Research Engineer – Geothermal Reservoir & Well Engineering

Role: Research Engineer – Geothermal Reservoir & Well Engineering

Salary: Grade 7 - £37,694 - £47,389 per annum

Contract Type: Part Time (0.5

FTE/17.5 hours per week), Fixed Term for 24 months

Rewards and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full-time staff

Town Rock Energy is the UK's largest independent geothermal specialist, combining shallow, mine water and deep geothermal expertise to guide pioneering organisations from early-stage scoping through to delivery and long-term operation. With a strong track record across UK and international projects, Town Rock Energy occupies a unique position at the intersection of technical rigour and commercial delivery in the rapidly expanding UK geothermal sector.

Heriot-Watt University is a world-leading research university with globally recognised expertise in energy, engineering, and the built environment. Based at its Edinburgh campus, the Institute of Geo Energy Engineering (IGE) conducts internationally excellent applied research in geomechanics, reservoir engineering, and subsurface energy systems, supported by world-class laboratory and computational facilities.

This jointly hosted role reflects a strategic partnership between Town Rock Energy and Heriot-Watt University, enabling the successful candidate to contribute to industry-facing geothermal projects while embedded in a leading academic research environment.

We are seeking an exceptional Research Engineer to join Town Rock Energy and Heriot-Watt University in a unique, jointly hosted appointment. This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with both PhD-level academic training and hands-on industry experience in subsurface and reservoir engineering to contribute directly to the technical advancement of geothermal energy development specifically in Scotland, Ireland, Austria and Lithuania, and tangentially across Europe and beyond.

The post-holder will support a portfolio of geothermal project development activities in the Geo Guard project () spanning reservoir characterisation, subsurface simulation modelling, well engineering design, and reservoir stimulation assessment. Working across both the Town Rock Energy project delivery team and the Heriot-Watt University research group, the role bridges rigorous academic analysis and practical engineering application.

This is a Grade 7, post-doctoral level position on the Heriot-Watt University pay spine, carrying a salary of approximately £40,000 per annum. The exact spine point will reflect the candidate's experience and qualifications, with the potential for progression during the 24-month appointment. The role is fixed-term and is anticipated to commence in late Summer or Autumn 2026.

• Design, build, and run subsurface reservoir simulation models for tight hot sedimentary aquifer geothermal projects, industry-standard and research-grade simulation software.
• Develop and implement coupled modelling concepts for well stimulation
• Undertake reservoir characterisation studies including thermal-hydraulic modelling, geomechanical assessment, and pressure-temperature analysis.
• Interpret geological, geophysical, and drilling datasets to inform and calibrate reservoir models.
• Contribute to uncertainty analysis and probabilistic resource assessments in support of investment and project development decisions.

• Provide technical input to well design studies, including casing design, completion strategies, and well integrity assessment for geothermal applications.
• Support pre-drill well planning, site investigations, and drilling programme development in collaboration with operations and HSE functions.
• Review and interpret well test data, temperature and pressure logs, and production performance records.

• Assess reservoir stimulation options – including hydraulic fracturing, chemical stimulation, thermal stimulation and a variety of next generation stimulation techniques – in the context of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) and productivity optimisation.
• Contribute to techno-economic evaluations of…