Doctoral Researcher on Energy Infrastructures for Amsterdam Quay Walls

Doctoral Researcher on Energy Infrastructures for Amsterdam Quay Walls.

Recently, together with several parties under the leadership of AMS Institute, the section of Environmental & Climate Design has gained budget for a PhD position in work package 4 (WP4, on infrastructure) within the Multifunctional Quay Walls programme. The objective of the programme is to develop new perspectives for quay walls, which in Amsterdam need to be renovated on a large scale. The role of E&CD within MFQW is to investigate the opportunities of innovative quay walls that contain energy purposes, such as aquathermal energy, heat networks, and energy exchange within the city. For this purpose, E&CD is allowed to appoint a PhD candidate.

As PhD candidate for the MFQW project, together with professor Andy van den Dobbelsteen, you will be the main researcher, and executing research work on the project, which in year 3 has real-life prototypes that will be tested. Your task will be to explore options for energy generation, exchange and storage integrated into urban quay walls in Amsterdam (but applicable elsewhere too). An interesting perspective will be a biomimetic approach: learning from nature and how organisms optimally exchange energy and other resources - and to translate this to technical solutions.

You will publish and present the methodology and findings. Within the MFQW programme you will collaborate closely with other researchers (from Wageningen University especially, which is our counterpart for water in WP4). You will cooperate with the Municipality of Amsterdam, especially for the real-life prototypes and projected sites. Next to this, you will be an active member of E&CD, joining meetings and activities of the section and department.

• You are a motivated, ambitious and result-oriented researcher, with a MSc degree in a field relevant to the work to be done in the project, which is cross-disciplinary: sustainability, energy technology, infrastructure, climate design, urban planning.
• You have a broad interest in scientific exploration and the application of knowledge in the built environment, in practical set-ups as living labs, and you have skills in structuring a research proposal, finding a fitting research methodology, and executing research within strict deadlines.
• You are a collaborator, working proactively and independently with good communication skills, both textual and oral.
• You have outstanding proficiency in English (level C1). Proficiency in Dutch is recommended but not compulsory.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements .

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2.770,- per month in the first year to € 3.539,- in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service . This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

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!

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built

For more information about this vacancy, you can contact Andy van den Dobbelsteen, Professor of Climate Design & Sustainability, e-mail: [email protected] .

For information about the application procedure, please contact Julia Kreuwel, HR advisor,
e-mail: [email protected] .

The position will remain open until 15th of August 2024 (local Dutch time + 2 hrs). You must apply via the “Apply now” button. Applications via email will not be processed.

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please upload the following mandatory documents:

• Motivation letter.
• Detailed CV.
• Copies of your BSc and MSc degrees and transcripts.
• Names and contact information of at least three relevant references. We will not contact references without your consent.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-Employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.