Researcher/Software Developer - Path Planning for eVTOL Operations

Join a dynamic team of global researchers dedicated to enabling future passenger transportation through eVTOL aircraft.

Future Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft represent a shift in aerial mobility. With their vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, eVTOLs promise to alleviate traffic congestion in highly populated cities, reduce carbon emissions, and provide quicker, point-to-point transportation in urban environments. Nevertheless, advanced air mobility (AAM) is still in the early phases of research, and faces many challenges before becoming a reality. Concerns related to safety, traffic management, noise, battery consumption, infrastructure, must be careful addressed to improve public perception and acceptance.

We are seeking a highly motivated and talented researcher/software developer to join our AAM research team. This position will mainly focus on developing and implementing advanced path planning algorithms for autonomous aerial vehicles operating in complex urban environments. You will help develop an agent-based modelling and simulation tool for an use-case evolving future passenger transportation. We are looking for someone interested in code development, with a strong background in Python. Additionally, you must consider that any path planning algorithm for AAM must take into account elements such as safety, traffic management, noise, and the existing regulatory framework.

Finally, you will work in the (EU-funded) COLOSSUS project, where you will cooperate in an international consortium of industrial and academic partners. You will work with a team of developers from different research institutions to build the necessary simulation structure and use-case

This research position is funded by the European COLOSSUS project. You will be working in an international consortium, which means that good proficiency in the English language (spoken and written) is required.

Furthermore, the position also has the following requirements:

• You hold an MSc in aerospace or computer engineering. A PhD is welcomed but not a must.
• Knowledge of programming in Python is a must.
• You want to bridge the gap between research and the applications.
• You are passionate about future passenger aircraft

• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The salary is based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%. The salary and classification will be according to the candidate’s academic and professional experience:

• • MSc students, without relevant work experience, will be designated as Researchers within scale 8 (€ 3.072,00 - € 4.103,00).
  • PhD graduates, or MSc students with relevant work experience, will be designated as Researchers within scale 10 (€ 3.226,00 - € 5.090,00).
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

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 Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond.

Click here  to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 10 March 2024 via the application button and upload your motivation and CV.

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

For more information about the position, please contact Assistant Professor: Dr. Marta Ribeiro, [email protected] . For more information about the recruitment process, please contact: [email protected] . 

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