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and offer an exciting opportunity to join a world-leading research team.
🔍 Available PhD Projects
📌 PhD Position #1 — Granular Flows (ERC Funded)
Focus:
- Advanced laboratory experiments
- Centrifuge model testing
- Granular flow behaviour
Supervisor: Prof. Wei Wu
(As shown in the PDF description of PhD position 1) 3PhD-position-GEOT-BOKU-11.2025…
📌 PhD Position #2 — Constitutive & Numerical Modelling (ERC Funded)
Focus:
- Constitutive modelling
- Numerical simulations in granular mechanics
Supervisor: Prof. Wei Wu
(As listed in the PDF under PhD position 2) 3PhD-position-GEOT-BOKU-11.2025…
📌 PhD Position #3 — Multiscale Modelling of Scaly Clay Failure (FWF Funded)
Focus:
- Large-deformation processes
- Multi-scale modelling
- Scaly clay (Argille Varicolori) failure
Supervisors: Priv.-Doz. Dr. Yunteng Wang and Prof. Wei Wu
(Aligned with the PDF’s description of the third position) 3PhD-position-GEOT-BOKU-11.2025…
👤 Candidate Profile
Applicants should have:
- A recent M.Sc. (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or Computational Mechanics
- Background/interest in:
- Granular mechanics
- Solid mechanics
- Modern numerical methods (particle-based, meshfree, peridynamics, phase-field)
- Strong research independence and scientific writing skills
- Good communication skills and ability to work in teams
(As detailed in the Candidate Profile section of the PDF) 3PhD-position-GEOT-BOKU-11.2025…
💼 Employment Conditions
You will receive:
- A 4-year (48-month) PhD contract
- A competitive gross salary of €2,786/month, paid 14 times per year
- Full health, social, and pension insurance
- Access to excellent research facilities
- Opportunities for international research secondments through Horizon Europe collaborations
(Directly matching the Conditions of Employment details in the PDF) 3PhD-position-GEOT-BOKU-11.2025…
📨 Application Procedure
Deadline: 31 December 2025
Early applications are strongly encouraged.
To apply, send an email to:
📧 geotech@boku.ac.at
Include one single PDF containing:
- Cover letter (research interests + qualifications)
- CV
(Exactly as described under Applications in the PDF) 3PhD-position-GEOT-BOKU-11.2025…
More information:
🌐 https://www.boku.ac.at/en/baunat/igt (as shown at the bottom of the PDF)
📍 About the Location
Vienna consistently ranks among the world’s most livable cities—offering a vibrant research community, cultural richness, and excellent quality of life. The PDF also highlights images of BOKU’s beautiful campus and the Northern Apennines scaly clays research context
About the Author
