Assistant/Associate Professor in Safety of infrastructures

Updated: over 1 year ago
Deadline: 01 Sep 2022

Management of safety and security of infrastructures is frequently inadequate. This concerns line infrastructures such as energy networks and flood defence networks as well as point infrastructures such as industrial plants (or clusters of plants) with corresponding supply chain networks. The deficiencies are shown by avoidable small and large accidents, and (un)intentional disturbances in these networks. There is a need for improved methods and techniques in developing evidence-based theories and innovative practices, in order to quantify, predict, visualise and optimise risk and hazard levels of infrastructures, in order to increase the safety of infrastructures.
The section Safety and Security Science 3S is looking for an assistant - or associate professor in safety of infrastructures. In this position, you will make an important contribution to the research, teaching, and impact of the section. In particular, the aim of your position is to develop new methods, designs and processes to improve the integral safety of infrastructures. This can involve e.g. the further development of dynamic Bayesian networks and AI modelling, dealing with issues related to common cause failures and dependency modelling, further development of systemic techniques such as STPA or FRAM, and optimization questions concerning which components within a system should be improved in order to increase the overall systems reliability. Application domains can e.g. be civil engineering  (e.g. flood defence infrastructures and transport infrastructures) or the industrial domain (e.g. chemical plants, energy transportation infrastructures, etc). Your research can concern safety issues over the entire life cycle of infrastructures. You could, for example, contribute to our work on approaches for the design phase, such as “Design for Safety” or “Safe-by-Design” principles and theories, with application to various infrastructures. In the development of these methods, attention should be paid to systemic aspects. This can also involve  aspects of digitalization. We are looking for an ambitious academic scholar who is expected to:

•    Perform and publish research in high quality academic journals with a research focus on infrastructural safety management
•    Contribute to an interdisciplinary research team in the field of safety and security science
•    Acquire externally funded research projects
•    Teach Master and Bachelor courses on safety and security science
•    Supervise BSc-, MSc- and PhD students
•    Perform management tasks in the section 3S and at other parts of the organization

The candidate should have:

- A PhD on a safety scientific - or risk management related theme;
- Verifiable affinity with quantitative modelling
- Excellent organisational skills;
- Teaching experience;
- Preferably experience in coordinating educational activities;
- Excellent skills of the English language (oral and written) and for non-Dutch speaking applicants the willingness to learn the Dutch language;
- Flexibility and willingness to work in a team.

We offer talented academics a clear and attractive career path with the expectation that you will have the potential to grow into a full professor position in the future. If you perform well, the intention is to convert your contract into a permanent one. At the start of your employment, agreements will be made about this based on our performance indicators.

During the selection procedure, it will be determined, depending on your background and experience, whether you are eligible for an assistant professor Tenure track (tudelft.nl) position or an associate professor.

Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. We expect you to obtain a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years if you have less than five years of teaching experience. This is provided by the TU Delft UTQ programme.

TU Delft sets high standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. If you do not speak Dutch, we offer courses to learn the Dutch language within three years.

The TU Delft sets specific standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. If you have less than five years of teaching experience and do not yet have your teaching certificate, you get the chance to obtain this within three years.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (salary indication for Assistant Professor: € 3.974 - € 6.181. Salary indication for Associate Professor € 5.506 - € 7.362).

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice can support with advice for you and your accompanying partner about your individual settling needs in the Netherlands. Once arrived you can be supported with individual consults and diverse workshops. Located on Campus are the International Children’s Centre and an international primary school, which are subject to availability as well as several bilingual schools in the nearby surrounding.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

With its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy, the Faculty of TPM makes an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security.
We combine insights from the engineering sciences, the social and the humanities. We develop robust models and designs, are internationally oriented and have an extensive network with knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

For more information about this position, please contact: prof.dr.ir. P.H.A.J.M. van Gelder ([email protected]).  

For information about the application procedure, please contact Olivie Beek, HR Advisor, email: [email protected]

Please submit your application online no later than September 1st, 2022. You can only apply via the application button 'Apply now'; applications sent to one of the mentioned email addresses will not be processed.

To apply, please submit the following:

  • An application/motivation letter (max. 2 pages)
  • A complete curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
  • A research and teaching vision statement with a maximum of 1 page each

A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.


Management of safety and security of infrastructures is frequently inadequate. This concerns line infrastructures such as energy networks and flood defence networks as well as point infrastructures such as industrial plants (or clusters of plants) with corresponding supply chain networks. The deficiencies are shown by avoidable small and large accidents, and (un)intentional disturbances in these networks. There is a need for improved methods and techniques in developing evidence-based theories and innovative practices, in order to quantify, predict, visualise and optimise risk and hazard levels of infrastructures, in order to increase the safety of infrastructures.
The section Safety and Security Science 3S is looking for an assistant - or associate professor in safety of infrastructures. In this position, you will make an important contribution to the research, teaching, and impact of the section. In particular, the aim of your position is to develop new methods, designs and processes to improve the integral safety of infrastructures. This can involve e.g. the further development of dynamic Bayesian networks and AI modelling, dealing with issues related to common cause failures and dependency modelling, further development of systemic techniques such as STPA or FRAM, and optimization questions concerning which components within a system should be improved in order to increase the overall systems reliability. Application domains can e.g. be civil engineering  (e.g. flood defence infrastructures and transport infrastructures) or the industrial domain (e.g. chemical plants, energy transportation infrastructures, etc). Your research can concern safety issues over the entire life cycle of infrastructures. You could, for example, contribute to our work on approaches for the design phase, such as “Design for Safety” or “Safe-by-Design” principles and theories, with application to various infrastructures. In the development of these methods, attention should be paid to systemic aspects. This can also involve  aspects of digitalization. We are looking for an ambitious academic scholar who is expected to:

•    Perform and publish research in high quality academic journals with a research focus on infrastructural safety management
•    Contribute to an interdisciplinary research team in the field of safety and security science
•    Acquire externally funded research projects
•    Teach Master and Bachelor courses on safety and security science
•    Supervise BSc-, MSc- and PhD students
•    Perform management tasks in the section 3S and at other parts of the organization

The candidate should have:

- A PhD on a safety scientific - or risk management related theme;
- Verifiable affinity with quantitative modelling
- Excellent organisational skills;
- Teaching experience;
- Preferably experience in coordinating educational activities;
- Excellent skills of the English language (oral and written) and for non-Dutch speaking applicants the willingness to learn the Dutch language;
- Flexibility and willingness to work in a team.

We offer talented academics a clear and attractive career path with the expectation that you will have the potential to grow into a full professor position in the future. If you perform well, the intention is to convert your contract into a permanent one. At the start of your employment, agreements will be made about this based on our performance indicators.

During the selection procedure, it will be determined, depending on your background and experience, whether you are eligible for an assistant professor Tenure track (tudelft.nl) position or an associate professor.

Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. We expect you to obtain a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years if you have less than five years of teaching experience. This is provided by the TU Delft UTQ programme.

TU Delft sets high standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. If you do not speak Dutch, we offer courses to learn the Dutch language within three years.

The TU Delft sets specific standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. If you have less than five years of teaching experience and do not yet have your teaching certificate, you get the chance to obtain this within three years.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (salary indication for Assistant Professor: € 3.974 - € 6.181. Salary indication for Associate Professor € 5.506 - € 7.362).

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice can support with advice for you and your accompanying partner about your individual settling needs in the Netherlands. Once arrived you can be supported with individual consults and diverse workshops. Located on Campus are the International Children’s Centre and an international primary school, which are subject to availability as well as several bilingual schools in the nearby surrounding.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

With its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy, the Faculty of TPM makes an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security.
We combine insights from the engineering sciences, the social and the humanities. We develop robust models and designs, are internationally oriented and have an extensive network with knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

For more information about this position, please contact: prof.dr.ir. P.H.A.J.M. van Gelder ([email protected]).  

For information about the application procedure, please contact Olivie Beek, HR Advisor, email: [email protected]

Please submit your application online no later than September 1st, 2022. You can only apply via the application button 'Apply now'; applications sent to one of the mentioned email addresses will not be processed.

To apply, please submit the following:

  • An application/motivation letter (max. 2 pages)
  • A complete curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
  • A research and teaching vision statement with a maximum of 1 page each

A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.



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