PhD Position Modeling and Simulation of Local Energy Communities

29 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Research Field

Technology

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Netherlands

Application Deadline

30 Apr 2024 - 21:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Not Applicable

Hours Per Week

40.0

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Delft University of Technology is hiring a doctoral candidate on the subject of "Modeling and Simulation of Local Energy Communities". In order to reduce the carbon footprint of our society, the energy systems must develop on the local scale. To create and operate local energy systems we first need to understand them, by modeling and simulating them. The role of this PhD is to develop models and algorithms for local energy commuities and deploy them in a real-world scenario. The main scientific challenge lies in modelling the system with various stakeholders (companies, governments, citizens) and with imperfect and partial information about the community.

This positions is a part of the REFORMERS Horizon EU project. The PhD will collaborate with partners from across EU and the Netherlands. The PhD will be required to occasionally travel within the Netherlands, and to the consortium project meetings across EU. Additionally, the PhD will contribute and lead several deliverables in this EU project.

In a nutshell, your work will be to develop novel models and algorithms for local energy communities. This includes models of energy demand within residential and commercial sectors, models of renewable energy sources, models of energy networks including electricity, heat and gas. On the algorithms side, the management algorithms that advice operation of the local energy community will be the central focus. There is a strong preference to publish models and algorithms as open source. The PhD will also be in charge of validating and testing the developed solutions.

We are looking for a candidate with strong algorithmic and computer science background and exceptional system thinking. The knowledge and experience in the energy field is highly desirable. The affinity with modeling and modeling formalisms (such as optimization modeling, simulation modeling, agent-based modeling) is desirable.

We are looking for candidates who can start as soon as possible, although there is some flexibility in the starting date for the suitable candidate. The candidates will be screened as the applications arrive until the position is filled or the posting has expired.

About the department

The research in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The Electrical Sustainable Energy Department provides expertise in these areas throughout the entire energy system chain. The department owns a large ESP Laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection and wide-area monitoring and protection.

The Intelligent Electrical Power Grid (IEPG) group, headed by Professor Peter Palensky, works on the future of our power system. The goal is to generate, transmit and use electrical energy in a highly reliable, efficient, stable, clean, affordable, and safe way. IEPG integrates new power technologies and smart controls, which interact with other systems and allow for more distributed and variable generation.

Requirements
Specific Requirements

Essentials:

• An MSc degree in a field with a strong emphasis on computer science, modelling and algorithms. Relevant mathematical frameworks include simulation modelling, optimization theory, co-simulation, multi-scale modelling, complex system theory, control theory, operations research.
• Knowledge of the energy field is desirable.
• Affinity with programming.
• Good analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Excellent English skills. The minimum requirement of a TOEFL score of 100 IELTS of 7.0 per sub-skill (writing, reading, listening, speaking) applies to all candidates wanting to pursue a PhD at TU Delft.

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 .

Additional Information
Benefits

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 € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 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.

Selection process

The applications for this post should be submitted through the recruitment system.

Please submit (1) a cover letter that details your motivation and fit to the job requirements, (2) your CV with a list of (academic and/or industry) references that we can contact, (3) a list of grades of your qualifying degrees (BSc, MSc), (4) if available, the thesis or another sample of your technical writing. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The deadline for applications is April 30th at 23:59 CET. The candidates will be screened as the applications arrive and the promising candidates will be contacted before the closing of this post. The knowledge security screening may be performed.

If you are interested, do not wait to apply, we are happy to schedule an interview while the response period is running.

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

Additional comments

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Milos Cvetkovic, e-mail: [email protected] .

For information about the selection procedure, please contact Brenda Reyes Munoz, Secretary, email: [email protected] .

Website for additional job details

https://www.academictransfer.com/339677/

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Delft University of Technology

Country

Netherlands

City

Delft

Postal Code

2628 CD

Street

Mekelweg 2

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.academictransfer.com/en/339677/phd-position-modeling-and-simulation…

Contact

City

Delft

Website

http://www.tudelft.nl/

Street

Mekelweg 2

Postal Code

2628 CD

STATUS: EXPIRED