Postdoctoral Researcher in Digital Twins for Smart Mobile Factories for Infrastructure

We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to work with the Section of Design and Construction Management under the supervision of Dr. Daniel M. Hall on the subject of digital twins for a smart mobile factory.

The research would be part of the Smart Mobile Factory for Infrastructure Projects (SMF4INFRA) project. This research will be done in close collaboration with the research groups in ETH Zürich (led by Prof Guillaume Habert) and Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (led by Prof Patrick Dallasega and Prof Erwin Rauch), and also Eurotube foundation.

Smart Mobile Factory (SMF) is a radical concept which combines digitalization and industrialization concepts to mitigate budget overruns, time delays and consequent public resistance to the implementation of complex infrastructure projects such as roads, railways and tunnels. Digital construction management of infrastructure projects includes the use of building information modeling (BIM), digital twins, and other emerging digital technologies. Industrialized approaches include the use of advanced off-site production (also called prefabrication) to improve the control of cost and time as well as to improve production flows and increase flexibility in infrastructure projects.

The main objective of the research project is to conceptualize, design and develop a prototype of SMF used to sustainably supply the construction of infrastructure projects. A specific characteristic of linear infrastructure projects (e.g. road, railway or tunneling) is that the construction site moves as the project progresses, requiring that off-site manufacturing should also be moveable. A mobile factory can be described as a distributed production facility composed of reconfigurable and mobile production systems that facilitate the adjustment of production capacity and functionality according to on-site conditions. Furthermore, a smart factory digitally represents the physical manufacturing systems, enabling a bi-directional flow of data for advanced planning, simulation, and on-demand production. The main benefits of an SMF include the reduction of costs and delivery times, reduction of negative impacts on environmental sustainability, and visualization and control of the production environment.

The postdoctoral researcher will also act as the main coordinator for the overall project, which includes the coordination between the principal investigators, the research team of four PhD researchers, and the industry partner EuroTube Foundation.

Within the above overall context this specific position will investigate the research question:

• How should the digital twin of a smart mobile factory be developed so that it can be used to augment decision making to support the supply infrastructure projects in an economic and environmentally friendly way?

In addition, through the collaboration with the other researchers, the specific position will also contribute to the research questions:

• What are the requirements and design parameters for a modular reconfigurable and scalable Mobile Factory suitable to deliver infrastructure projects?
• How can data be represented, linked and exploited between the product, the factory and the construction site leading to a Smart Mobile Factory?
• How can sustainability be continuously monitored and optimized throughout the lifecycle of the SMF?
• How can the concept of SMF be commercially exploited for the future of infrastructure construction projects?

The successful candidate will likely:

• Hold a PhD degree in the area of construction management, civil engineering, architecture and/or computer science.
• Hold background experience and knowledge of digital engineering for the AEC industry (BIM, digital twins, Internet of things, game engines), industrialised construction, construction management and semantic web for the AEC industry.
• Adept in computer programming using Python and C# and able to engage with game engines such as Unity or Unreal.
• Demonstrate strong methodological rigour and the ability to critically reflect on the foundations of construction informatics research methods and research methodology.
• Be willing to travel to Switzerland and Italy on occasions for project research and/or short-term exchanges.
• Communicate well with fluent written and presentation skills in English.

The successful candidate should be able to:

• Conduct research that contributes to the project deliverables (see below).
• Collaborate with a highly inter-disciplinary team comprising of civil engineers, architects, industrial engineers and computer scientists.
• Coordinate and manage the day to day activities of the project which include but not limited to preparing reports, dissemination using different media, and organising research and strategy meetings/workshops.
• Undertake relevant coursework and other training.
• Author/co-author high-quality, high-impact publications.
• Contribute to writing follow-up research proposals.
• Participate in the general intellectual life of the Design and Construction Management Section in the Department of Management in the Built Environment.

Project Deliverables include the following specific research tasks:

• Digital representation of virtual factory - Digital product, process, factory and site models.
• Digital integration of virtual factory - Formalization of the requirements for an ontology that can pass data between product, process, factory and site within the SMF production process.
• Digital twin of virtual factory: Delivery of a digital twin including bi-directional link between physical SMF processes and virtual representation.

The expected outcomes of the research will likely include:

• Formalize and validate a method to develop a digital twin of the SMF.
• Implement and test a digital twin of the SMF with features such as 1) high site progress tracking accuracy; 2) required network bandwidth to allow the quick information transfer between different devices (e.g., sensors, cameras, laptop, mobile phones, and office desktops); 3) easy configuration and analysis of the functional modules; and 4) high extensibility for new information communication technologies (e.g.,new types of sensors).
• Deliver a working SMF prototype. This includes the realized physical and digital module of the SMF, a report with KPI evaluation, and a SWOT Analysis considering strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the proposed SMF once brought to market.

The starting date is anticipated for May 2023 or later upon mutual agreement. The position will be appointed for a period of 18 months. Applicants are encouraged to apply, even if they do not meet all the above criteria.  

The position is advertised at the scale 10 for early-career postdocs, but appointment at scale 11 may be possible for more experienced candidates.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice  to assist you with your relocation. An International Children's Centre offers childcare and there is an international primary school.

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 Environment.

Review of applications and invitations to interview will begin on 1 March 2023. The first round of interviews will be scheduled from 9-14 March 2023.  

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Daniel Hall,
email: [email protected] . 

For more information about the selection procedure, please contact Mrs Manon de Gier, HR assistant,
email: [email protected] . 

The position will remain open until February 28, 2023 (local Dutch time: UTC time + 2 hrs). You must apply via the "Apply now" button. Applications via e-mail will not be processed.

To apply for the position, applicants are asked to upload:

• A Curriculum vitae.
• A cover letter describing your motivation and qualifications for the position (one-page maximum).
• A position paper that answers the question: how would you address the key deliverables in the project? (1500-word-maximum, excluding references).     

We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral researcher to work with the Section of Design and Construction Management under the supervision of Dr. Daniel M. Hall on the subject of digital twins for a smart mobile factory.

The research would be part of the Smart Mobile Factory for Infrastructure Projects (SMF4INFRA) project. This research will be done in close collaboration with the research groups in ETH Zürich (led by Prof Guillaume Habert) and Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (led by Prof Patrick Dallasega and Prof Erwin Rauch), and also Eurotube foundation.

Smart Mobile Factory (SMF) is a radical concept which combines digitalization and industrialization concepts to mitigate budget overruns, time delays and consequent public resistance to the implementation of complex infrastructure projects such as roads, railways and tunnels. Digital construction management of infrastructure projects includes the use of building information modeling (BIM), digital twins, and other emerging digital technologies. Industrialized approaches include the use of advanced off-site production (also called prefabrication) to improve the control of cost and time as well as to improve production flows and increase flexibility in infrastructure projects.

The main objective of the research project is to conceptualize, design and develop a prototype of SMF used to sustainably supply the construction of infrastructure projects. A specific characteristic of linear infrastructure projects (e.g. road, railway or tunneling) is that the construction site moves as the project progresses, requiring that off-site manufacturing should also be moveable. A mobile factory can be described as a distributed production facility composed of reconfigurable and mobile production systems that facilitate the adjustment of production capacity and functionality according to on-site conditions. Furthermore, a smart factory digitally represents the physical manufacturing systems, enabling a bi-directional flow of data for advanced planning, simulation, and on-demand production. The main benefits of an SMF include the reduction of costs and delivery times, reduction of negative impacts on environmental sustainability, and visualization and control of the production environment.

The postdoctoral researcher will also act as the main coordinator for the overall project, which includes the coordination between the principal investigators, the research team of four PhD researchers, and the industry partner EuroTube Foundation.

Within the above overall context this specific position will investigate the research question:

• How should the digital twin of a smart mobile factory be developed so that it can be used to augment decision making to support the supply infrastructure projects in an economic and environmentally friendly way?

In addition, through the collaboration with the other researchers, the specific position will also contribute to the research questions:

• What are the requirements and design parameters for a modular reconfigurable and scalable Mobile Factory suitable to deliver infrastructure projects?
• How can data be represented, linked and exploited between the product, the factory and the construction site leading to a Smart Mobile Factory?
• How can sustainability be continuously monitored and optimized throughout the lifecycle of the SMF?
• How can the concept of SMF be commercially exploited for the future of infrastructure construction projects?

The successful candidate will likely:

• Hold a PhD degree in the area of construction management, civil engineering, architecture and/or computer science.
• Hold background experience and knowledge of digital engineering for the AEC industry (BIM, digital twins, Internet of things, game engines), industrialised construction, construction management and semantic web for the AEC industry.
• Adept in computer programming using Python and C# and able to engage with game engines such as Unity or Unreal.
• Demonstrate strong methodological rigour and the ability to critically reflect on the foundations of construction informatics research methods and research methodology.
• Be willing to travel to Switzerland and Italy on occasions for project research and/or short-term exchanges.
• Communicate well with fluent written and presentation skills in English.

The successful candidate should be able to:

• Conduct research that contributes to the project deliverables (see below).
• Collaborate with a highly inter-disciplinary team comprising of civil engineers, architects, industrial engineers and computer scientists.
• Coordinate and manage the day to day activities of the project which include but not limited to preparing reports, dissemination using different media, and organising research and strategy meetings/workshops.
• Undertake relevant coursework and other training.
• Author/co-author high-quality, high-impact publications.
• Contribute to writing follow-up research proposals.
• Participate in the general intellectual life of the Design and Construction Management Section in the Department of Management in the Built Environment.

Project Deliverables include the following specific research tasks:

• Digital representation of virtual factory - Digital product, process, factory and site models.
• Digital integration of virtual factory - Formalization of the requirements for an ontology that can pass data between product, process, factory and site within the SMF production process.
• Digital twin of virtual factory: Delivery of a digital twin including bi-directional link between physical SMF processes and virtual representation.

The expected outcomes of the research will likely include:

• Formalize and validate a method to develop a digital twin of the SMF.
• Implement and test a digital twin of the SMF with features such as 1) high site progress tracking accuracy; 2) required network bandwidth to allow the quick information transfer between different devices (e.g., sensors, cameras, laptop, mobile phones, and office desktops); 3) easy configuration and analysis of the functional modules; and 4) high extensibility for new information communication technologies (e.g.,new types of sensors).
• Deliver a working SMF prototype. This includes the realized physical and digital module of the SMF, a report with KPI evaluation, and a SWOT Analysis considering strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the proposed SMF once brought to market.

The starting date is anticipated for May 2023 or later upon mutual agreement. The position will be appointed for a period of 18 months. Applicants are encouraged to apply, even if they do not meet all the above criteria.  

The position is advertised at the scale 10 for early-career postdocs, but appointment at scale 11 may be possible for more experienced candidates.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice  to assist you with your relocation. An International Children's Centre offers childcare and there is an international primary school.

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 Environment.

Review of applications and invitations to interview will begin on 1 March 2023. The first round of interviews will be scheduled from 9-14 March 2023.  

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Daniel Hall,
email: [email protected] . 

For more information about the selection procedure, please contact Mrs Manon de Gier, HR assistant,
email: [email protected] . 

The position will remain open until February 28, 2023 (local Dutch time: UTC time + 2 hrs). You must apply via the "Apply now" button. Applications via e-mail will not be processed.

To apply for the position, applicants are asked to upload:

• A Curriculum vitae.
• A cover letter describing your motivation and qualifications for the position (one-page maximum).
• A position paper that answers the question: how would you address the key deliverables in the project? (1500-word-maximum, excluding references).