The candidate will study coastal processes that govern the medium to long term development (5-50 years) of the coastal dune landscape in view of combined climate drivers and anthropogenic influences. The study will include the governing characteristics of landscape development such as sediment mobility and the development of vegetation in combination with short term environmental conditions such as winds, waves, rainfall and droughts. How can the knowledge gap between these short term driving processes and longer term response of the coastal landscape morphology and vegetation be bridged in view of developing Building with Nature strategies?

The PhD candidate will use the living lab that is provided by the Zandmotor along the Delfland coast for fieldwork and monitoring (incl. developing new monitoring approaches). The Zandmotor location provides a unique building with nature approach to coastal dune landscapes and understanding its development can  contribute to the scalability of Building with Nature engineering concepts. Fieldwork will be complemented by dedicated modelling studies to predict the behaviour of coastal landscapes (foreshore, beach, dunes) and understand the scalability of these concepts.

The candidate will work in a collaborative research community around Building with Nature for Hydraulic engineering. This community consists of students from all levels from Delft University but also extents towards universities abroad in a collaborative program that includes frequent exchanges of activities and people. The community is led by dr. Sierd de Vries, dr. Martine Rutten and Prof. Stefan Aarninkhof at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Delft University of Technology. The community receives funding from the ZABAWAS foundation.

This 4 years PhD position opens in September/October 2023 but the starting date can be negotiated to some extent.

We are seeking a candidate with:

• MSc degree in Engineering, Geography, Earth system science or related discipline with training in numerical modelling.
• Excellent ability to think conceptually and quantitatively
• Excellent ability to communicate in English and preferably in Dutch, both orally and in writing
• Interest in (bio)geomorphological interactions (sediment, hydrodynamics, vegetation)
• Good organisational skills and ability to work independently
• Interest in fieldworks
• Affinity with supervision of students
• Affinity with engineering practice

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 € 2541 per month in the first year to € 3247 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 sport memberships, 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

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!

Faculty Civil Engineering & Geosciences

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.